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- Verified Buyer
...NOW HERE'S TO KICK YOUR ARSE...THE PAT TRAVERS BAND!!!Oh, the memories. I owned this on 8-track about 25 years ago. I just got it again on CD and it sounds as good as it ever did. This is one of the best live heavy rock albums ever, from one of Canada's most underrated guitarists.Unfortunately, I saw him at a club in 1987 and he was terrible. I later heard that he was suffering from severe substance abuse problems. I hope Pat's conquered those demons.But anyone would have a hard time living up to the performances on this disc. With his most crack band EVER - stalwart "Mars" Cowling on bass, co-lead guitarist Pat Thrall ("Guitar Player" magazine's Best New Talent of 1980), and legendary drummer Tommy Aldridge - from the first notes of "Hooked On Music" to the classic trashcan ending of "Makes No Difference," this album is over before you realise it. Even the slightly mellower "Stevie" kicks in and rocks.He never really grabbed the States the way he did his native Canada and the British/Europeans. However, even though he was often second (or lower) on the bill at many US gigs, he often had the "headliners" running for cover after he smoked the stage.About the only label I can use to describe this is LIVE, burning hard rock and roll from back in the day when performers didn't have MTV, etc. to make their names...it was all about what you could do onstage. The Pat Travers Band could certainly "do" it. Buy.
