Patto - "Patto" LP


"PATTO"
Released December, 1970
Vertigo Records Vertigo 6360 016 (UK) VEL-1001 (US)
Produced by Muff Winwood

SIDE A		SIDE B
THE MAN		SAN ANTONE
HOLD ME BACK		GOVERNMENT MAN
TIME TO DIE		MONEY BAG
RED GLOW		SITTIN' BACK EASY


Side A Selections (Halsey/Griffiths/Patto/Halsall)		Engineer: Brian Humphries
Side B Selections (Halsall/Patto)		Illustration by Tony Benyon
All selections published by PRS, Ltd (ASCAP)		Photographs by Allen Melina

"JAZZ FUSED WITH ROCK IS NOT NEW, MOST BANDS SAY IT WITH BRASS SECTIONS, NOT PATTO, THEY ARE FOUR AND USE THE RHYTHM SECTION FOR VARIANTS OF FEEL AND ITS SUBTLETIES OF TIME AND KEY CHANGES. OLLY PLAYS SOME FINE GUITAR ON "MONEY BAG" MIKE PATTO ROCKS ON "THE MAN" HEAR THEM AND GO AND SEE THEM" QUOTE.


MIKE PATTO VOCALS Born Mike McCarthy on 22.9.1942 Former bands included Breakaways Continentals, Blue Bottles, Bo Street Runners, Patto's People, Chicago Line Blues Band, Timebox.	CLIVE GRIFFITHS BASS Born on 16.5.1945 Former bands included Take Five, Timebox.	JOHN HALSEY DRUMS Born on 23.2.1945 Former bands included Felder's Orioles, Timebox.	PETER HALSALL LEAD GUITAR ACOUSTIC GUITAR PIANO VIBRAPHONE Nickname "Olly" Born on 14.3.1949 Former bands included Peter & the Pawnees, Gunslingers, Rhythm & Blues Incorporated, Music Students, Take Five, Timebox.

Vertigo/Mercury must have had a good feeling about this record. It was the second LP the label released in America, Jimmy Campbell's "Half Baked" being first. Unfortunately, it wasn't a huge seller on either side of the Atlantic. Richard Lane's liner notes for the "Sense of the Absurd" reissue indicate the group sold about 5,000 copies. Click the thumbnail below to see the Vertigo records advertisement for these two albums as it appeared in the March 18th issue of Rolling Stone magazine.
	Until now, the easiest way to hear any of Vertigo's many great English artists was to write to a friend in England, where Vertigo has been sold. But starting now, Vertigo brings its label (and reputation) to America. And you know Vertigo had to choose two really heavy releases to mark the debut. Listen to them and hear what a little import can do.

"Patto", also known as "Anarchy", was produced by Muff Winwood, who played guitar for the Spencer Davis group and is Steve Winwood's brother. As he stated in a letter to a fan shortly after the album was released, he "...tried to do a simple production basing mainly on their on-stage sound." The simple production is part of its charm, though. It's just the band playing -- in your face without a lot studio trickery. For you guitar buffs, Ollie started playing guitar in 1967, so he had only been playing three years when "Patto" was recorded!
For new listeners, "Patto" may be a good place to start. It would be too subjective to say that the songs are better than those found on the subsequent albums, but every cut on this album is very strong. This album has perhaps a harder edge than the others as well. Reviews of the album: Melody Maker, December 12, 1970 Miscellaneous "Patto" Record Reviews "Patto" was available as recently as 1998 on CD from Repertoire Records (cat# REP 4446-WP), though it may be out of print now. This package will give you the complete original artwork, however the source tapes used are surpassed by the original master tapes used for Vertigo's 1995 repackage of the first two albums called "Sense of the Absurd". "Sense of the Absurd" does not include all the original artwork, but it is superior in sound quality and has nearly 30 minutes of bonus tracks!

Various "Patto" Items: Click on the thumbnails to see larger images.
The inside of the album gatefold.
Labels from the US promotional and stock LPs as well as the standard vertigo A-side label.
Recommended Cuts sticker from a US promo copy. This came with a stock label LP, so perhaps this was how retail store promos were packaged.
The US 8-track. Note the alternate song order.

For those who have not yet had the pleasure of hearing this album:
The Man	The first cut begins slowly -- probably the most subdued part of the album (how's that for an unconventional way to start your debut LP?). As the liner notes imply, Mike's vocal is what shines on this track. The song builds as it goes on, and Mike's vocals slowly move from smooth to that wonderful gritty scream. Also, this track features a solo from Ollie on vibes instead of guitar!
Hold Me Back	This is a hard-rockin' tune with great, catchy vocal melodies in the verse and chorus. The first great guitar break from Ollie, during which you hear how well the band jams together. John's drumming is fantastic -- check out the tasty snare pattern he uses to get back from the solo to the verse.
Time To Die	A great song with an acoustic arrangement, this track features a strong vocal from Mike.
Red Glow	The heaviest jam on the album. Lots of guitar, and Ollie demonstrates how well he can explore unusual ground and make it work. Everyone kicks ass on this song. Period!
San Antone	This is an up-tempo band staple that demonstrates their knack for clever time signature changes, quirky twists, and having a blast. The backup vocals remind me of early Sun records by Elvis Presley, who they liked a lot. Elvis' "A Big Hunk O' Love" was a regular song in their live shows.
Government Man	Another strong song, though more laid back, about the government foreclosure of a family farm. Again, Mike's vocal is the star of this tune. Another vibes appearance ends the song.
Money Bag	A 10+ minute piece that fuses rock and free-form jazz. Fantastic by any standards, but when you remember that Ollie has only been playing guitar for three years when it was recorded, it's mind-boggling!
Sittin' Back Easy	The final cut is another strong rock tune that successfully combines a great rock riff with a more laid back verse.