Great Rock Albums of 1984: Molly Hatchet- The Deed is Done

 

In the mid and late 1980s, there was a belief that whenever a hard rock or heavy metal band incorporated keyboards into their sound, they had sold out and were trying to sound more commercial friendly. Yes, this was the case for a good number of bands back then and Molly Hatchet were accused of the same when guitarist Steve Holland was replaced with keyboards player John Galvin, who had played with Danny Joe Brown when he had his own band. Sure, the band moved away from their Southern Rock stylings to a more commercial friendly arena rock sound but their 1984 album, "The Deed is Done" is by no means in any shape or form a sell out.

While there are notable differences with this album and their very famous hard smashing album "Flirtin' With Disaster," the hard rock sound is there for all to hear. Even with two guitars, Molly Hatchet really rock out on the album, the keyboards only give it a more melodic back ground. The most prominent examples are the two tracks released as singles, "Satisfied Man" and the one I prefer slightly more, "Stone in Your Heart." These are both rockers with John's keyboards providing excellent melodic back up. Unlike so many bands who tried using keyboards, Molly Hatchet does it right here and unfortunately, this is why the album didn't sell as well as the fore mentioned biggie. Some metalheads scoffed at the use of keyboards while mainstream trendies were put off by the hard guitars and labelled them heavy metal. That's another issue about the 1980s, but I'll save that for another time.

As for the rest of the tracks, they cook as well and the now guitar duo of Duane Rolands and Dave Hlubeck show that even with two guitars, they can still kick ass. There is many a good hard rock song on "The Deed is Done" to be heard. However, if someone moaned about them using keyboards, then that person might have really been freaked out by the use of a saxophone on the track, "She Does She Does." What younger metalheads didn't understand in the 80s was that saxophones were employed very well in many a good rock song throughout the ages and it is done very well on this track. And while Molly Hatchet may have moved a little away from their Southern Boogie Rock sound, it is still there in the tracks, "Heartbreak Radio" and "I Ain't Got You". In fact, the second half of the album really rocks. "Good Smoke and Whiskey" wasn't only a great track, it was my theme song for a while. However, my personal favourite on this album has to be "Man on the Run." The old style of Molly Hatchet is stamped on it from the very beginning and the keyboards, like on the hits, provide the necessary support. This song is probably the best example of how you can incorporate the old Hatchet with the new. So what you do get with "The Deed is Done" is a more melodic hard rock sound in places but with the traditional southern sound not completely forgotten. It does make an excellent combination to the open minded.

Going on a little more about the keyboards, John Galvin is definitely underrated in this position. Some have compared him to Lynyrd Skynyrd's Billy Powell, probably because their both from Southern Rock bands. Like Southern Rock bands, the piano is given that honky tonk sound which only works with bands like these two giants. However, John's work with organs and synthesizers can't be ignored because he plays them well. Oh yes, with all the talk about keyboards, I forgot to mention that the album also marked the return of Bruce Crump on drums. It was good to hear him return on the album.

Track Listing:

1. Satisfied Man
2. Backstabber
3. She Does She Does
4. Intro Piece
5. Stone In Your Heart
6. Man on the Run
7. Good Smoke and Whiskey
8. Heartbreak Radio
9. I Ain't Got You
10. Straight Shooter
11. Song For the Children

[caption id="attachment_4097" align="aligncenter" width="334"] Molly Hatchet[/caption]

Danny Joe Brown- vocals

Duane Rolands- guitar

Dave Hlubeck- guitar

John Galvin- keyboards

Riff West- bass

Bruce Crump- drums

Additional Musicians

Jim Horn- saxophone

Jimi Jamison, Tom DeLuca, Steve Bassett, Terry Manning- background vocals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1wIhEICMoI

I think that I've established before the metal court that "The Deed is Done" album was in no way a sell out for Molly Hatchet. While the album marks a departure from their traditional Southern sound, it still rocks and rocks hard. It's just a shame there were too many musically narrow minded people around in the mid 1980s who didn't give the album a chance.

Next post: Blackfoot- Vertical Smiles

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com 

Great Rock Albums of 1983: Molly Hatchet- No Guts No Glory

 

One Southern Rock band that did still get some attention up North in 1983 was the great Molly Hatchet. What excited many Hatchet fans north and south of the Mason-Dixon Line was the return of lead singer Danny Joe Brown to the band to record the "No Guts No Glory" album. For those who are new to 80smetalman, it might be a good idea to have a crash history lesson. Danny Joe Brown left Molly Hatchet after the magnificent "Flirtin' With Disaster" album, actually he was kicked out because of his drinking, and replaced by lead singer Jimmy Farrar who sang on the next two albums, "Beatin' the Odds" and "Take No Prisoners." While there was nothing wrong with either of those albums and Jimmy Farrar is a very capable singer, there seemed to be something missing from those albums. It was hoped that Brown's return would re-ignite the chemistry that brought them fame with "Flirtin' With Disaster."

The old chemistry certainly does return on the "No Guts No Glory" album from the very first song. Things definitely feel very upbeat on the first two songs and at the time, I wanted to scream, although I did inwardly, "Welcome back Danny!" While the first two tracks set the pace for the entire album, it is the third track that propels things into the ionosphere. "Sweet Dixie" is one of those Southern rock boogie tunes that has me bouncing in my chair whenever I hear it. Unless I'm walking, then it makes me quicken my step. Even when I returned north after I got out of the service, the lyrics reminded me of the good things about being down South.

"Just give me those stars and bars, Willie on the radio

A good cold beer and that rebel cheer

And man I'm ready to roll

That sweet sweet Dixie music really gets into my soul

So Mr Deejay won't you play that Southern rock and roll."

Of course the guitars of Dave Hlubeck, Duane Roland and Steve Holland are all over that song as well as the entire album but the song where they really shine is the best known song from the album, "Fall of the Peacemakers." Written as a lament over the murder of John Lennon although I always saw it as an anti- war song, the three guitarists lay down some killer solos in the style of "Freebird" or "Highway Song" on the final five minutes of it. "Fall of the Peacemakers" has been said to have been Molly Hatchet's own "Freebird." The guitars are certainly good enough.

Having originally bought "No Guts No Glory" on vinyl, actually my first vinyl purchase upon leaving the service, the songs mentioned were side one. Side two is definitely not filler. There are five awesome tracks on it that keep the party going very well. Of those five, the standout for me is "Kinda Like Love." They do throw in something a bit different at the end as the closer, "Both Sides," is an instrumental. Some more great guitar work on it to end the album just right.

Other interesting facts about the album are the fact that this is the only Molly Hatchet album not to portray a Franzetta painting on the cover. Another is the use of keyboards. Danny Joe Brown was wise to bring John Galvin over from his Danny Joe Brown band to play on the album. The album also features a completely new rhythm section with Riff West on bass and Barry BB Borden on drums. They work very well here.

Track Listing:

1. What Does it Matter
2. Ain't Even Close
3. Sweet Dixie
4. Fall of the Peacemakers
5. What's it Gonna Take
6. Kinda Like Love
7. Under the Gun
8. On the Prowl
9. Both Sides

[caption id="attachment_3121" align="aligncenter" width="276"] Molly Hatchet[/caption]

Danny Joe Brown- vocals

Dave Hlubeck- guitars

Duane Roland- guitar

Steve Holland- guitar

Riff West- bass

Barry BB Borden- drums

Additional musicians:

John Galvin- keyboards

Jai Winding- keyboards

*Note- Steve Holland would leave the band during the tour for the album and John Galvin would replace him and become a permanent member

Thanks to the return of Danny Joe Brown, many would say that Molly Hatchet was back. I know they never really went anywhere but the "No Guts No Glory" album in my mind, returned them to former glory.

Next post: Talking Heads- Speaking in Tongues

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com

Great Rock Albums of 1983: Nantucket- No Direction Home

 

One thing I am grateful for as I reflect back on 1983 was the fact that I got to spend my remaining three months in the marines in North Carolina. If I hadn't, I might have missed out on some great stuff from a few of the great Southern Rock bands that were around at the time, Nantucket being one of them. By 1983, Southern Rock was once again contained to the South. Many people from the North had moved on from listening to what for me was a great sub-genre of rock. In the case of Nantucket, it was most unfortunate, because the world didn't get to hear what a great band they were.

Memories came flooding back as soon as I listened to the album, "No Direction Home," after so many years. I remember the single, "Hiding From Love," which was written by Bryan Adams getting a good amount of airplay on the local station in North Carolina. While Bryan's influence can be heard on the song, Nantucket certainly make the song their own, adding that Southern boogie vibe that all great Southern Rock bands are known for.

A criticism that was being aimed at Southern bands in the mid- 1980s was they were abandoning their roots to sound more mainstream. There is some sign of this with "No Direction Home," with the fore-mentioned single and the cover of Marvin Gaye's "Ain't That Peculiar." Saying that, Nantucket still stamp their authority on both songs and that's where any thoughts of mainstream ends. That point is made crystal clear with the hard rocking opener. The second song, "I Don't Want to Lose You" is more of a blues based song and it's done very well. Following the two songs already mentioned that they didn't write, there are some steaming rockers, "Morning, Noon and Night" and "Ready For Your Love" before slowing down to the ballad "Come Home Darling." That is as good a power ballad as any. The album finishes on a very high note with three more rockers with the closer, "Tennessee Whiskey," being everything you've always loved about Southern Rock. A massive heart pumping rocker about a favourite Southern past-time, drinking whiskey.

Another disservice to Nantucket is the lack or respect to the guitarists, Tommy Redd and Mark Downing. These two deserve to being mentioned among the great names of Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, Rick Medlocke, Duane Rowlands and Dave Hlubeck. They're that good! Nantucket offer a unique feature as well in the form of saxophonist Eddie Blair. I'm going to go out on a limb and say he's as good as Clarence Clemmons of Bruce Springsteen fame. In evidence, I ask you to listen to "Girl I Got Your Number."

Track Listing:

1. No Direction Home
2. I Don't Want To Lose You
3. Hiding From Love
4. Ain't That Peculiar
5. Morning, Noon and Night
6. Ready For Your Love
7. Come Home Darling
8. Never Felt This Way Before
9. Girl I Got Your Number
10. Tennessee Whiskey

[caption id="attachment_1322" align="aligncenter" width="472"] Nantucket[/caption]

Gary Uzzell- lead and backing vocals

Tommy Redd- guitar, backing vocals

Eddie Blair- keyboards, saxophone, backing vocals

Mark Downing- guitar

Richard Gates- drums

David 'Thumbs' Johnson- bass, backing vocals

I had the fortune of seeing Nantucket live two months before I left the service on tour supporting the "No Direction Home" album. (The above photo wasn't taken at that concert). They headlined a local festival called the Mayfair and I remembered they were brilliant, though I wish I wasn't so partied out by the time they hit the stage. While they were great in the South, I still think they were cheated out of their chance to gain wider attention.

Next post: Doc Holliday- Modern Medicine

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Triumphs and Tragedies: 1981

As always, I like to start with the bad news first before progressing onto the good news. The biggest tragedy of this particular year for music fans of all kinds with the death of reggae legend Bob Marley who died from cancer in May of 1981.

[caption id="attachment_2191" align="aligncenter" width="259"] Bob Marley[/caption]

Whether one was a devout reggae fan, Bob Marley worshipper, total stoner or none of the above, there were very few people around my age at the time who couldn't help but shed a tear at the passing of this great legend. His music brought reggae into the mainstream for many people, me included as did his relaxed, "be mellow" attitude towards life. Something we all probably still need to adhere to these days. While Bob may not be with us and I have to agree with his son Ziggy's philosophy that money doesn't buy life, his music still is alive and very well in the world today. R.I.P. Bob Marley

[caption id="attachment_2193" align="aligncenter" width="196"] The Round Up[/caption]

Now onto the first triumph which was at the time a local one for me and the sad thing was that I never got to see it due to being in the service. In June of 1981, Southern Rock converged on Philadelphia's JFK Stadium as some of the great Southern Rock bands played what I later learned was a brilliant show. Oh, how amazing it would have been to see the likes of The Allman Brothers, Molly Hatchet, 38 Special and the Marshall Tucker Band on the same day. Unfortunately, I didn't and therefore I implore anyone out there in the cosmos who is reading this and went to this great festival, please share your experiences!

[caption id="attachment_2192" align="aligncenter" width="214"] Donington 1981[/caption]

The second tragedy came in the form of another great music festival across the Atlantic. In the August, the second Monsters of Rock Festival at Donington Park took place. With AC/DC as the headliner and the likes of Whitesnake, Slade and Blackfoot on the bill, it couldn't help but to be a great show. Of course, I wasn't at this one either but I do know someone who was and he said it was a brilliant day. It also explains why Blackfoot didn't appear at the Round Up.  Furthermore, the promoters did a good job in ironing at some of the things that went wrong at the 1980 festival. So, two great musical shows on both sides of the ocean, the result was two triumphs for rock and metal in 1981.

There was one more triumph in 1981 but that deserves its own billing and will be spoken about later. To give a hint, it was considered a total triumph in 1981 but nowadays, it is more of a tragedy.
Next post: U2 -Boy
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Great Rock Albums of 1981: Johnny Van Zant- Round Two

Whether it was the glam metal scene in LA or the thrash scene in San Francisco back in the 1980s, of all the bands from those areas who gained world wide popularity, there were many bands who were just as good but never fully broke out of the local scene. The same thing can be said of Southern rock in the earlier part of the decade. I was fortunate to have been stationed in North Carolina during this time, so I was fully able to appreciate it when Southern Rock was at the height of its glory. It gave me a good feeling whenever I trotted back across the Mason-Dixon Line to New Jersey, that many of my friends were listening to Blackfoot, Molly Hatchet, The Outlaws and 38 Special. Unfortunately, not so many people heard of Johnny Van Zant when I mentioned them up north. They were mainly well known just in the south.

As all my British friends would say, this was a bloody shame because the Johnny Van Zant Band were a very good band and their second album, "Round Two" bears witness to this fact. There is a definitely influence from Johnny's older brother on this album because I can detect some Lynyrd Skynyrd sounds here. But in no way does this band simply rip off the great Skynyrd. They bring their own brand of hard rock to tracks like "(Who's) Right or Wrong," "Shot Down" and "Standing in the Falling Rain." Lead guitarists Robbie Gay and Eric Lundgren  know how to play on these songs as well as others. They also do a very hard version of the Beatles classic "Drive My Car." The album does have a ballad in the form of "Yesterday' Gone." I must declare that of all the Van Zant boys, Johnny's vocals are the most attuned for singing ballads. Not that he can't sing harder songs just as well, maybe better. It's just too bad "Round Two" has been allowed to lay dormant for so many years.

Track Listing:

1. (Who's) Right or Wrong

2. Standing in the Falling Rain

3. Yesterday's Gone

4. Let There Be Music

5. Keep Our Love Alive

6. Night Time Lady

7. Drive My Car

8. Shot Down

9. Cold Hearted Woman

10. Play My Music

[caption id="attachment_2173" align="aligncenter" width="265"] Johnny Van Zant Band[/caption]

Johnny Van Zant- vocals

Robbie Gay- lead guitar

Erik- Lundgren- lead guitar

Danny Clausman- bass

Robbie Morris- drums

As I progress through hard rock and metal history, I am discovering albums and bands that I took little notice of or missed completely. I can't say that I missed the Johnny Van Zant Band because I saw them live in 1982 but that's another story. I do regret not listening to this album more back in the time and I wish more people did as well. Here's everyone's chance to rectify that now.

Next post: Nantucket- Long Way to the Top

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Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book shop in London

Great Rock Albums of 1981: Danny Joe Brown and the Danny Joe Brown Band

Every Saturday night, the local FM radio station in Jacksonville, North Carolina had a feature starting at midnight called the Saturday Night Six Pack. They would play six albums, both classic and new in their entirety. One Saturday night in July of 1981, while I was doing the midnight to 4AM barracks security watch and before my company gunnery sergeant banned the listening of music whilst on duty, they played a brand new album from The Danny Joe Brown Band. I remember it well because it was played straight after Billy Joel's "Glass Houses" album. I also remember that it was a very good album and listening to it again, only confirmed the earlier belief. You are probably wondering why I never bought the album, it was due to being strapped for cash. Crap military pay and car troubles are not a good combination.

What strikes me about this album is that while you can definitely feel that Southern boogie rock vibe throughout the entire album, it is not a clone of any Molly Hatchet album. On the album, Brown certainly does diversify somewhat from the sound of his then former band. The piano intro on "The Edge of Sundown" reminds me a little of Billy Powell from Lynyrd Skynyrd before it breaks off into some great pounding guitars. In fact, some of the guitar work on the album, "The Alamo" to name one, reminded me of The Dreggs and I half expected to see Steve Morse on the personnel list for the album. Like with Molly Hatchet, the three guitarists who Brown recruited for the album definitely know how to play. The entire album bears witness to that fact as there is some impressive playing on every song. Speaking of the piano, the fact that he uses keyboards on this album does not make it all go synth but compliments it perfectly and shows that Danny Joe Brown can be a bit versatile in his song writing. As for Brown's vocals, I can't say any different than what you would expect from him, whether it be a Molly Hatchet album or this one.

Track Listing:

1. Sundance

2. Nobody Walks On Me

3. The Alamo

4. Two Days Home

5. Edge of Sundown

6. Beggar Man

7. Run For Your Life

8. Hear My Song

9. Gambler's Dream

10. Hit the Road

[caption id="attachment_2165" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Danny Joe Brown Band[/caption]

Danny Joe Brown- vocals

Bobby Ingram- lead and slide guitars, backing vocals

Steve Wheeler- lead and slide guitars

Kenny McVay- guitar

John Galvin- keyboards, keyboards

Buzzy Meekin- bass, backing vocals

Johnny Glenn- drums

This would be the only solo album from Danny Joe Brown. He would re-join Molly Hatchet after this one. Maybe the members of Hatchet realised what they lost when they let Brown go in the first place. When Brown did return, he would bring keyboardist John Galvin with him and that would influence their sound. But that's all in the later years. If like many, you missed this album first time around, it's not too late to have a listen to it now, definitely worth it.

Next post: Mother's Finest- Iron Age

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Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

Great Rock Albums of 1981: Molly Hatchet- Take No Prisoners

No longer will I trust another person's account of any album in influencing me whether or not to buy an album. Back in 1981, I was interested in buying the "Take No Prisoners" album from Molly Hatchet but a couple of my marine buddies had gotten it and they all said that the album sucked. As a result I was put off ever buying it and I never listened to it until a couple of days ago and let me tell you, those guys were wrong, very wrong. "Take No Prisoners" might not be as good as "Flirtin' With Disaster" or their first self titled album or even "Beatin' the Odds" but it doesn't suck, no way.
For many years now, Jimmy Farrar has been given the blame for the lack of success of this album and probably for "Beatin' the Odds" as well. I now think this is rather unfair to the man because as I said when I visited the previous album, if he was with any other band, his vocal ability would have been more praiseworthy. Unfortunately, he was in the shadow of Danny Joe Brown and that is the problem. I have to admit myself, when hearing a couple of songs on this album, I was thinking to myself that Brown would have made a particular bit sound better.

Enough of the negative though because this album really boogies. In every song, the guitar magic of the trio of Roland, Hlubeck and Holland shine through with those special riffs that made me love Molly Hatchet in the first place. "Power Play" is the stand out track for me but the others are right up there as well, "Bloody Reunion" especially. Then they play a perfect blinder with "Respect Me In The Morning." Most tend to think that because the song is a duet between a man and a woman, in this case Jimmy Farrar and Baby Jean Kennedy of Mother's Finest that the song will immediately be a ballad. It certainly is not. This song rocks in the way that Molly Hatchet are known for and Kennedy's vocals only make it that much better. Truly this album deserves more respect that what I give and I immediately and sincerely apologise to the band for my ignorance over the past three decades.

Track Listing:

1. Bloody Reunion

2. Respect Me In The Morning

3. Long Tall Sally

4. Loss of Control

5. All Mine

6. Lady Luck

7. Power Play

8. Don't Mess Around

9. Don't Leave Me Lonely

10. Dead Giveaway

[caption id="attachment_1703" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Molly Hatchet[/caption]

Jimmy Farrar- vocals

Dave Hlubeck- guitar, slide guitar

Duane Roland- guitar, slide guitar

Steve Holland- guitar

Banner Thomas- bass

Bruce Crump- drums

I realise now that I have actually committed a double faux pas. Not only have I ignored a cool album on account of here say, I have neglected another band whose albums I should be visiting here. I remember Mother's Finest back in the day and did listen to some of their stuff. They shouldn't be pushed into obscurity, there are many pop acts deserving of that. Therefore, I will be featuring them in one of my upcoming posts.

Next post: Danny Joe Brown and the Danny Joe Brown Band

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Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

Great Rock Albums of 1980: Southern Fried Rock

If there was ever any proof needed that Southern Rock had finally come into the spotlight in 1980, it is the fact that some corporate record executive had the bright idea to put out a compilation album of great Southern Rock songs. I first saw this album on record store shelves in the summer of 1980 and almost after it appeared, advertisements for it began playing on radio and television. I had heard most of the songs previous to this album and now there was an album where I could listen to them all together.

"Southern Fried Rock" is full of great songs featuring classics like "Ramblin' Man" from the Allman Brothers and the Charlie Daniels Band classic "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." There is also a lot of variation on the album with slower songs like "So Into You" by the Atlanta Rhythm Section and the big country/rock crossover from the Pure Prairie League, "Amie" to rock outs like "Flirtin' With Disaster" from Molly Hatchet, "Train Train" from Blackfoot and 38 Special's "Rockin' Into the Night." This album has it all in terms of Southern rock with fifteen great songs.

Track Listing:

1. Ozark Mountain Daredevils- If You Want to Go to Heaven

2, Blackfoot- Train Train

3. The Charlie Daniels Band- The Devil Went Down to Georgia

4. The Allman Brothers- Ramblin' Man

5. 38 Special- Rockin' Into the Night

6. Black Oak Arkansas- Jim Dandy

7. Molly Hatchet- Flirtin' With Disaster

8. Pure Prairie League- Amie

9. Bellamy Brothers- Let Your Love Flow

10. Elvin Bishop- Fooled Around and Fell In Love

11. Wet Willie- Keep On Smiling

12. Atlanta Rhythm Section- So Into You

13. Greg Allman- Midnight Rider

14. The Outlaws- There Goes Another Love Song

15. Marshall Tucker Band- Heard It In a Love Song

Allman Brothers

Molly Hatchet

Blackfoot

Charlie Daniels Band

If I had to nit pick at this album, it is the fact that there are no Lynyrd Skynyrd songs on it. They were one of the most influential Southern Rock bands and it is a travesty that none of their songs are on it. Still, this is a fantastic album for anyone who wanted to investigate some of the great gems "Southern Fried Rock" has to offer.

Next post: The J Geils Band- Love Stinks

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Great Rock Albums of 1980: The Outlaws- Ghost Riders

One of the things that got me listening to Southern Rock was that it featured prolonged lead guitar solos and there are some beauties that have blown me away over the years. There is the famous "Freebird" complements of Lynyrd Skynyrd and "Highway Song" courtesy of Blackfoot. Plus there are some from the Allman Brothers such as "Ramblin' Man" and "Jessica" as well as one from Molly Hatchet which I will definitely be pontificating about when I get to 1983. However, it is The Outlaws who seem to do it best and do it with most of their songs. Their famous "Green Grass and High Tides" is a classic for guitar solos and this doesn't diminish with their 1980 album "Ghost Riders."

Let us begin with the single that got them recognition north of the Mason- Dixon Line, "Ghost Riders in the Sky." There have been many covers of this song before and after The Outlaws put their own stamp on it. My father in law likes the version from 1948 and a British band, The Stranglers, made an instrumental version in 1980 and even Elvis sang it. "Needless to say, which version I like. But the album doesn't begin and end with the one song. There are plenty of great songs on it and many of them have some outstanding guitar work. In fact, the second song "White Horses" has an impressive acoustic guitar sounding intro before going nuts with some harder stuff. The same can be said for the final song "Freedom Walk." Even the slower "I Can't Stop Loving You" is not lacking a cool guitar solo or two and "Angels Hide" is a total rocker. All in all, "Ghost Riders" typifies everything I love about Southern Rock. 

Track Listing:

1. Ghost Riders

2. White Horses

3. Angels Hide

4. Devil's Road

5. I Can't Stop Loving You

6. Wishing Wells

7. Sunshine

8. Freedom Walk

The Outlaws

Rick Cua- bass, guitar, vocals

David Dix- drums, percussion

Billy Jones- guitars, vocals

Mike Duke- keyboards, vocals

Freddie Salem- guitar,vocals

Hughie Thomasson- guitar, vocals

The Outlaws are what the gods of rock envisioned when they forged this great genre known as Southern Rock. Great guitar solos innertwined with some hard rocking chords and even a slow acoustic chord. With "Ghost Riders," you can't go wrong.

Next post: Southern Fried Rock

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Great Rock Albums of 1980: Molly Hatchet- Beatin' the Odds

By the summer of 1980, I knew that Southern Rock had established itself up North and was listened to quite extensively there. However, in the October of the same year, I learned that it had made its way across the Atlantic when I saw this very album from Molly Hatchet on sale in a record shop in Southampton, England. The very same marine buddy who first introduced me to Southern Rock was with me at this time and we did both exceedingly rejoice in the fact that Molly Hatchet was listened to in Europe.

Being very predictable here but one can't fail to mention that "Beatin' The Odds" was the first album to feature Jimmy Farrar as lead singer who had replaced Danny Joe Brown who left the band on account of alcohol problems or so I'm told. Many Hatchet fans want to totally forget the Jimmy Farrar period of the band's career but when I listened to the album a couple of days ago, (the first time in about 30 years) I tried to do so in a more open minded manner.

First, Jimmy Farrar is not that bad of a vocalist. Had he come out with another band, he probably would have been right up there with many of those who were around then. The unfortunate thing for him was that he had some very big shoes to fill when he replaced Brown at the mike. Saying that, I feel that the album still lacks a bit of punch to me when compared with the epic "Flirtin' With Disaster" album. Yes, Molly Hatchet still plays that Southern bad boy boogie sound and this is in no way a bad album, but it is a quite a come down from the previous one. The track that stands out for me is "Penthouse Pauper" which has a great guitar intro and the title cut is pretty good too. "Sailor" is also a strong track. However, in spite of all the good things, to me, "Beatin' The Odds" lacks something.

Track Listing:

1. Beatin' The Odds

2. Double Talker

3. The Rambler

4. Sailor

5. Dead And Gone

6. Few And Far Between

7. Penthouse Pauper

8. Get Her Back

9. Poison Pen

Molly Hatchet

Jimmy Farrar- vocals

Dave Hlubeck- lead and slide guitars

Duane Roland- lead and slide guitars

Steve Holland- guitars

Banner Thomas- bass

Bruce Crump- drums

I have coined the phrase "Sophmore Jinx" to bands whose second album didn't match the expectation of a great first album. As "Beatin' The Odds" is the third album from Molly Hatchet, I can't really use it here. Furthermore, like I said, it's not a bad album and it is a good one to have on in the background when sitting in your back garden on a warm day and swilling down some brewskies. However, when you do listen to it, try not to compare it to some of their more iconic albums.

Next post: The Charlie Daniels Band- Full Moon

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1980: A Golden Decade Begins

You may be already or if not you will probably soon will be sick of me constantly broadcasting my belief that the 1980's was the golden age of heavy metal. One of my original motivations for beginning this blog was to trumpet that belief, with the intention of backing it up by portraying all the great albums, bands and other fantastic memories I have from that year. There were some down sides to that golden decade as well, especially with who the US and UK had as president and prime minister during that time, but that's another matter.

Golden decades have to start somewhere and for me it started in 1980. My life back then was totally different. First and most important, I was serving my country and had been in less than six months when it all began. As a new marine, I was longing to be sent to Iran and go and rescue the hostages single handed. Three days before the botched rescue attempt in the April, my battalion was woken up at two in the morning and driven to the air base forty miles away and put on a plane only to be told it was a drill. Three weeks later, President Carter sent us to Key West Florida to deal with the Cuban refugee crisis. I spent the last four months on a ship sailing around the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean where I got within 67 miles of the coast of Iran, but once again, wasn't allowed to go and kill anybody.

Enough of my life for that year, what about the music? In the first months of 1980, I can say I was a total convert to Molly Hatchet, playing the "Flirtin' With Disaster" album constantly.

I also found myself being led down the trail of other great bands that would make their mark that year in the form of AC/DC, Judas Priest and especially Van Halen. The first two mentioned would put out albums that would fully enshrine them as all time greats and although in the case of Van Halen, some would look down on the "Women and Children First" album, (I don't) they would still be one of the biggest names of that year.

Judas Priest

AC/DC

Van Halen

I will of course be visiting all of these albums when I cover the decade opening year as well as those who were up and coming like Iron Maiden and Saxon and visiting other classic albums as well. So, I hope that you will all join me for what looks like to be a glorious ride through rock/metal history.

Next post: Foreigner- Head Games

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Great Rock Albums of 1979: Nantucket- Your Face or Mine

Here's another band from Jacksonville, not Jacksonville, Florida but Jacksonville, North Carolina. Having spent most of my military career there, it was a no brainer that I would be introduced to their finest, Nantucket. Like their kinsmen in Florida, Nantucket had their own Southern sound but the difference is that instead of the hard rock boogie sound of a Molly Hatchet or metal sound like Blackfoot, Nantucket's was more of a progressive sound with some great use of keyboards and saxophone while still keeping a hard rock feel to it. The result is something I have always liked.

That all brings around to their second album "Your Face or Mine." The album typifies the sound that made Nantucket so popular in the Southern states at the time. Songs like "Your Place or Mine" and "Just the Devil's Way" show their hard rock Southern roots while "California" tends to show their more progressive side. And of course the saxophone adds another uniqe touch. I have heard many a sax in rock music and I have to say that as far as saxophonists are concerned, Eddie Blair is one of the best. The title of the final song on the album asks the question, "Is it wrong to rock and roll?" Listening to this album, I have to give an emphatic "NO!"

Track Listing:

1. Gimme Your Love

2. I Live For Your Love

3. Hey Hey Blondie

4. California

5. Wide Awake

6. Don't Hang Up

7. Your Place or Mine

8. Just the Devil's Way

9. Is it Wrong to Rock And Roll

Nantucket

Tommy Redd- lead and rhythm guitars, spoon lead and backing vocals

Larry Uzzell- bass, lead and backing vocals

Mike Uzzell- keyboards, lead and backing vocals

Mike Downing- lead, rhythm, slide and 12 string guitars, backing vocals

Eddie Blair- saxophones, organ, piano, clavinet, backing vocals

Kenny Soule- drums, percussion, tympani, backing vocals

Refamiliarising myself with this cool album from Nantucket, I find myself asking the question I asked 30 year ago. Why weren't they more popular up North? My only conclusion was that a lot of people I knew in my native New Jersey still viewed bands from the South as redneck country singers. One friend admitted he had a bit of a culture shock when I played some Nantucket to him (Not sure if it was this album). For those into a good hard but progressive rock, especially those who like Jethro Tull, will like "Your Face or Mine" by Nantucket.

Next Post: The Outlaws- In the Eye of the Storm

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Great Rock Albums of 1979: Blackfoot- Strikes

Naturally, after hearing "Flirtin' With Disaster" by Molly Hatchet, I wanted to further explore this phenomena known as Southern Rock. Eventually, I came into contact with this fine album compliments of Blackfoot. "Strikes" was the third album by Blackfoot but the first one I listened to and for me, it's their best.
This album takes the southern sound and just pounds the hell out of it with straight ahead power rock. The intro to the opening track, "Road Fever," speaks volumes as it lures you by being rather hard but melodic and then the power chords strike and you can't help to headband away to the rest. That is why that in 1980, "Road Fever" was one of my official travelling songs. The lyrics "Every time I am down and out and don't know what to do. I drop a lude and hit the road and play me a song or two" may have something to do with it as well.
The rest of the album follows suit. The second track, "I Got a Line On You" although a cover, is done with the classic Blackfoot touch. The same can be said with their cover of the Free classic, "Wishing Well." This doesn't take anything away from their originals. The harmonica in the "Train Train, Prelude" sticks in my mind over 30 years later. The actual song is a classic rocker in its own right. And all this ends with the final jam "Highway Song." I won't get into the debate that it rips off the legendary "Freebird" because for me, the song has me playing air guitar for the entire length of the ending guitar solos, five minutes plus.

Track Listing:

1. Road Fever

2. I Got a Line On You

3. Left Turn on a Red Light

4. Pay My Dues

5. Baby Blue

6. Wishing Well

7. Run and Hide

8. Train Train, Prelude

9. Train Train

10. Highway Song

Blackfoot

Rick Medlocke- lead vocals, guitar

Charlie Hargrett- guitar

Greg T Walker- bass, keyboards, vocals

Jakson Spires- drums, percussion, vocals

I can't help believing that along with Molly Hatchett, Blackfoot, especially with this album, went on to influence a lot of metal bands from the South. At the time, and quite a bit now, Blackfoot were what I would call metal. The hard sound of "Strikes" bears testimony to that.

Next post: Nantucket- Your Face or Mine

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Great Rock Albums of 1979: Molly Hatchet- Flirtin' With Disaster





1979 brought a new genre of rock into the limelight, Southern Rock. The roots of this country boogie style meets heavy rock go back to the early seventies with the band many officianadoes credit as the creators of southern rock, The Allman Brothers.

Allman Brothers

Their blues based southern sound was unique at the time and would be a mainstay throughout the seventies. The cause of southern rock was further pioneered later in the decade by the great Lynyrd Skynyrd who brought a more harder edge to it. For a teenager like me who lived in the North, Skynyrd was one band from the South you could listen to and not only rock out, you wouldn't be looked upon as some kind of redneck, although a lot of young rockers who were labelled such were into them too.

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Okay, enough of the history lesson, (I'm sorry, it's the teacher in me again) on to 1979 and this fantastic album from Molly Hatchet. It was this album that thrust them into the light and make the entire rock world at the time stand up and take notice of them. They had a much harder sound than even Skynyrd and even the more slower songs like "Long Time" have a rockier edge that make you want to stand up and go "Yeah!" with a raised fist and a can of Budweiser in the other hand. When you listen to "Flirtin With Disaster" you are in no doubt that you are listening to a true hard rock album.
For me, the album was the thrash metal of 1979. Yes I know it doesn't come anywhere near thrash but with the exception of maybe Van Halen, AC/DC or Ted Nugent, there was nothing heavier. I can say that "Flirtin With Disaster" completely sealed my cross over into hard rock and metal forever. When I heard this album, there was no going back.
The great thing about it is that although it's a classic hard rock album, many of the songs still contain that southern boogie vibe originally began by The Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Take the song "Jukin City" as an example. Hard guitars start the song and set a rhythm that is so catchy, it stays in your head long after you have head banged your way through its entirety. The same can be said about the other songs on the album and especially the title track. In each and every one you are greeted by some hard but strangely melodic guitar sound that makes you just want to rock out! That said, there is not enough credit given to the guitar combination of Roland, Hlubeck and Holland. Sure other bands have three guitarists, but none that work so well together as the forementioned three. I practically love every guitar solo on the album.

Track Listing:

1. Whiskey Man

2. It's All Over Now

3. One Man' s Pleasure

4. Jukin City

5. Boogie No More

6. Flirtin With Disaster

7. Good Rockin

8. Gunsmoke

9. Long Time

10. Let the Good Times Roll

Molly Hatchet

Danny Joe Brown- vocals

Bruce Crump- drums

Dave Hlubeck- guitar

Steve Holland- guitar

Duane Roland- guitar

Banner Thomas- bass

I sincerely believe that if Molly Hatchet had never been around (yes that would have been tragic) I am convinced that some heavy metal band in the 80s would have taken the name. The name alone indicates a heavy rock or metal band and was reason why I had to listen to the album. Furthermore, back in 79, the Frank Franzetta paintings which adorned the covers of this and other Hatchet albums inspired many bands long after in their album cover choices. So, why Molly Hatchet deserves all the credit for getting Southern Rock noticed by the masses, it should also be given the credit for its influence on the 80s metal scene after. This album is without a doubt their best one and one of my favourites of all time.

Next post: Bad Teacher

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1979: The Year The Dam Began to Burst

In a song from a fantastic album I will be visiting much further down the line, Saxon asks, "Where were you in '79 when the dam began to burst?"

Saxon

Well, I can definitely say where I was in 1979 and unfortunately, I wasn't wearing denim and leather. For me, that year was a major and I mean major turning point in my life. The middle of the year was especially eventful for me. In the space of 32 days from June 7 to July 9, I turned eighteen, graduated high school and then was off to Parris Island, South Carolina for boot camp in the marines. For the next twelve weeks, I was ruled with an iron hand. I heard no music, saw no movies and didn't even see any television until the last three weeks of training and then that was only for one hour a night. I did get teased one night when I pulled a guard duty near a window with the radio blaring out. I don't remember any songs, but I do remember hearing an advert for the Ted Nugent concert in Savanah, Georgia in a few weeks time.
The top songs before and after boot camp pretty much sums up the year for me musically. Before I left, the popular song was the disco tune, "Ring My Bell" by Anita Ward. When I came home on leave after graduation, it was "My Sharona" by The Knack. My "Death before disco" attitude was already entrenched in my mind, so I was happy that disco seemed to be on the way out. One thing that definitely died that year was my AM clock radio.
One thing that the marines did for me was to open my mind to new forms of music. Being around many more African Americans introduced me to rap and non commercial soul music. Being stationed in North Carolina, I got a better feel for country music, but the best thing was discovering a genre that was made it's way into more mainstream, Southern Rock. It was here, I first heard great albums by Molly Hatchet, 38 Special and Blackfoot and will be visiting their albums down the line.

Molly Hatchet

Of course, the marines provided my access to the up and coming genre I would come to know and love as heavy metal. It was here, I first heard Van Halen and Rush as well as Ted Nugent. My musical world was definitely growing as you will see from all the albums that will be visited throughout the next few months.
Next post: Cheap Trick- At Boudakan
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Great Rock Albums of 1978: Molly Hatchet

Before 1978, the term Southern Rock was attributed to bands such as The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Charlie Daniels Band. However, in 1978, a new force came out of the Jacksonville Florida area and it was called Molly Hatchet. Molly Hatchet, supposedly named after an axe murderess, brought a fresh southern boogie hard rock sound to music and it became a favourite among rockers and later metalheads.

For many years, I thought that their debut album was actually called "Bounty Hunter" after the first track on the album and most well known one. I now know that its actually self titled and I know further that it completely kicks ass. It's not just the music either. The album cover was a painting by Frank Franzetta and it was the first of at least four Molly Hatchet albums to use Franzetta paintings on the covers. I was so impressed with these paintings, that when I was teaching at a school seven or eight years ago, I tried to get the art teacher to teach my class about Franzetta's work.

Track Listing:

1. Bounty Hunter

2. Gator Country

3. Big Apple

4. The Creeper

5. The Price You Pay

6. Dreams I'll Never See

7. I'll Be Running

8. Cheatin' Woman

9. Trust Your Old Friend

Molly Hatchet

Danny Joe Brown- vocals

Dave Hlubeck- guitar

Duane Roland- guitar

Steve Holland- guitar

Banner Thomas- bass

Bruce Crump- drums

A metal buddy of mine once said that Molly Hatchet was one of those bands metalheads hid under their leather when they bought their albums. I never did, I didn't care who saw that I was buying a Molly Hatchet album. The first album from them would set the stage for better things to come as they would establish themselves as the new kings of southern rock.

Next post: Bob Seger- Stranger in Town

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