By Ray Shasho
“Our band has been through the ringer. We have gone into some bad situations with our heads held high and came out looking good. We’ve had a lot of willpower. I think a lot of others would have given up where we kept going” …A recent interview with Pat Travers.
At the impressionable age of 13, Toronto native Pat Travers witnessed Jimi Hendrix perform his guitar-wizardry live on an Ottawa stage. By age 15 Travers was playing in his first rock band.
While playing in a band called Merge, he was recognized by “Mr. Dynamo” Ronnie Hawkins. (“Hey, Bo Didley”, “Marylou”) Hawkins had a reputation for recruiting and grooming noteworthy Canadian talent. Hawkins became a permanent resident of Canada in 1964. Pat Travers toured with Hawkins as his lead guitar player.
In 1976 Polydor Records signed the guitar virtuoso to his first record deal. His band toured the U.K. in support of his self titled- debut album. The album conceived Travers classic battle-cry and crowd pleaser- “Boom Boom (Out Go the Lights)”
In ‘77 Pat Travers released the good time rock ‘n roll album “Putting it Straight.”
While in England, Pat Travers performed at the annual Reading Festival. Travers released two more albums before concentrating his efforts on the U.S. music scene.
The best of times for the Canadian-rocker came in 1979 with the release of his first- Live album “Go For What You Know.” The Live album recruited droves of new fans after listening to Travers dynamic- rock and roll performance transpire on stage.
Travers is both an outstanding lead and rhythm guitar player.
The Live album was followed by the 1980 brilliant release “Crash and Burn.”
Some thirty albums later, the monster- guitarist, keyboardist, vocalist, composer, producer and arranger, continues to record and tour with his Paul Reed Smith- Modern Eagle electric guitar.
Pat Travers has certainly ridden a rock and roll rollercoaster through the years, but lately the rocker is having some fun by marketing himself through the electronic media. And why not-what better way is there to get your message out instantly- while networking and attracting new fans? Especially during the contemptible- state of the music business these days. Pat promotes regularly on Twitter and Facebook.
He’s also got a fan club on his website called The Hammerhead Club.
Some of the member perks include- a discussion forum which usually includes the guitar –hero himself, a private- video stash from Pat’s secret vault, participation in live interviews, shows and mini-concerts, and members only- music downloads. Pat would also like to release some of the material that gets recorded but never makes it to a record on the site. (Membership is only $2.95 a month)
But the cleverest offering on the site has got to be the live one-on-one guitar coaching sessions with Pat via Skype. (You can download- Skype on Pat’s website) Learn from the master or as Pat would prefer to be called “Sensei” for guitar players. You see, Pat Travers is also a Black Belt in the style of Isshin- Ryu Karate.
Hammerhead Club Members pay $250 for a 30-minute session and Non- Hammerhead Members pay $300 for a 30-minute session.
Visit Pat Travers official website for more information. http://www.pattravers.com/
Hold on…I haven’t even scratched the surface yet on Pat Travers recent updates. Listen to this, book your next cruise NOW! On December 1st of this year, the fabulous- Liberty of the Seas will set sail for 4 nights on the “Rock Legends Cruise.” It’s a floating rock festival leaving from Fort Lauderdale with a stop at a private beach island and Nassau, Bahamas. The event is sponsored by Sioux Native Americans living on reservations in South Dakota.
Headliners performing on board the ship are- ZZ Top, George Thorogood and The Destroyers, John Kay and Steppenwolf, The Marshall Tucker Band, Dickey Betts & Great Southern, Foghat, Johnny Winter, Molly Hatchet, The Outlaws, Blackfoot, SwampDaWamp and PAT TRAVERS. Each band will be playing multiple sets in an array of ship board venues. It’s a floating Woodstock!
Visit here for more information on how to book your Rock Legends Cruise- http://rocklegendscruise.com/
And there’s more great news…Floridian- Pat Travers will be performing live on stage- March 17th at “The Local 662” (State Theatre) in St. Petersburg. Tickets go on sale this- Friday March 4th at 10am and are available here or at Ticketmaster outlets. You can call the Local 662 club (Formerly The Garage) for more information.
Travers also announced that he may be playing some shows this year with fellow guitar- whiz Ronnie Montrose.
The Pat Travers Band’s latest power-rock album -Fidelis can be purchased on Amazon.com
Got a classic rock story you’d like to share? Email me at rockraymond.shasho@gmail.com I may feature your story in my next article.
