J.P. "Thunderbolt" Patterson
The Dictators - United States

Overview

J.P. "Thunderbolt" Patterson "I remember as a teenager picking up CREEM Magazine, reading about The Dictators and thinking how much I'd love to be in that band," says J.P. "Thunderbolt" Patterson. Be careful what you wish for – several years later, J.P. found himself playing with The Dictators occasionally, finally becoming a permanent member in 1996.

At the time, The Dictators were beginning to experience a sort of renaissance, with a resurgence in the popularity of their live performances and previously recorded works, which were making their way into the mainstream via CD reissue. "People became interested in the history of Punk, the whole scene and the bands who were clearly influential in that realm. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame even asked us for some memorabilia, which they still display as part of their Punk exhibit." By the latter part of the '90s, The Dictators were touring again, with Europe proving to be particularly receptive. "Spain was, and still is, especially good to us", adds J.P. Soon after, The Dictators convened to record their first album of all new material in 20 years. Released in 2001, D.F.F.D. made many critics' "best of" lists that year, including the Boston Globe and Denver Post. The subsequent tour to support D.F.F.D. took the band to Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Italy, and continued with further legs in the US and Canada. Selected dates on the D.F.F.D. tour were recorded, and are currently being mixed and edited for a pending live CD release. Also, in December of 2003, The Dictators helped celebrate the 30th anniversary of New York City punk mecca CBGB by headlining two nights at the legendary Bowery nightspot and filming the festivities for a DVD concert release. In addition to The Dictators (and its spinoff band Manitoba's Wild Kingdom), J.P. has performed and/or recorded with Joey Ramone, Dee Dee Ramone, Lemmy (Motorhead), Patti Rothberg, The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black, Rhys Chatham, Timmy Capello and the Ken Dolls, Michael Fredo, Loey Nelson, to name but a few. Also an active member of the Screen Actor's Guild, J.P. often lands the occasional acting gig, working both on television and in motion pictures. He has had roles in the films "At First Sight" and "Cookie", and has also appeared in every prime time television show ever shot in New York City.

Links

The Dictators