Pat Travers - 8+8 - Best Of ‘77-’80

Details : 2008, Ork Records, CD

When it comes to naming the great live albums of Classic Rocks’ golden era then Pat Travers “Go For What You Know” has to be included in the list of candidates for a high placing. Eight tracks of smoking blues rock with an occasional funky edge its a record that captures Travers at his very best, performing tracks from his earlier self titled début album, personal favourite “Makin’ Magic”, “Putting It Straight” and 1978’s “Heat In The Street”. Featuring a line up that included Pat Thrall on 2nd guitar, Tommy Alridge (who’d replaced a young Nicko McBrain for “Heat In The Street”) on drums and Pete “Mars” Cowling on bass that live album makes the first half of this new Travers compilation.

From the introduction and promise of a band here to “kick your ass” they proceed do do just that in style. Catchy “Hooked On Music” is a fine set starter, “Boom Boom (Out Go The Lights)” a superb version of a Little Walter song first covered on the début album, “Stevie” a bluesy tribute to his brother, and in “Makin Magic” a classic in its own right. A superb live set, with possibly the only fault of the original being that it wasn’t a double LP in a gatefold sleeve.

As impressive as that is, Ork have gone one better and rather than simply sticking the eight track live set out on a new, shiny disc they’ve added a further eight studio cuts from around the same era although also capturing tracks from 1980’s “Crash And Burn” and billed this half as a “Studio Anthology Collection”, making the whole release arguably the best Travers set on the market. Amongst the studio gems there’s the classic blues-rock of “Rock And Roll Susie“, Travers’ tremendous version of “Stateboro’ Blues“, a highlight of “Makin’ Magic” and just as good when featured alongside the rest of his best, the excellent “You Don’t Love Me” and most impressive of all the album closer “Snortin’ Whiskey“, a verified classic if ever there was one.

Testament to Travers’ ability to knock out impressive tracks at that time is that “Is This Love“, a Bob Marley cover that saw chart action in the States, is the only thing that sounds dated. Nearly thirty years on everything else still sounds fresh and still very impressive. A real guitar hero of the blues-rock genre this is a fine collection of his most essential period.

Highlight: Snortin’ Whiskey

Score: 4/5

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“Statesboro’ Blues” live in concert 1980….

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BL

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