Open main menu
Home
Random
Recent changes
Special pages
Community portal
Preferences
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Incubator escapee wiki
Search
User menu
Talk
Dark mode
Contributions
Create account
Log in
Editing
Pat Travers
Warning:
You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you
log in
or
create an account
, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.
Anti-spam check. Do
not
fill this in!
{{Short description|Canadian rock musician (born 1954)}} {{Use Canadian English|date=May 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}} {{multiple issues| {{lead too short|date=May 2023}} {{BLP sources|date=October 2020}} }} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Pat Travers | image = Pat Travers (14052206440).jpg | caption = Travers performing in 2014 | birth_name = Patrick Henry Travers | alias = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1954|04|12}} | birth_place = [[Toronto]], Ontario, Canada | genre = {{hlist|[[Hard rock]]|[[blues rock]]}} | occupation = {{hlist|Musician|singer|songwriter}} | instrument = {{hlist|Guitar|vocals|keyboards}} | years_active = 1970–present | label = {{hlist|[[Polydor Records|Polydor]]|Lemon|[[Cleopatra Records|Cleopatra]]<ref>Greg Prato [https://www.allmusic.com/artist/pat-travers-mn0000002867/discography "Pat Travers - Discography"] "AllMusic.com". Retrieved October 30, 2017.</ref>}} | associated_acts = | website = {{URL|pattravers.com}} }} '''Patrick Henry Travers''' (born April 12, 1954) is a Canadian rock guitarist, singer and songwriter who began his recording career in the mid-1970s.<ref name="Larkin">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=1997|edition=Concise|isbn=1-85227-745-9|pages=1188/9}}</ref> ==Early life == Travers was born and raised in [[Toronto]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pat Travers Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mn0000002867 |access-date=2023-06-18 |website=AllMusic |language=en}}</ref> Soon after picking up the guitar at age 12, he saw [[Jimi Hendrix]] perform in [[Ottawa]]. Travers began playing in bands early in his teens; his first bands were the Music Machine (not to be confused with [[The Music Machine|the Californian psychedelic/garage band of the same name]]), Red Hot, and Merge, which played in clubs in the [[Quebec]] area. == Career == ===Early career=== While performing with Merge, he was noticed by rock artist [[Ronnie Hawkins]], who invited Travers to perform with him. In his early twenties, Travers moved to London and signed a recording contract with the [[Polydor Records|Polydor]] label.<ref name="Larkin"/> His self-titled debut album was released in 1976 and featured bassist [[Peter "Mars" Cowling]], who was a mainstay in Travers' band for several years.<ref name="Larkin"/> An appearance on the German TV show ''[[Rockpalast]]'' in November 1976 was later released on CD+DVD under the title ''Live at Rockpalast – Cologne 1976'' in 2017. This performance showcases an early version of Travers' band featuring Cowling and drummer [[Nicko McBrain]].<ref name="Larkin"/> ===Rise to popularity=== During 1977, Travers added a second guitarist to his band, changed drummers twice including using [[Clive Edwards]], and by the time ''[[Heat in the Street]]'' was released in 1978 had put together the '''Pat Travers Band'''.<ref name="Larkin"/> This grouping featured Travers on vocals and guitar, [[Pat Thrall]] on guitar, Cowling on bass, and [[Tommy Aldridge]] on drums and percussion.<ref name="Larkin"/> The band toured heavily, also supporting [[Rush (band)|Rush]] on their ''Drive til You Die'' tour in support of ''[[A Farewell to Kings]]''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Popoff|first=Martin|title=Contents Under Pressure: 30 Years of Rush at Home and Away|publisher=ECW|year=2004|page=[https://archive.org/details/contentsunderpre0000popo/page/62 62]|url=https://archive.org/details/contentsunderpre0000popo|url-access=registration|isbn=978-1-55022-678-2}}</ref> The guitar Travers most often appeared with on stage and on album covers in the band's early years was a 1964/65 model double cutaway, double [[humbucker]] pick-up Gibson Melody Maker. The band's next release was a live album entitled ''[[Live! Go for What You Know]]'', which charted in the Top 40 in the United States and included the tune "Boom Boom (Out Go the Lights)" (originally recorded by [[Little Walter]], credited to Stan Lewis), which climbed even higher on the charts, entering the Top 20. "[[Snortin' Whiskey]]" was a major American radio hit from 1980's ''[[Crash and Burn (Pat Travers Band album)|Crash and Burn]]''. After an appearance before 35,000 people at the [[Reading Music Festival]] in England, both Thrall and Aldridge announced they were leaving the band to pursue other projects.<ref name="Larkin"/> Travers and Cowling teamed up with drummer [[Sandy Gennaro]] and released ''[[Radio Active (Pat Travers album)|Radio Active]]''<ref name="Larkin"/> that same year. A co-headlining tour with [[Rainbow (rock band)|Rainbow]] followed, and the two bands performed in major arenas across North America. Although the tour was Travers' most successful road outing, the ''Radio Active'' album barely made it into the Top 40, reaching only number 37.<ref name="Pat Travers Allmusic Album ''Radioactive'' review">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/r51416/charts-awards|title=Billboard records reviews for Pat Travers' album, ''Radioactive''|year=2012|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=March 14, 2012}}</ref> It was very different from Travers' previous work, with more emphasis on keyboards than heavy guitars. Disappointed with the lack of sales, [[Polydor Records|Polydor]] dropped Travers from their roster, and he in turn sued the record company on grounds that he was under contract with them to record more material. He won the lawsuit, and was able to release ''Black Pearl'' in 1982. This release also featured more mainstream music rather than the hard-driving rock Travers had recorded earlier, and included the hit single "I La La La Love You", featured prominently on mainstream Top 40 and album oriented rock stations, and in the 1983 film ''[[Valley Girl (1983 film)|Valley Girl]]''. ''Hot Shot'' was Travers' last major label release of original music, and was a return to a harder-edge style of rock than his previous two albums had been. One of Travers' best-recorded projects, it went basically unnoticed and is best remembered for the single "Killer". It was during this time that Travers also released ''Just Another Killer Day'', a 30-minute home video featuring music from ''Hot Shot'' that was a [[Science fiction|sci-fi]] type short story about sexy alien women searching for information on music here on earth. In 1984, Travers was again supporting Rush. [[Alex Lifeson]] is one of Travers' many admirers.<ref>{{cite book| last = Popoff| first = Martin| title = Contents Under Pressure: 30 Years of Rush at Home and Away | publisher = ECW| year = 2004 | page = [https://archive.org/details/contentsunderpre0000popo/page/116 116]| url = https://archive.org/details/contentsunderpre0000popo| url-access = registration| isbn = 978-1-55022-678-2}}</ref> Before the release of ''Hot Shot'', longtime bassist Cowling left the band, and Travers would work with several different bassists including Cliff Jordan and Donni Hughes until Cowling's return in 1989. [[Jerry Riggs]], who had joined the Pat Travers Band in 1983, helped Travers create a guitar team that fans considered difficult to rival.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Heavy Rock |publisher=Virgin Books |isbn=0-7535-0257-7 |page=370 |edition=1999 |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encyclopedia_of_Popular_Music}}</ref> After ''Hot Shot''{{'}}s release in 1984, [[Polydor]] made plans to issue a greatest hits package, and then ended their relationship with Travers. The latter half of the 1980s were quite gruelling for Travers. Having entered the decade at the top of the music game, he found himself in 1986 without a record contract and being forced to earn a living once again playing nightclubs and touring constantly. By 1990, he had gained a deal with a small European label and released ''School of Hard Knocks''.<ref name="Larkin"/> The project was completely ignored by radio. A full-length concert video, ''Boom Boom – Live at the Diamond Club 1990,'' was shot in Toronto, to be released on CD as ''Boom Boom'' next year, but Travers was still not able to return to the success he had ten years earlier, working only on indie labels, as with Lemon Recordings. ===1990s: Return to form=== Shortly after, Travers signed a deal with U.S.-based Blues Bureau International Records, a company formed by producer [[Mike Varney]]. Travers' first recording for the label was ''Blues Tracks'', released in 1992.<ref name="Larkin"/> Brad Russell, from Detroit, plays bass on Blues Tracks. <ref>See liner notes.</ref>Several more releases on the BBI label followed during the 1990s. In 1993, Travers parted company with both Jerry Riggs and Peter "Mars" Cowling, and Riggs was briefly replaced by former [[Foghat]] guitarist Erik Cartwright. The relationship was brief, and Travers has worked with a variety of musicians since that time. Travers sang on Boston metal band [[Extreme (band)|Extreme]]'s song "[[Get the Funk Out]]" from their 1990 album ''[[Pornograffitti]]''. ===2000s=== [[File:Pat Travers (cropped).jpg|thumb|Travers in 2009]] Travers has not been able to regain the level of commercial success he once had, despite a large and loyal fan base who call themselves "Hammer Heads". In 2001, Travers was part of the "[[Voices of Classic Rock]]" tour and had a minor hit with [[Leslie West]] from the band [[Mountain (band)|Mountain]] called "Rock Forever". In 2004, Travers started a project with veteran drummer [[Carmine Appice]] and started touring the U.S. Travers recorded cover tunes from bands such as [[Led Zeppelin]], [[Montrose (band)|Montrose]], [[Queen (band)|Queen]], and [[Trapeze (band)|Trapeze]] under the album name ''P.T. Power Trio 2'', and they toured Europe in November 2006. He has also performed with the band [[Scrap Metal (band)|Scrap Metal]]. 2008 to 2016 featured one of the longest/most consistent line-ups for the Pat Travers Band. Joining Travers was Kirk McKim (2006–2015; guitar/vocals), Sean Shannon (2008–2010; drums), followed by Sandy Gennaro (2010–2016), and Rodney O'Quinn (2007–2016; bass/vocals). The band released the album ''Fidelis'' in late 2009. In July 2013, they released ''Can Do'' via Frontiers Records, a major label based in Italy. ''Can Do'' was supported by PTB tours of the U.S., the UK, and Europe during the later half of 2013. In January 2015, Frontiers Records released ''Live at the Iridium NYC'', recorded in February 2012. ==Pat Travers Band members== [[Pat Thrall]], [[Nicko McBrain]], [[Clive Edwards]], [[Mick Dyche]], [[Tommy Aldridge]], [[Peter "Mars" Cowling]], [[Barry Dunaway]], [[Jerry Riggs]], Gunter Nezhoda, [[Carmine Appice]], [[Michael Shrieve]], [[Aynsley Dunbar]], Kirk McKim, [[Sandy Gennaro]], Rodney O'Quinn, Sean Shannon, Randy Lane, Frank McDaniel, David LaRue, Eric Fretas, and Rick Navarro are some of the noted musicians who have been members of the '''Pat Travers Band''' through the years. As of 2021, the band consists of Travers (guitars, vocals), Alex Petrosky (drums) and [[David Pastorius]] (bass).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pattravers.com/the-band/|title=The Band | Pat Travers Band | Were Here To Kick Your Ass|website=Pattravers.com|access-date=September 30, 2023}}</ref> ==Acclaim== [[Paul Gilbert]] has referred to Travers as a "guitar god",<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metal-rules.com/interviews/paulgilbert-May2004.htm|title=Metal-Rules.com: Interview with Paul Gilbert|website=Metal-rules.com|access-date=April 15, 2019}}</ref> and [[Kirk Hammett]] of [[Metallica]] has cited him as one of his favourite guitar players.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metallicaworld.co.uk/Interviews/2001_kirk_qanda.htm |title=Kirk Hammett Questions and Answers 2001 |publisher=Metallicaworld.co.uk |access-date=March 27, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329095025/http://www.metallicaworld.co.uk/Interviews/2001_kirk_qanda.htm |archive-date=March 29, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ==Trivia== "Rage of Travers", the ninth track on [[The Mountain Goats]]' 2017 album ''[[Goths (album)|Goths]]'', retells an incident in which Travers—on tour in 1982 or 1983—showed up, guitar in hand and looking to jam, at a [[Bauhaus (band)|Bauhaus]] concert after his own gig ended. The chorus, "Nobody wants to hear the 12-bar blues/from a guy in platform shoes", highlights the speed with which the commercial landscape of rock changed in the early 1980s, especially as [[MTV]] promoted more visually distinctive acts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://genius.com/The-mountain-goats-rage-of-travers-lyrics |title=The Mountain Goats - "Rage of Travers" Lyrics |publisher=Genius.com |access-date=August 22, 2017}}</ref> In the 2004 movie ''[[Sideways]]'', the song "Snortin' Whiskey" is playing as Miles tries to recover Jack's wallet. In the 1983 movie ''[[Valley Girl (1983 film)|Valley Girl]]'', the song "I La La La Love You" is playing when Randy, Julie, Fred and Stacey leave the party and head to Hollywood. ==Discography== [[File:Pat Travers (14238807505).jpg|thumb|upright|Travers in 2014]] ===Albums=== * 1976 ''[[Pat Travers (album)|Pat Travers]]'' * 1977 ''[[Makin' Magic]]'' * 1977 ''[[Putting It Straight]]'' * 1978 ''[[Heat in the Street]]'' * 1978 ''The Pat Travers You Missed Mini-Album'' (EP) * 1979 ''[[Live! Go for What You Know]]'' * 1980 ''[[Crash and Burn (Pat Travers Band album)|Crash and Burn]]'' * 1981 ''[[Radio Active (Pat Travers album)|Radio Active]]'' * 1982 ''Black Pearl'' * 1984 ''Hot Shot'' * 1990 ''School of Hard Knocks'' * 1991 ''Boom Boom – Live at the Diamond Club, Toronto'' (live 1990) * 1992 ''BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert'' (live 1977 and 1980; re-released in 2000) * 1992 ''Blues Tracks'' * 1993 ''Just a Touch'' * 1994 ''Blues Magnet'' * 1995 ''Halfway to Somewhere'' * 1996 ''Lookin' Up'' * 1997 ''King Biscuit Flower Hour'' (live 1984) * 1998 ''Blues Tracks 2'' * 2000 ''Don't Feed the Alligators'' * 2003 ''Etched in Stone'' (live 2002; 2-CD) * 2003 ''P.T. Power Trio'' (also called just... ''Power Trio'') * 2003 ''From the Front... Live!'' (live 1984; DVD-Audio) * 2005 ''PT=MC2'' * 2005 ''Boom Boom – Live at the Diamond Club 1990'' (CD & DVD) * 2006 ''Live – Hooked on Music'' (live 1976; DVD) * 2006 ''P.T. Power Trio 2'' * 2008 ''Stick with What You Know – Live in Europe'' (live 2007) * 2009 ''Black Betty'' * 2010 ''Fidelis'' * 2012 ''[[Blues on Fire]]'' * 2013 ''Live at the Bamboo Room'' (CD & DVD) * 2013 ''Can Do'' * 2014 ''Snortin' Whiskey at the Warfield (Official Bootleg)'' * 2015 ''Live at the Iridium NYC'' * 2015 ''[[Retro Rocket]]'' * 2017 ''Live at Rockpalast – Cologne 1976'' (live 1976; CD & DVD) * 2019 ''Swing!'' * 2019 ''Live in Concert – April 30th 1981 (Stanley Theatre, Pittsburgh)'' * 2022 ''The Art of Time Travel'' * 2023 ''Live at Reading 1980'' * 2024 ''Live 'N' Loaded '84'' ===Singles released during major label career=== * 1976 "Makes No Difference" (promo single to debut album) * 1976 "Stop and Smile" * 1977 "Stevie" * 1977 "Rock 'N' Roll Susie" * 1977 "Gettin' Betta" * 1977 "Life in London" * 1978 "Heat in the Street" * 1978 "Go All Night" * 1979 "Boom, Boom (Out Go the Lights) – Live!" (UK single) * 1980 "Is This Love" (US single) * 1980 "[[Snortin' Whiskey]]" (US single) * 1980 "Evie" ([[Netherlands]] only single) * 1980 "Crash and Burn" * 1980 "(Your Love) Can't Be Right" * 1981 "My Life Is on the Line" * 1981 "New Age Music" (Netherlands only single) * 1981 "I Can Love You" * 1982 "I La La La Love You" * 1982 "Rockin'" * 1982 "I'd Rather See You Dead" * 1984 "Women on the Edge of Love" * 1984 "Killer" ===Compilation albums=== * 1985 ''Boom Boom...The Best of Pat Travers'' * 1990 ''An Anthology, Vol. 1'' * 1990 ''An Anthology, Vol. 2'' * 1991 ''The Best of Pat Travers'' * 1997 ''Best of Blues Plus Live!'' (studio and 1997 live recordings) * 2003 ''20th Century Masters/The Millennium Collection: The Best of Pat Travers'' * 2004 ''Rock Solid: The Essential Collection'' (Germany) * 2007 ''Boom Boom (Out Go the Lights)'' * 2008 ''8+8: The Best of '70–'80'' (live recordings) (Germany) * 2009 ''Travelin' Blues'' * 2015 ''Feelin' Right: The Polydor Albums 1975–1984 (Remastered)'' ===Travers & Appice albums=== * 2004 ''It Takes a Lot of Balls'' * 2005 ''Live at the House of Blues'' * 2005 ''Bazooka'' * 2014 ''Live in Europe'' * 2016 ''The Balls Album'' ===Guest appearances=== * 1977 ''[[Play Me Out (Glenn Hughes album)|Play Me Out]]'' ([[Glenn Hughes (British musician)|Glenn Hughes]]) * 1983 ''Valley Girl'' (soundtrack) * 1990 ''[[Pornografitti]]'' ([[Extreme (band)|Extreme]]; bridge vocals on "Get the Funk Out") * 1993 ''L.A. Blues Authority, Vol. III: Hats Off to Stevie Ray'' (various artists) * 1993 ''L.A. Blues Authority, Vol. IV: Fit for a King'' (various artists) * 1993 ''Songs from the Better Blues Bureau'' (various artists) * 1993 ''Masters of Metal – Live: The 70's – Ten Hits'' (various artists) * 1994 ''L.A. Blues Authority, Vol. V: Cream of the Crop'' (various artists) * 1995 ''Animal Magnetism'' (various artists) * 1997 ''Summerdaze'' (live featuring John Kay & [[Steppenwolf (band)|Steppenwolf]], [[Blue Öyster Cult]], [[Foghat]], Pat Travers) * 2001 ''Voices of Classic Rock: Voices for America'' (various artists) * 2001 ''[[Building the Machine]]'' (Glenn Hughes) * 2004 ''[[Sideways]]'' (soundtrack) * 2006 ''Off The Shelf'' ([[Keith Emerson]]) (Travers on 2 tracks) * 2009 ''Discovery'' (Chris Catena) * 2010 ''[[Circus Bar]]'' ([[Brian Howe (singer)|Brian Howe]]) * 2012 ''[[Antiseptic Bloodbath]]'' ([[Tourniquet (band)|Tourniquet]]) * 2012 ''Six String Soldiers'' ([[Frank Hannon]]) * 2014 ''Primitive Son'' ([[Eli Cook (musician)|Eli Cook]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/primitive-son-mw0002636162/credits |title=Primitive Son - Eli Cook | Credits |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=January 4, 2016}}</ref> * 2024 ''Temple of Blues'' ([[Cactus (American band)|Cactus]])<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 25, 2024 |title=Pat Travers Talks About CACTUS New Release TEMPLE OF BLUES |url=https://www.amfm-magazine.tv/pat-travers-talks-about-cactus-new-release-temple-of-blues/}}</ref> ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== {{commons category}} *[http://www.pattravers.com/ Pat Travers' official website] *{{allMusic}} *[http://www.canadianbands.com/.html Bio at CanadianBands.com] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20100702000039/http://guitarinternational.com/wpmu/2010/06/15/pattraverse/ Pat Travers: Groove and Tone – GuitarInternational.com Interview] *{{Discogs artist}} {{Pat Travers}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Travers, Pat}} [[Category:1954 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Canadian rock singers]] [[Category:Canadian hard rock musicians]] [[Category:Canadian heavy metal singers]] [[Category:Canadian rock guitarists]] [[Category:Canadian male guitarists]] [[Category:Canadian male singers]] [[Category:Singers from Toronto]] [[Category:Canadian expatriate musicians in the United States]] [[Category:Polydor Records artists]] [[Category:Provogue Records artists]] [[Category:Blues rock musicians]]
Edit summary
(Briefly describe your changes)
By publishing changes, you agree to the
Terms of Use
, and you irrevocably agree to release your contribution under the
CC BY-SA 4.0 License
and the
GFDL
. You agree that a hyperlink or URL is sufficient attribution under the Creative Commons license.
Cancel
Editing help
(opens in new window)
Pages transcluded onto the current version of this page
(
help
)
:
Template:'
(
edit
)
Template:AllMusic
(
edit
)
Template:Authority control
(
edit
)
Template:Cite book
(
edit
)
Template:Cite web
(
edit
)
Template:Commons category
(
edit
)
Template:Discogs artist
(
edit
)
Template:EditAtWikidata
(
edit
)
Template:First word
(
edit
)
Template:Infobox musical artist
(
edit
)
Template:Main other
(
edit
)
Template:Multiple issues
(
edit
)
Template:PAGENAMEBASE
(
edit
)
Template:Pat Travers
(
edit
)
Template:Reflist
(
edit
)
Template:Short description
(
edit
)
Template:Sister project
(
edit
)
Template:Trim
(
edit
)
Template:Use Canadian English
(
edit
)
Template:Use mdy dates
(
edit
)
Template:Wikidata
(
edit
)