Patricia (Pat) Morrison - Reflect On This

The Morticia of the punk and goth scene, Patricia Morrison, offers up this 'one and done' solo offering and what a delightful treat it is. Despite not sounding like anything she'd been involved with prior (and why should it?) she presents herself as an assured, accomplished frontwoman in her own right, with well over a decade in the industry under her belt. Neither the punk fury of the Bags or the Gun Club is present, nor the gothic bombast of her time in The Sisters Of Mercy, this has a plaintive, stripped-down twist on post-punk-cum-hard rock. Recorded in 1994, the '80s were over and Patricia looked ahead to re-imagine herself in an almost '90s singer/songwriter context. Why she didn't follow-up with anything else is beyond me because this is proof the woman was gifted.

I’ve played this non-stop while ripping the CD. It's infectious as hell and doesn't deserve its obscurity.

The Bags and Legal Weapon

The Bags were one of the first generation of punk rock bands to emerge from Los Angeles in the late 70's formed by Alice Armendariz and Patricia Rainone. The first line-up includes Alice on vocals, Pat on bass, Janet Koontz and Geza X on guitars and Joe Nanini on drums; with this line up The Bags played their first show at The Masque on September 10, 1977. During this first period many drummers played in the band, like Nicky Beat, Don Bonebrake and Don Bolles.

With a new line up featuring Alice and Pat, Craig Lee and Rob Ritter on guitars, and Terry Graham on drums, The Bags released in 1979 their first and only record, the single "Survive" on Dangerhouse Records. A third track from the session "We Don't Need The English" was included on the "Yes L.A." compilation. After this, Pat left the band. In 1980 the group, minus Pat, was filmed by Penelope Spheeris for the punk rock documentary film, 'The Decline Of Western Civilization'. At the release of the film in 1981 the producers billed the group as Alice Bag Band to avoid any conflict with ex-member Pat. By then, however, the band had broken up. Alice went on to join Castration Squad.

Terry Graham and Rob Ritter joined The Gun Club; Ritter later change his name to Rob Graves and form the seminal death rock band 45 Grave. Pat, later known as Patricia Morrison joined the band Legal Weapon.

Legal Weapon were a Southern California punk band, initially composed of singer Kat Arthur and guitarist Brian Hansen (both previously of the Silencers), bassist Patricia Morrison (formerly of Bags and later of the Gun Club, Fur Bible, The Sisters of Mercy and the Damned), drummer Charlie Vartanian and guitarist Mike R. Livingston. Their debut 12”EP titled No Sorrow was the only release that Patricia played on before she left to join The Gun Club with Terry Graham and Rob Ritter. As you may have already sussed, this is a wee post dedicated to the legend that is Patricia Anne Rainone.