Pat Pattyn - Mail - 12 january 2004

My name is Pat Pattyn and I was the drummer of Nacht und Nebel in 1984 and 1985.
I met the band in Gistel, playing at the local festival.They were still a trio then.
Their soundengineer, Pierre, a good friend of mine, told me they were looking for a drummer and a guitarist.
A lot of big festivals were coming up,and Patrick wanted a full live band.
So we were introduced, and we hit it off really well from the moment we met.
A few weeks later, I went to Antwerp for the audition, they were trying out quite a few drummers.
And Patrick was very observant, being a drummer (and a good one too) himself.
He called me that same night, and told me I couldn't get the job, not because I wasn't good enough, but his friend from Germany had turned up (Patrick had promised him he could play the drums).
I was choice number one, but the German had left his job and country, and Patrick couldn't say no.He was that kind of guy, a big mouth but a very,small heart.
Imagine how surprised I was, when he called me back two days later.The german guy just wouldn't do, and could I please come to Antwerp for three days of solid rehearsals, because on the fourth day we were playing a really big festival (Festivalcatraz in Zonhoven).
I said "I'll see you in the morning", and that was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.


One small anecdote:
During the three days rehearsal, I stayed in Patrick's house,he insisted,he wanted to get to know me better.So we went out for a beer one night.He turned round and said: "Pat,do you want to know why you got the job?", and looked me straight into the eyes.
"You can play Billy Jean, Pat, " he said", and not many drummers can play it."
I knew exactly what he meant,and I will never forget that moment as long as I live......
In the winter of 1986, Patrick joined the Bollock Brothers. He still play now in this group.
We met at Festivalcatraz (my first gig with Nacht und Nebel), and we kept in touch. So when their drummer died in 1986 (asthma-attack), I got a call from Jock Macdonald , the singer.
They had a big european tour coming up. So I've been in the band ever since.
During the first tour on a day off,we went into the studio in Paris and we recorded "Beats of Love". It's on one of our cd's,and I do the voices on it.