Description
GAMMA: 3
Great Hard Rock – Metal band featuring Ronnie Montrose the famous Montrose guitarist and Denny Carmasi on drums (Heart + Coverdale / Page among others)
Gamma was the group that Ronnie Montrose started after his group Montrose broke up. They released three albums on Elektra Records between 1979 and 1982. Gamma 3 hit the Billboard charts in 1982 and rose to #72.
Gamma: Davey Pattison (vocals); Ronnie Montrose (guitar); Mitchell Froom (keyboards); Glenn Letsch (bass); Denny Carmassi (drums).
video presentation of the album:
video presentation of the album and the background of its recording:
It’s an absolute shame that Gamma was so underappreciated – there’s a lot to love here, with scorching guitars, passionate vocals, groovy bass, clever keys, and solid drums. They really are a excellent example of classic hard rock. Strongly recommended for jamming out on the shop floor as you work; throwing punches at the moon; and driving entirely too fast.
Label: Elektra – K 52355
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album Visual inspection: near mint vinyl
Country: UK
Released: 1982
Genre: Rock, Hard Rock
Tracklist:
A1 What’s Gone Is Gone 5:30
A2 Right The First Time 3:47
A3 Moving Violation 3:36
A4 Mobile Devotion 6:34
B1 Stranger 3:00
B2 Condition Yellow 4:08
B3 Modern Girl 3:35
B4 No Way Out 4:05
B4 Third Degree 3:47
……………………….38:02
Bass – Glenn Letsch
Drums – Denny Carmassi
Guitar – Ronnie Montrose
Keyboards – Mitchell Froom https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitchell_Froom
Producer – Ronnie Montrose
Vocals – Davey Pattison [Davey Pattison: Scottish-born rock singer, the vocalist for Robin Trower, Gamma, Findo Gask, Kid Gloves, Schenker Pattison Summit]
All Songs Montunes Music BMI.
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Matrix / Runout (SIDE 1 RUNOUT ETCHED & STAMPED): K52355 A1 STRAWBERRY LB FI W
Matrix / Runout (SIDE 2 RUNOUT ETCHED & STAMPED): K52355 B1 STRAWBERRY LB FI W W3
Gamma 3 was released in 1982. The album reached #72 and produced the single “”Right The First Time”” which reached #77 on the charts and #10 on Billboard’s Album Rock Tracks chart. In Canada, “”Right The First Time”” peaked at #27, making the song the band’s only top 40 hit on a national pop chart. The album’s opening track, “”What’s Gone Is Gone””, and tracks like “”No Way Out””, were arena rockers, while others like “”Condition Yellow”” and “”Moving Violation””, continued the odd writing style and sounds that the band started with on their debut album.
However, Gamma’s label Elektra Records never really promoted the band, and with only moderate sales, they disbanded.
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Gamma is the band that sort of rose out of the ashes of the renowned classic Hard Rock band Montrose. The reason why I think that these albums are underrated, is because most critics have always said that, although they were good or at least decent slabs of vinyl, the material was in general inferior to Montrose’s output. This might have been the case for ‘Gamma 1’, as it had only one standout track (namely ‘Ready for Action’). It was certainly true for ‘Gamma 4’, an album that was released much later and that didn’t have anything but filler material on it. But ‘Gamma 2’ and ‘Gamma 3′? I don’t think so.
Another remark that was made sometimes, one that the critics made come across as something negative, is the fact that much of what Gamma recorded sounded like a cross between Foreigner and Bad Company (a remark that was in part brought on by the fact that vocalist Davey Pattison sounded like the brother of Paul Rodgers’, the singer of Bad Company and The Free). In my opinion that isn’t a negative remark at all. First of all, Gamma, by courtesy of main songwriter and guitar player Ronnie Montrose, added its own sauce to that mix, especially on the two albums reviewed here. Second, what’s wrong with sounding like other great bands, as long as you managed to sound like them when they were at their creative peak?
Gamma 3:
With the release of ‘Gamma 3’ the band had shifted from melodic Hard Rock to a poppy and somewhat arty FM Rock that combines elements of Asia and early 80’s Rush with, indeed, some Foreigner and a dash of Triumph. Things immediately set off in a good manner with ‘What’s gone is gone’, an up-tempo rocker that really benefits from Pattison’s soulful voice (by rock standards). There are three more highlights. ‘Mobile Devotion’ is a synth driven slightly Progressive instrumental with a solo duel going on between the keyboards and an inspired Montrose. Halfway through it changes moods and slows down to a crawl to give Montrose room to show off his skills as a solo guitarist. He’s not a shredder. Every note he plays has its place. ‘Stranger’ is one of the poppiest songs on the album, but that’s not a bad thing as the feel is right and the chorus is memorable enough. ‘Condition Yellow’ is a playful and lightweight instrumental, with the guitars mixed way back (except for the guitar solo’s) and the keyboards again taking centre stage. It’s just a pleasant little tune.
5.0 out of 5 stars The 3rd album from Gamma feat Ronnie Montrose,
This is the third and most progressive album from Gamma. The album dates back to 1982 and is dominated by Mitchell Froom’s keyboards and of course Ronnie Montrose’s spine chilling guitar solos. Songs range from quite commercial Foreigner-like material “”Right the first time”” and “”Modern girl”” to heavy progressive rock (my personal favourite “”Mobile devotion””). Davey Pattison on vocals (later with Robin Trower and currently with Michael Schenker) and Denny Carmassi on drums (also with Sammy Hagar and later with Heart) are in top form on this one. The 3 Gamma albums showed a great progression from bluesy rock (Gamma 1) to heavy rock (Gamma 2) to more progressive rock (Gamma 3). I still like Gamma 2 best, but all three are essential 80’s rock albums. If you like early 80’s (hard)rock, listen to this!
5.0 out of 5 stars Trilogy,
Moving on from the wonderful first 2 albums, this has more of a ‘broad’ feel to the band, with several stunning tracks, but for me not one that supersedes others…… but no compromise on quality guitar and keyboards, with the usual spine-tingly vocals from the master – Davey. Definitely to be included in the collection.”
Gamma was founded by guitarist extraordinaire Ronnie Montrose. By the time of their 3rd LP Gamma 3 in 1982, the band had begun to move away from the guitar oriented music found on their first two releases. Much of this was due to a new member in the band, keyboardist Mitchell Froom, who co-wrote most of the album.
Froom went on to become a very famous music producer, but as this release proves, he was also a talented songwriter. His influence took Gamma from being a total guitar band to being a band where the instruments blended together, with more emphasis on the entire song and not just a distorted six string axe. This methodology worked well, as heard on the opening track “What’s Gone is Gone.” This was music that was aligned perfectly with the sounds of the day. It was Montrose meets Alan Parsons.
Ronnie Montrose is still a major part of the album, and his playing was more than proficient. By working so closely on the arrangements with Froom, Gamma took things to a new place, some fans believing it to be a better place, while others missed the raw edge the band left behind.
At the end of the day, Gamma 3 is a solid album with quality tracks..
This album is definitely worth checking out as the music, while from a bygone era, is packed with great songs and the space age keyboards really do mix well with Montrose’s licks and riffs. Carmassi is incredible, with a distinctive sound on the Roto-tom kit that he packed up and took to Heart.
This is a solid effort by a fine band that shows they were not afraid to stretch out and try new things.
Track listing:
- “What’s Gone Is Gone” (Mitchell Froom, Ronnie Montrose, Jerry Stahl)- 5:30
- “Right the First Time” (Froom, Montrose, Stahl) – 3:47
- “Moving Violation” (Denny Carmassi, Froom, Montrose, Stahl) – 3:36
- “Mobile Devotion” (Froom, Montrose) – 6:34
- “Stranger” (Froom, Stahl) – 3:00
- “Condition Yellow” (Carmassi, Froom, Montrose)- 4:08
- “Modern Girl” (Froom, Montrose) – 3:35
- “No Way Out” (Froom, Montrose, Stahl) – 4:05
- “Third Degree” (Froom, Montrose, Stahl) – 3:47
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