Gettin' Betta (Live 1979)

The Zoo Crew is spinning the funky, blues-tinged rocker "Gettin' Betta (Live 1979)" by the Pat Travers Band from their iconic album Live! Go for What You Know, and the Zoo Freaks are surely grooving to its infectious energy. This track, captured during the band’s 1979 U.S. tour, showcases the tight chemistry of Pat Travers on vocals and guitar, Pat Thrall on guitar, Peter "Mars" Cowling on bass, and Tommy Aldridge on drums. One piece of trivia about "Gettin' Betta" comes from a 2014 interview with the late Mars Cowling, who revealed the song’s rhythmically tricky intro was never counted out with a metronome. He told Bass Player magazine, “We just learned it the way it was,” highlighting the band’s intuitive synergy. The song’s live version, clocking in at 4:52, is slightly faster than its studio counterpart, adding a raw, urgent edge that makes it a standout on the album.

Another interesting tidbit about "Gettin' Betta" is its bassline, which Cowling crafted to weave between the guitar parts. He explained in the same interview that he deliberately played off-the-beat replies to the guitars’ on-the-beat B and C# notes, creating a dynamic, interlocking pattern that opens up the phrase. This approach, paired with his unique plucking technique—hooking his thumb and forefinger under the E and G strings—was a hallmark of his inventive style. Fans on Reddit have praised the song’s funky vibe, with one user in a 2023 thread calling it a prime example of Travers’ ability to blend hard rock with funk influences, rivaling bands like Funkadelic. The track’s lyrics, with lines like “Gettin’ betta, betta all the time” and the playful “Irish Setter, settin’ all the time,” add a quirky charm that resonates with listeners, as noted by fans on SonicHits.

The Pat Travers Band’s performance of "Gettin' Betta" also benefits from the stellar production by Tom Allom, who worked on Black Sabbath’s early albums and later produced Judas Priest. His engineering captured the electric atmosphere of the 1979 concerts, making the song feel like a front-row experience at a sweaty, high-energy bar gig. On The Gear Page forum, users have speculated about the strikingly similar guitar tones of Travers and Thrall, attributing it to their heavy use of ADA flangers, which gave the live album its distinctive, thick sound. Some fans even argue the album’s tightness suggests possible overdubs, though Travers and his band have maintained it’s a true live recording. The song’s enduring appeal is evident in comments on YouTube, where a fan in 2020 wrote, “In this time of Covid 19 social distancing, that first line never meant so much to me: ‘Gettin’ near the time to take you by the hand.’”

Pat Travers, born Patrick Henry Travers on April 12, 1954, in Toronto, Canada, kicked off his musical journey at age 12 after witnessing Jimi Hendrix perform in Ottawa—an experience that ignited his passion for the guitar. By his early teens, he was playing in local bands like Music Machine, Red Hot, and Merge, gigging in Quebec clubs. His talent caught the eye of rock artist Ronnie Hawkins, who invited the young guitarist to perform with him. In his early twenties, Travers moved to London, where he signed with Polydor Records and released his self-titled debut album in 1976, featuring bassist Mars Cowling, who became a long-time collaborator. This marked the start of Travers’ prolific career, blending bluesy hard rock with funk and prog influences. His early albums, including Makin’ Magic and Putting It Straight in 1977, showcased his raw energy and guitar prowess, setting the stage for the success of Live! Go for What You Know.

Travers’ career took off in the late 1970s with the formation of the classic Pat Travers Band lineup, including Pat Thrall, Mars Cowling, and Tommy Aldridge. Their relentless touring, including stints supporting Rush, built a loyal fanbase known as “Hammer Heads.” Despite commercial peaks with albums like Live! Go for What You Know and 1980’s Crash and Burn, Travers faced challenges in the 1980s as musical tastes shifted. He continued to record and tour, releasing albums like Blues Tracks in 1992 and collaborating with artists like Carmine Appice. Today, Travers remains active, with recent releases like 2022’s The Art of Time Travel and consistent touring. Fans can connect with him on his official website, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Dedicated fan communities thrive on platforms like the Pat Travers Fans Facebook group and sites like Discogs, where collectors share rare vinyls and live recordings.