Gamma (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1979 in San Francisco, United States |
| Founder | Ronnie Montrose, Davey Pattison |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
| Products | Music albums |
Gamma was a hard rock group from the United States, established in 1979 in San Francisco by guitarist Ronnie Montrose and vocalist Davey Pattison. Their discography includes four albums: Gamma 1 (1979), Gamma 2 (1980), Gamma 3 (1982)—all released through Elektra Records—and Gamma 4 (2000). The band’s most successful track was "Right the First Time" from 1982, which achieved moderate success in the US and entered the Canadian top 40. Other significant songs are "Fight to the Finish," "Meanstreak," and "Voyager."
Initial formation and early years (1979–1983)
Following his 1978 solo project Open Fire and the breakup of his former band Montrose in 1977, Ronnie Montrose created Gamma. This new venture embraced an AOR approach, integrating sophisticated keyboard elements.
Their first release, Gamma 1 (1979), reached No. 131 on the Billboard 200 chart and stayed there for 17 weeks. The single "I'm Alive" climbed to No. 60 on the Billboard Hot 100, receiving considerable radio play especially in cities such as St. Louis. The founding members were Montrose on guitar, Pattison handling vocals, Alan Fitzgerald playing bass, Jim Alcivar on keyboards, and Skip Gillette on drums. Notably, Montrose, Fitzgerald, and Alcivar had previously collaborated in Montrose.
The follow-up album, Gamma 2 (1980), featured lineup changes with Glenn Letsch replacing Fitzgerald on bass—who later joined Night Ranger—and Denny Carmassi, another former Montrose member, taking over drums. Co-produced by Gary Lyons alongside Montrose, this record peaked at No. 65 and showcased a heavier tone highlighted by tracks like "Mean Streak" and a rendition of Thunderclap Newman’s "Something in the Air."
For their third album, Gamma 3 (1982), Mitchell Froom stepped in for Alcivar on keyboards. This release attained No. 72 on the charts and included the single "Right the First Time," which reached No. 77 on the Billboard Hot 100 and climbed to No. 10 on Billboard's Album Rock Tracks chart; it also secured a peak position of No. 27 in Canada, marking their sole top-40 pop hit nationally. The album blended arena rock staples with more experimental songwriting.
Despite achieving moderate chart placements, Gamma struggled due to insufficient promotional support from Elektra Records, which contributed to their eventual disbandment after sales underperformed.
Activities following breakup
- Ronnie Montrose returned to solo projects, issuing several instrumental albums with limited commercial impact before reviving Montrose in 1987 with a fresh lineup. He passed away by suicide on March 3, 2012.
- Davey Pattison provided vocals for Robin Trower and appeared on two songs from Ronnie Montrose’s 1990 solo album, The Diva Station.
- Denny Carmassi spent over ten years as drummer for Heart, later joining Coverdale/Page and Whitesnake. In 2002, he became part of Foreigner’s touring ensemble.
- Mitchell Froom gained recognition as a leading record producer throughout the ’80s and ’90s, collaborating with artists including Elvis Costello, Los Lobos, Crowded House, Suzanne Vega, and Paul McCartney.
- Glenn Letsch worked alongside Monty Byrom in New Frontier, contributed bass to Montrose’s Mean (1987), and toured with Robin Trower.
Reunion (2000)
In the 1990s, Montrose and Pattison came together once more, leading to the band's revival in 2000. This lineup featured Davey Pattison on vocals, Ronnie Montrose handling guitar duties, Denny Carmassi on drums, Glenn Letsch playing bass, and Ed Roth on keyboards. Carmassi and Letsch had contributed to Gamma 2 and Gamma 3 previously, while Roth joined as a fresh member. The group produced Gamma 4 before ultimately disbanding again.
Remastering (2011–2013)
Beginning in 2011, Rock Candy Records from the UK undertook the remastering of Gamma’s albums, starting with Gamma 2. This release was enhanced with 24-bit remastering from the original tapes and included liner notes featuring insights from bassist Glenn Letsch.
In 2013, Jon Astley—renowned for his work with The Who—remastered Gamma 1, which also incorporated a new interview with lead singer Davey Pattison.
The remastered version of Gamma 3 contained interviews with Letsch, Pattison, and Carmassi, along with a bonus single edit of the track "Right the First Time."
Gamma (2013–present)
After Ronnie Montrose passed away in March 2012, original members of Gamma joined guitarist Marc Bonilla for a sold-out tribute concert held in San Francisco. Encouraged by former Montrose manager Jim Douglas, Davey Pattison reassembled Gamma with a new lineup comprising himself (vocals), Dan Buch (drums), Van Spragins (bass), Tommy Merry (guitar), and Brad Barth (keyboards). Notably, Gamma shared the stage with Deep Purple in Saratoga, California in 2014 and later performed alongside Boston in Lincoln, California in 2016.
Personnel
- Davey Pattison – vocals
- Ronnie Montrose – guitar
- Jim Alcivar – keyboards (Gamma 1 & Gamma 2)
- Mitchell Froom – keyboards (Gamma 3)
- Ed Roth – keyboards (Gamma 4)
- Alan Fitzgerald – bass (Gamma 1)
- Glenn Letsch – bass (Gamma 2, 3, & 4)
- Skip Gillette – drums (Gamma 1)
- Denny Carmassi – drums (Gamma 2, 3, & 4)
- Dan Buch – drums
- Tommy Merry – guitar
- Van Spragins – bass
- Brad Barth – keyboards
Studio albums
Live albums
- Concert Classics (1998) (bootleg recording of a 1979 Denver performance)
Compilation albums
- The Best of Gamma (1992)