R.I.P. Pat Moscone
So, shortly after arriving home this past weekend for Thanksgiving, I was blindsided with the news that my friend Pat Moscone had passed away. I am very sad to know that I won’t be sitting at the bar telling jokes with Pat again. He was one of the funniest guys I’ve ever met.
Everyone knew Pat. I knew him best during my mid-twenties when me and the band of hometown knuckleheads I still keep company with every now and again, practically lived at the Burnt Land Rips. He was a regular there and always drank with us and carried on after hours with us. He became a regular in our crew for a while, crashing on our couches, hanging out.
Whenever I would mention Pat, someone would invariably groan something about being “useless” or “what a bum”. I always laughed, just like he did at them. You see, these kind of comments always came straight from the mouth of a disgruntled, grizzled old yocal, someone so unhappy with his lot working at the mill that they feel they have to heckle anyone who doesn’t live the way they do. Maybe because his freedom seemed like uncertainty, which scares people. Or maybe they were jealous of his free spirit, feeling better about bashing him for being able to live the way he truly wanted because they couldn’t.
Whatever the reason, I never paid attention to that drivel. Pat was a free spirit, poor in money but rich in friends. Pat was always smiling. He was always laughing. It was infectious. When he was playing Bass he was happiest. “Smoothest bassist around” my stepfather always said. I think I saw Pat stand in with every band playing in the area at the Rips during the 90’s.
I always tell people about the time my friends Jarod and Dave and I were travelling to Boston to see Black Sabbath during their reunion tour in 99 (I think) and got snowed out on our way there from Presque Isle in mine and Jarod’s hometown of East Millinocket. We decided we’d leave early the next day and dropped by the Rips to have a few beers. No one was there but Pat who was tending bar that night. I introduced him to my college roommate Dave, to which he immediately responded “Hey Dave, ya know how you can tell your roommate’s gay? His dick tastes like shit!” It was the night after the Superbowl I think cause Pat dug out every leftover in the place and fed our broke asses. He also proceeded to get us so shitfaced that none of us felt right until the next night at the show. All for free.
I laugh when I think of that night, and all the nights we hung out and drank too much at that place. I think I’ll always expect to see him come through the door when I’m there. “No way man, YOU are..”
Patrick J. “Pat” Moscone
(September 2, 1952 – November 19, 2007)
East Millinocket – Patrick “Pat” Joseph Moscone, 55, died peacefully of natural causes on Monday, November 19, 2007 in East Millinocket. Pat was born in Bangor, ME. on September 2, 1952, the son of Anthony D. Moscone, Sr. and Kathleen R. (Malone) Moscone. Pat was a long time resident of East Millinocket. His sharp wit and sometimes extreme sense of humor were the stuff of legend in the town. Pat will mostly be remembered as a gifted musician, a bass guitarist, whose career spanned the decades from the late 60’s to the present. He performed with a great variety of bands from early local groups such as the Tornados, the Variations, Honest John and Saturday Afternoon, to bands with regional and state wide exposure such as the Mark Miller Band, Coast, Velvet Hammer, Choice, and One Last Swing. Pat was honored to have played in sessions with Robert Hunter of the Grateful Dead, Brad Delp of Boston, K. D. Bell and others. He will be sadly missed by the many musicians he was associated with throughout his career. The list is long and includes, Mark Miller, Phil Groves, John “Poody” Michaud, Jeff Crocker, Mark “Bird” Swan, Jeff Glidden, Jack Swanson, Ray Pasnen, Peter Byron, Scott Perrow, Wayne Brewer, Buddy Adams, the England Brothers and Bob Fillion.
Pat is survived by his brother Anthony D. Moscone, Jr. and his wife Nancy of East Millinocket, a special niece Julia K. Moscone and her husband Mathiew Duross of Lyman, ME, and four favorite cousins, Diane Casey, Sharon Moscone, Sandra Schnautz, and Ruthanne Wickersham. Pat also leaves many good friends as well as his best friend and confidant, Dr. Mark Rosebush of Billings, Montana. Pat was predeceased by his parents.
Friends are invited to visit with the family 12:00-2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 24th at the Lamson Funeral Home, 17 Western Ave, East Millinocket where a memorial service will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. with the Rev. Joel Cyr officiating. Interment will be at the East Millinocket cemetery. Gifts in memory of Pat may be sent to American Cancer Society, Maine Division, Inc. 52 Federal St., Brunswick, ME 04011.
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Sorry to hear that, man. I didn’t know him, but I’m sure my sister and dad do.
Thanks. I’m seeing that quite a a few people are finding their way to this post. Please feel free to post a comment if you like, or go to the Pat’s Guestbook at Lamson Funeral Home and comment. I’m sure I’m not the only one with fond memories and funny stories about Pat!
One of the worlds best bass players!
Great ears and just fun—–.
Pat told my friend Abbott Meader, that he was
dying, from the feet up!
I always loved his story about coming home one night and his mother was ironing his yellow plastic rain coat.Just after she had lined the micro wave with tinfoil.
First saw him play in the late 60’s, early 70’s–I think it was with a band called “Honest John”.
Got to know him better in the 70’s. I don’t have to explain his wit or behavior to anyone that comes to this site.
Lost him completely for 15 years, never saw him, never talked to him, yet when I picked up a hooded hitchhiker in the 90’s, in a heavy rain in Orono (going north ), it was Pat. He didn’t even hesitate and said quite calmly upon recognizing me—-”your’re late.”
Loved his bass playing and sarcasm.
That yellow rain coat that his Mother was ironing was mine.
Just stumbled on a piece of my past here. I knew Pat,Phil Groves and Mark Miller from my days at UMO. Sort of a roadie for Honest John for a while. Damn Pat was a funny bastard. Always thought he could put Don Rickels to shame. I’d love to get in touch with Phil or Mark Miller and remember Pat . It’s been 50 years but I remember it like it was yesterday. If anyone can put me in touch with the boys from “East” please buzz me at davidmccann@cox.net
Finest kind
Bugsey
I didn’t know Pat personaly but had the pleasure of seeing him play with One Last Swing on a few occasions.I grew up in Orono and found this article when doing a search on my name, not to be confused with Dr. Mark Rosebush, and orono. Sorry to hear about Pat, i did enjoy his playing
Well…it’s been half a year now and every day I wake up, thinking that it was all a bad dream…but it isn’t.
Waking up every day without your best friend…not fun.
I talked with Pat about a week before he passed away. We talked about me coming up and playing some music at the bar. His last words to me were: “I’ll see what I can do to get you up here. I love you, Glid.” The eternal jokester…he didn’t have to pass away to get me to come up!!
I miss you every day, brother.
Jeff Glidden
Think of you everyday, brother. I miss you more than words can tell.
i miss the hours of competing with patrick watching jeopardy and no one could piss him off worse than me when in the morning i would be having coffee at the corner bar and have the crossword puzzle completed before he had chance to do it. a week befoe he died he said to a bunch of people at the bar-gd louis wont do it in pencil so i can erase and do it myself. not since his funeral have i shed a tear til now reading your post shawn but feel good about one thing-i was laughing all the while in what you said. i always said patrick could have been anything he wanted but you know that he was doing exactly that. no one and i mean no one was so quick with comebacks and digs and snickers and whinnys as ole malone. most people didnt get to see the truly intelligent man he was. dave hit it right about being better than rickles. i agree with brother perrow that very few could play it better. he could step on any stage and elevate that band-he could play with the best. funniest time i ever had with patrick was in san fransisco with this crew……..m.miller, p. moscone, w. brewer, baldy ewing and me at the san fransisco zoo. we were looking at the elephants when we heard this loud farting sound with a swishing sound and people screaming. we turned to look and heres this hippo with his asshole half submerged in water with with a bad case of runny poop fanning it with his tail all over the people observing it. what happened after was a riot……..5 grown men all snickerring and high pitched whinnying doing the duck.
patrick my friend- a year has past since i found you dead and it hurt then as it hurts now because you understood me as i understood you. ill always sing your praise and i miss you and love you as a dear friend.
louis
MAY HE REST IN PEACE AND LOVE MAY HE LIVE THRU US
david give me a holler at cochinos10@hotmail,com. would lovew to say hi and can fill ya in on the Crew from east.
louis michaud