Patti and the Big Daddy's

They hadn't played together in nine years. But when Pati and the Bad Daddys reunited for their first official rehearsal, they breathed easier.

Felt good. Felt right. Felt like Bad Daddys, not old granddaddies, in other words. They still rocked.

"We were a little worried at first," conceded Pati Williams, who sings and plays bass. "We got to that first rehearsal and decided to see what happened and played the old stuff. And it came together really well, so that makes you feel good."

Pati and the Bad Daddys hope fans feel likewise when they play Friday at the Docksider. They'll showcase many of the tunes that made them one of Erie's most popular cover bands from 1992 to 1995, when they packed Bay County and the Cab. That means a lot of Fleetwood Mac, Melissa Etheridge, Neil Young, Phish, U2, Gin Blossoms, Dire Straits, and more.

Everyone sings, which makes the Bad Daddys more flexible than Spider-Man.

"We all sing lead, so it really gives us a nice mix of stuff we can cover," Williams said. "I know my name's in the title, but I'm not the leader of the band. It's a four-way street."

After Bad Daddys broke up, Williams and Jack Campbell played in Sgt. Rock, but that group disbanded in 1999. Campbell and Scott Magraw were both in Joe Rockhead, while Campbell also played out as a solo artist. Fred Greco, meanwhile, battled Hodgkins not once but twice before being declared cancer-free.

After Joe Rockhead split in the fall, the timing for a reunion felt right.

"We kind of lost touch with each other a little bit," Williams said. "Then we ran into each other at a party for a friend, who wanted a reunion for her birthday. We weren't able to pull that off. But it got us talking about it. I joked, 'The Dogs are back playing out, so it must be a good time for a Daddys' reunion.' Because we used to play out at the same time."

The group has learned some new songs, including Tragically Hip ("Courage") and 3 Doors Down. Fuel eventually might make the set list, too.

"We do everything from poppy to heavy," Williams said. "We do some off-the-wall stuff, some real recognizable stuff. It's all pretty much danceable. We have a lot of fun. Fred is like our clown prince. He gets the crowd going, laughing."

Their collective chemistry shines through, said Magraw.

"The appealing characteristic of our band is the happiness going on when we're playing. "People see that and are drawn in," Magraw said. "I think it comes naturally for us because we are so close personally and musically. We can feel what page we're all on without thinking about it. It just flows."


HOMETOWN
Erie.

BAND MEMBERS
Pati Williams, vocals, bass; Fred Greco, acoustic guitar, vocals; Jack Campbell, electric guitar, vocals; Scott Magraw, drums, vocals.

THE INSPIRATION
The original Pati and the Bad Daddys emerged from Ventura, a 1982 group that included Williams, Greco, and Magraw. Later, Williams and Greco played out as a duo.

"Jack saw us, and with the early Bad Daddys," Williams said. "As soon as he joined, it made a difference. We clicked. And it was good timing. We had a lot of people come out to see us at the Bay County and the Cab. It was a lot of fun. I think we're all ready to have fun like that again."

THE SOUND
Call it "anything goes." With four singers and a time frame that stretches from the 1970s through 2004, Pati and the Bad Daddys cover more ground than Lewis and Clark. Mostly, you'll hear classic rock, singer-songwriters, and alternative rock .

THE ONE ARTIST FANS MOST ASK YOU TO SING
"Janis Joplin," said Williams. "I hear that all the time. I've been known to be a screamer. But her range is so high, I wish I could cover her better. Some people do justice to her stuff. I don't like the way I do it."

That means no Janis for now.

ARTIST YOU'D MOST LIKE TO OPEN FOR
"I guess it'd be Melissa Etheridge," Williams said. "She gives great concerts and is a powerful performer, although Sheryl Crow is hot right now."

WHAT'S IN YOUR CD PLAYER?
"Actually, my practice CD," Williams said. "But I did get 'C'mon C'mon' by Sheryl Crow. I guess I tend to listen to female singers."

BIGGEST INSPIRATION
"Probably the Pretenders," said Williams. "Chrissie Hynde is so cool. She's a rock and roller. She was a songwriter who wasn't afraid of anything. It just seemed like she was one of the guys."

No Pretenders made the Daddys' new set list, but Williams hopes to add "Back on the Chain Gang."

WEB SITE
For show dates, see www.jackcampbellmusic.com