Ten Questions with Davey Pattison

By John Wardlaw

JW: Davey, I want to thank you for taking the time to help this Gamma web site have a personal touch.

DP: Hello John, nice to be talking to you.

JW: If I am correct you are from Scotland but currently living in the United States. Is there anything in particular that you miss about Scotland?

DP: Yes, there are many things I miss about Scotland. I miss my family and friends on a day to day basis, I miss the caustic, irreverent sense of humour. I was like a fish out of water when I came here 20 years ago, total culture shock!!! I will never forget the look on Glenn Letsch's face the first time he saw Edinbourgh Castle when Gamma toured Europe. I think the sense of history just took him so much by surprise. A fond memory.

JW: Is there anything in particular that you like or dislike about living in the United States?

DP: I truly beleive that America has done more for this planet in 200 odd years than the rest of the world put together. As a Brit however, I have some serious problems with the situation with guns in this country. Where I come from, there are no guns. You can count on one hand the people who are killed with hand guns in the U.K. For me it is really quite simple, no guns, no sensless deaths. I sincerely hope this comment does not offend anyone reading this.

JW: Ronnie Montrose said that (prior to Gamma 1) Jimmy Dewar descibed you as one of the best undiscovered vocalists around. What kind of work were you doing prior to Gamma?

DP: Before Gamma!! I started in bars just like eveyone else, playing other people's music. I got a break in 1977 thanks to Jimmy Dewar and Bill Lordan who passed on an album I had been working on with Matthew Fisher (Procol Harem) to the management at Bill Graham's office. My man Montrose liked it, and I have been here ever since. I can never thank Ronnie enough for giving me the chance.

JW: Were there any vocalists in particular that inspired you to want to become a singer?

DP: So very many. Little Richard, Ray Charles, Solomon Burke, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Donny Hathaway. Man I could go on for days on that!!

JW: You have worked with Ronnie Montrose both on his solo work and as a member of Gamma. You have also worked with Robin Trower. How was working with either band different?

DP: I have been fortunate to work with two of the best guitarists in the business. It is difficult for me to compare Gamma with Robin, because I am very proud to have been a member of both bands.

JW: What kind of response have you recieved from your web site?

DP: Frankly I have been amazed. I am not a guy who is into technology (to say the least) but I have heard from people from all over the world, and I do enjoy my email buddies a whole lot.

JW: Can you tell us about your new cd MISSISSIPPI NIGHTS?

DP: I had a bunch of songs, and the only way to find out if they were any good was to go into the studio and record them with a band. I am for the most part, happy with it. The minute I am TOTALLY happy with any album it will be the last one I make.

JW: Are there any artists that you currently think are exceptional?

DP: I really like Chris Rea, and I love Keb Mo. There's not a whole lot out there that do much for me. I tend to buy my favourite old albums that are now available on cd.

JW: Are there any projects you have worked on that you wish more people knew about?

DP: Yeah man, ALL of them!!!

JW: Have you been working on any other projects recently?

DP: Yes I've been fairly busy recently. Soon as I finished vocals on Gamma 4, I sang four songs on my friend Pete Sears forthcoming album,and I did a bit on a "musical" album based on the life of Leonardo da Vinci.

Special thanks to Davey Pattison for taking the time to help make this site interesting and informative.

Reproduction of this interveiw permitted only with permission from John Wardlaw