Comments

Phil Sugden@ 7:10pm 04-02-2019
Great to find this site, and pleased to sign guestbook! Saw Patto often at the Black Swan when I was a student in 1972. One weekend saw them on Friday at the Marquee, then back to Sheffield to catch them on Sunday at the Swan. Best live band ever I reckon. Saw Zoot Money sit in with them one night at the Swan. still remember the gag when they got on their knees with their shoes underneath and sang " Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work we go!". Ollie Halsall was amazing and once said he was trying to play like Cecil Taylor but on guitar! Mike Patto's voice was incredile also. What a loss so early. I had heard that Clive Griffiths was hospitalised after a terrible car accident? Is he still with us? He did try to get off with my girlfriend once, but I forgive him....
Replied on: 8:57pm 04-02-2019

Thanks, Phil. Yes Clive is still here, as is 'Admiral' John Halsey. Please join our FaceBook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/olliehalsallandpattofan/

Stuart Troutman@ 5:52pm 09-04-2018
I remember playing some odd tracks by Patto on one of my old radio shows in North Carolina (US) back in the 70s. It struck me even then that this guy played guitar at a level that was unlike any others of the time. Especially in the 'rock' world. He immediately made me think of Fripp.
Everyone can get a pretty good glimpse of him live on Spanish tv with Cale and Andy Summers (search YouTube).
Replied on: 9:16am 09-05-2018

Thanks, Stuart. Please join our FaceBook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/olliehalsallandpattofan

Brad Buzzi@ 5:41am 11-16-2017
Thank You for all this info I never would have known without www.reverberationradio.com
#294. First track is Back Against The Wall.
Replied on: 6:23pm 11-16-2017

Thanks, Brad. Please join our FaceBook group at:
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jan@ 12:56pm 10-05-2017
very interesting site!
Replied on: 2:13pm 10-05-2017

Thank, Jan. Please join the Ollie Halsall and Patto Fan FaceBook Group at: www.facebook.com/groups/olliehalsallandpattofan/

Dave Fox@ 11:51am 08-08-2016
Really applaud what you're doing to keep memories of Ollie alive, and to bring him to the attention of the latest generation of players/music lovers.

I think it's doing Ollie a great disservice to call him 'forgotten' in any sense, as some of the linked articles do ('forgotten guitar hero' and so on). No one who heard Ollie - especially live - could ever forget the experience. No, for whatever reason, he simply didn't come to the attention of enough people during his career. Patto always seemed on the brink of 'making it', but didn't quite - probably due to the BBC ban.

I saw Patto several times during the early 70s, including one appearance as a support act at the Sheffield City Hall (then the biggest venue in Sheffield). They were so good that about 20 minutes into the main act's set the audience were chanting for them to come back on. I seem to remember Mike Patto having to come out and say 'come on folks, give these guys a chance' or something similar, before the 'stars' could finish their set.

Even after all this time, hearing Ollie's solos still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up - surely the acid test that divides guitarist who are great from those who are merely very good.
Replied on: 1:12pm 08-08-2016

Ho Dave. Thanks for the message. Have to agree wholeheartedly with everything you say. Please join the FaceBook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/olliehalsallandpattofan/

Javier de Gregorio F@ 6:14pm 06-14-2016
I saw Ollie when Kevin Ayers played in Madrid, back in 1974 (I also have the poster of the concert which I took off the wall). Good old memories. I followed his career whether in Boxer, Patto or Kevin. Great guitar, great musician and great persona.
Replied on: 10:32pm 06-14-2016

Thanks for your guestbook message,Javier. Can you send a scan or photograph of the poster? Please join the FaceBook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/olliehalsallandpattofan

Phil Hobbis@ 12:37pm 02-08-2016
My band "Pahana" played with Patto a couple of times. They were a great band and Ollie was a great player.
Replied on: 1:12pm 02-08-2016

Please tell us more, Phil. You might be interested in the FaceBook group page at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/olliehalsallandpattofan

JOHN SCALES@ 12:49pm 11-20-2015
Ollie…what a player, many many many moments of brilliance both live and thankfully, on record. Patto album number 1? With Far Canal, on my desert island. Thanks for the music Ollie.
tom russell@ 6:02pm 08-01-2015
just saying hello to evone , great site and great music from long ago
Roger P@ 1:38am 02-25-2015
...well it looks like I got the date AND the show wrong. Lol, I nearly started! Yes, Disco 2 March '71. It had the same kind of set-up as OGWT which came a few months later. I remember buying that first album in the summertime so it couldn't have been Autumn '71. I think you're right. Disco 2. Well done you. RP
Replied on: 9:11am 02-25-2015

This is an interesting summary of their BBC appearances: http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?adv=0&q=Patto&media=all&yf=1923&yt=2009&mf=1&mt=12&tf=00%3A00&tt=00%3A00#search

roger portenseigne@ 4:14am 02-24-2015
...no sorry, it must have been Autumn '71. I could have sworn it was earlier but the first album wasn't released till Dec '70. They must have been one of the first acts on OGWT in late '71. The mind does play tricks, doesn't it? Profound apologies. RP
Replied on: 9:32am 02-24-2015

Apparently, Patto were on Disco 2 [BBC2] 18 March 1971. I can't find any record of an OGWT appearance, although many early ones were live and not comprehensively documented. In late 1971, Ollie had agreed to play a live concert with Centipede and Patto were forced to cancel a radio session. As a consequence of this, they were were 'banned' by the Beeb for the whole of 1972. There is little doubt that an OGWT appearance or two would have made them considerably more successful if not huge. Here's a list of known BBC sessions http://www.olliehalsall.co.uk/pattolive.htm

Roger P@ 8:06am 02-23-2015
I loved this guy too, ever since I saw him with Patto on The Old Grey Whistle Test, Autumn 1970. I remember he suddenly stopped playing the guitar, picked up some sticks and started playing the vibes. I didn't think you were allowed to do that! From rock guitar to Milt Jackson in a stroke. Genius. Imagine Hendrix or any of them doing that. I was sorry he abandoned the vibes. It was one of the things that made Ollie so original, besides his fabulous guitar playing. Suffice to say that made an enormous impression on me too. Sorry to say someone stole my original Patto albums and I never really kept up with Ollies 'career'. I mean we all got our own lives to lead, haven't we? Recently I read that his old friend V. Stanshall cried when he heard the news of his passing. I think I would have too if I'd known.
Replied on: 9:26am 02-23-2015

Thank, Roger. I can't actually find any record of Patto on OGWT and always thought that had been banned by the Beeb following their no-show for a radio session. Let me know if you can confirm otherwise. Would love to see that. Any idea where that Viv Stanshall quote was? Please join https://www.facebook.com/groups/olliehalsallandpattofan if you can.

Panagiotidis Nasos@ 4:03am 02-02-2015
First time i heard this fantastic telanted musician, was at a friend's house, back in 1999, on a patto album.
I love rock music, and i listen to it a lot. I've heard many bands, many guitar players. Ollie Halsall just amazed me, from the very first second!!!!I really can't describe it, but i'm sure many people felt this way!!
I my personal opinion, i think Ollie is one of the best guitar players existed. The fact that he could play almost any instrument is admirable, but when we talk about guitar, the man was way on a higher level (even back then!!).
Maybe i'm too young to say much about him, (people out there know better) but i want to say that i feel sorry for not having the chance to see him live, i'm sorry for not having this person around us any more, he was too young to go..I'd like to express my respect to this great musician. He was so under estimated.
Replied on: 10:18am 02-02-2015

Thanks, Panagiotidis. You might want to join our FaceBook group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/olliehalsallandpattofan

Chris Cohen@ 7:45am 11-26-2014
greetin's from austin tx
Replied on: 11:20am 11-26-2014

Hi, and welcome.

Gail M.@ 7:15am 10-05-2014
We toured with Patto and Joe Cocker's band. Ollie was tons of fun even if he did flood the elevator in Hawaii and get us all kicked off the island. Missing him and also Patto.
Replied on: 9:19am 10-05-2014

Hi. Please tell us more. Which band were you with? https://www.facebook.com/groups/olliehalsallandpattofan

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