
"...then the Allman Brothers
came along and made the sound heavier and started churning out these 15-minute
songs. Next, Lynyrd Skynyrd came along and refined that sound: made it more
powerful and crunchier. Then you had Marshall Tucker and Grinderswitch and they
added a country flavour to it and then came Molly Hatchet and we were the first
to put a metal edge to it. That was the evolution of the things that were taking
place then."
- Dave Hlubek, Kerrang! No 86, February 1985
Named after
a famous 17th century axe murderess, Hatchet Molly, who would behead her lovers
with the hand tool Lizzy Borden made famous. Molly Hatchet was formed in 1971
by Dave Hlubek and Steve Holland. Danny Joe Brown joined in 1974, Duane Roland,
Banner Thomas, Bruce Crump in 1975. When they finally got their recording contract
with Epic they got some help and advice from Ronnie Van Zant, who was originally
suppose to produce the album, but was unable to due to the tragic plane crash
in '77. Because of this the band's debut was not released until late 1978. Fortunately
for the band, this late delivery did little to deter their popularity. By the
time their second record was released, the band had became enormously popular
and stayed that way for many years despite the departure of vocalist/frontman
Danny Joe Brown. Brown left the band in 1980 due to health problems stemming
from diabetes. Others have stated that the band worked hard on the road, and
drank just as hard, which was the reason that Brown had to go. Brown returned
to the band in '83 for a successful tour and the release of "No Guts No Glory". The band has gone
through numerous lineup changes since the mid 80's and as of the mid 1990's
was touring without any original members, although many members had been with
the band for many years including Bobby Ingram and John Galvin. (Both had played
on Danny Joe Brown's 1981 solo disc.) Eventually founding member Dave Hlubeck
returned to Molly Hatchet. I
have been a Hatchet fan since I was in Jr. High School in 1979. (Man I'm old!)
In any case, Molly Hatchet are southern rock mixed with a bit of 70's heavy
metal and Ted Nugent/Foghat style boogie. The thing I like best about Hatchet is that they jam! OK, perhaps
they don't exactly fit in with the rest of my CD collection, but who cares!
I like 'em and that's all that matters!
Guitarist Dave Hlubeck went on to form the Southern
Rock All Stars in 2000 with ex-Blackfoot drummer Jakson Spires. Spires past away in 2005. Hlubeck returned to Hatchet that same year.
In early 2005 a new band called Gator Country was formed
that consisted of five original-era members of the legendary southern rockers
Molly Hatchet. Included were drummer Bruce Crump, guitarist Duane Roland, guitarist
Steve Holland, vocalist Jimmy Farrar, and bassist Riff West.
The southern rock family was dealt a huge blow on March 10,
2005 with the passing of original Molly Hatchet singer Danny Joe Brown. He had
only just been released from hospital, after treatment for pneumonia and other
ailments, but died upon his return home. He was 53 years old.
Duane Roland (Born: December 3, 1952 - Jeffersonville, Indiana) one of the original guitarists
in Jacksonville-based Southern rock band Molly Hatchet, passed away on June
19, 2006 of heart failure in his St. Augustine home. He was 53.
Molly Hatchet (Epic) 1978
1. "Bounty
Hunter" (2:58)
2. "Gator Country" (6:17)
3. "Big Apple" (3:01)
4. "Creeper" (3:18)
5. "Price You Pay" (3:04)
6. "Dreams I'll Never See" (7:06)
7. "I'll Be Running" (3:00)
8. "Cheatin' Woman" (4:36)
9. "Trust Your Old Friend" (3:55) |

Duane Curtis Roland
1952 - 2006

Duane Roland guitar pick
|
 |
Molly Hatchet's
first album is an inspired southern rock classic. It doesn't have the crunch
of the albums that followed this one, but the songwriting is so darn good, it
doesn't matter. What I liked best about Southern rock was that it jammed and
Hatchet's debut did just that. Of course Hatchet has always been under the shadows
of Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers, but I think they stand on their own. "Dreams
I'll Never See" is a superior cover of the Allman Bros. song. Hatchet's
version smokes the original! The front cover, as would become a constant for
the next few records, was painted by Frank Frazetta.
Molly Hatchet - Flirtin' w/ Disaster (Epic) 1979
1. "Whiskey
Man" (3:38)
2. "It's All Over Now" (3:40)
3. "One Man's Pleasure" (3:24)
4. "Jukin' City" (3:46)
5. "Boogie No More" (6:08)
6. "Flirtin' With Disaster" (4:58)
7. "Good Rockin'" (3:17)
8. "Gunsmoke" (3:11)
9. "Long Time" (3:19)
10. "Let The Good Times Roll" (2:56)
BONUS TRACKS
11. "Silver & Sorrow" (3:55)
12. "Flirtin' With Disaster" [live] (6:15)
13. "One Man's Pleasure" [live] (3:17)
14. "Cross Road Blues" [live] (4:14) |
Autographed vinyl "Flirtin' With Disaster" plus 7" promo single for "Dreams I'll Never See"
|
Taking the best aspects
of Southern bands like Skynyrd and Blackfoot and mixing it with
Tom Wermer heavy production, Molly Hatchet's second album "Flirtin' With Disaster"
is a classic. Tom Wermer was most known for his work with Ted
Nugent and Cheap Trick. In the last 70's many thought Southern rock
had died along with the members of Lynyrd
Skynyrd in that fateful plane crash, but "Flirtin' With Disaster" helped
to resurrect the sound. It also helped to bridge the gap between the budding
heavy metal scene that was just beginning to explode in Europe with the 'classic
rock' scene that was nearly destroyed by punk and the soon to be 80's 'new wave'
scene. The title track is a rock radio staple to this day and one of the band's
heaviest and most well known tracks. As a matter of fact, this track helped
the album to sell platinum within five weeks of it's release. The album has
since sold over three million copies. Besides the 'hit' title track, it is the
extended guitar driven jams like "Boogie No More" and the heavy Southern boogie
of "Jukin' City" and "Whiskey Man" that became Hatchet's trademark. "It's All
Over Now" is a smokin' Bobby Womack cover that I had always assumed was a Hatchet
original. It was also a big hit or the Rolling Stones in the mid-70s.
At least half of the songs off this album made it onto their "Greatest Hits"
album, proving it to be one of their finest albums ever, if not their very best.
The Frank Frazetta album cover is awesome, as was the first self titled album.
In my opinion, however, the smaller CD size loses a little bit over the larger
record format though.
Despite the success of
this album, and the fact that it was only their second album, Hatchet had been
touring for seven years before, which apparently was taking a toll on the health
of vocalist Danny Joe Brown. After the tour for this album, Danny Joe Brown
departed and recorded a solo album (Danny
Joe Brown Band) with future Hatchet guitarist Bobby Ingram.
2002 saw the re-release
of this disc in a remastered, expanded CD version. Of course I had to have that.
Along with new liner notes and photos, includes an unreleased studio track and
three excellent live tracks. "Silver And Sorrow", was apparently recorded at
the same time and at the same studio as the rest of "Flirtin' With Disaster"
but was left off the album for unknown reasons.
Molly Hatchet - Beatin' The Odds (Epic) 1980
1. "Beatin'
the Odds" (3:17)
2. "Double Talkin'" (3:15)
3. "The Rambler" (4:50)
4. "Sailor" (3:50)
5. "Dead & Gone" (4:22)
6. "Few and Far Between" (3:39)
7. "Penthouse Pauper" (3:18)
8. "Get Her Back" (3:03)
9. "Poison Pen" (3:04) |
Molly Hatchet -
Beatin' the Odds LP |
Dave Hlubek |
Molly Hatchet's third album featured new singer Jimmy Farrar. He was a more than competent southern rock singer, but his voice changed the Hatchet sound quite a bit. Farrar's voice didn't have the same deep, masculine sound that Danny Joe Brown's voice had. Farrar had a slight whiskey soaked grit that worked well for the band. However, as good a singer as Jimmy was, it didn’t seem to matter. The band’s popularity began to decline here despite the popularity of the title track.
Molly Hatchet combined that good ‘ol stadium rock sound, blues, southern influences and heavy metal to create a style all their own. With “Beatin’ the odds, the band created one heavy southern rock and roll record. Their intensity was only matched by fellow Southern rockers Blackfoot. The overall production was top notch, having been produced by famed rock producer Tom Werman. Much like “Flirtin’ With Disaster”, the guitar sound was far more vicious and biting than it had been on their debut, helping the band gain popularity with the growing hordes of heavy metal fans in the early 80’s.
The title track is a classic from this album and is generally considered one of the band’s all time best songs. However, “Beatin’ the Odds” isn’t just a single and bunch of filler. “Double Talker” is a low down and dirty heavy rocker composed by Dave Hlubeck . “The Rambler” is a melodic number and a prime Hatchet song. This song really gave Farrar a chance to strut his stuff. His vocal performance here is incredible and should have proved to the world that he was the man for the job. “Penthouse Pauper”is a gritty take on a Creedence Clearwater Revival composition. “Dead & Gone”, a song about drug abuse, featured some female background vocals, giving the song a Skynyrd vibe. Duane Roland’s “Get Her Back” is a short, funky rocker complete with slide guitar solo.
“Beatin’ the Odds” was a solid, hard rocker. It’s a shame that people couldn’t accept Farrar as a worthy successor to Danny Joe Brown. The album is far better than people give it credit for. As with the band’s first two record, the cover was painted by fantasy artist Frank Frazetta. This would be the last album that Frazetta would do for the band.
Molly Hatchet - Live (Epic) 1980
Record One (Live)
Side One
1. "Beatin' the Odds"
2. "Few And Far Between"
3. "Penthouse Pauper"
Side Two
4. "Dead And Gone"
5. "Double Talker"
6. "Sailor" |
Record Two (Beatin the Odds)
Side One
1. "Beatin'
the Odds" (3:17)
2. "Double Talkin'" (3:15)
3. "The Rambler" (4:50)
4. "Sailor" (3:50)
Side Two
5. "Dead & Gone" (4:22)
6. "Few and Far Between" (3:39)
7. "Penthouse Pauper" (3:18)
8. "Get Her Back" (3:03)
9. "Poison Pen" (3:04) |
|
Dave Hlubek
|
"Live" is a 2 LP album that was released to help promote the "Beatin the Odds" LP and is a highly sought after Molly Hatchet collectible. The live material is stellar, as Molly Hatchet were a touring machine at the time and were at the top of their game.
Danny Joe Brown & the Danny Joe Brown Band (Epic) 1981
Click the (Danny Joe Brown Band)
cover for additional information.
Molly Hatchet - Take No Prisoners (Epic) 1981
1. "Bloody Reunion"
(4:00)
2. "Respect Me in the Morning" (3:22)
3. "Long Tall Sally" (2:54)
4. "Loss of Control" (3:32)
5. "All Mine" (4:01)
6. "Lady Luck" (3:29)
7. "Power Play" (3:44)
8. "Don't Mess Around" (3:00)
9. "Don't Leave Me Lonely" (3:58)
10. "Dead Giveaway" (3:25) |
Dave Hlubek |

Molly Hatchet 8x10 promo photo. (click to enlarge) |
“Take No Prisoners” was the second and last disc for vocalist Jimmy Farrar. It would also be the last disc for one of the founding members, bassist Banner Thomas. Molly Hatchet were still on track here, creating a fine Southern rock platter with the temperature turned up a bit from their last record. "Bloody Reunion" is a great song to start off the set, and if I remember correctly, was also the song they started their live set with on the tour. ( I was lucky enough to catch Molly Hatchet twice on this tour. They put on two spectacular shows at Six Flags Great Adventure in NJ.) "Respect Me in the Morning" and "Lady Luck" are both Hatchet classics as well. “Lady Luck” in particular has always been a favorite of mine. The song has a hook that could catch a whale and includes an infectious guitar riff. The song also featured a piano and a horn section. While Hatchet had used a piano in the past on songs like “It’s All Over Now”, the horn section was something new to Hatchet’s sound. "Long Tall Sally" is a Little Richard cover. "Respect Me in the Morning" is a duet between Farrar and Joyce "Baby Jean" Kennedy of Mother's Finest.
This line-up of Hatchet
also recorded a live version of "Mississippi Queen" with Ted
Nugent on Volunteer Jam: Classic Live Performances
Vol. 1.
Molly Hatchet - No Guts, No Glory (Sony) 1983
1. "What Does
It Matter?" (3:32)
2. "Ain't Even Close" (4:35)
3. "Sweet Dixie" (3:55)
4. "Fall of the Peacemakers" (8:04)
5. "What's It Gonna Take?" (3:59)
6. "Kinda Like Love" (4:10 )
7. "Under the Gun" (3:53)
8. "On the Prowl" (4:05)
11. "Both Sides" [instrumental] (5:09)
Danny Joe Brown returns
for Hatchet's fifth studio album. (Danny Joe Brown released one solo record
during the time he was gone called the Danny
Joe Brown Band on Epic Records.) Bassist Banner Thomas and drummer Bruce
Crump left during the recording of this album and were replaced by Riff West
and B.B. Bordan respectivelty. The rejuvinated band churned out their melodic
epic masterpiece called "Fall of the Peacemakers," which is the best song on
the disc, and one of my all time favorite Molly Hatchet songs. Frankly, it's
one of my all time favorite songs of any band. This song is Hlubeck's defining
moment; his "Freebird" or "Stairway to Heaven" so to speak. The rest of the
CD is actually quite good as well. "What's It Gonna Take", and "Ain't Even Close"
are both hard rockin' Hatchet classics. "Sweet Dixie" has a distinctive Skynyrd vibe to it. Of course Hatchet always lived under the shadow of Skynyrd anyhow, but personally I always thought that Hatchet were heavier and harder
rocking. However, there is no denying the Skynyrd influence, especially in light of songs like "Sweet Dixie" and "Fall of the
Peacemakers." I've always liked Hlubeck's melodic instrumental "Both Sides"
as well. |

Molly Hatchet 8x10 promo photo. Autographed by Dave Hlubeck. (click to enlarge)

Riff West
|
I saw Hatchet on this tour
twice at Six Flags in NJ.
Here's a bit of useless,
interesting information I took off Charlie Hagrett's homepage:
-Summer 1983, Kansas
City, Kansas: Blackfoot are touring
with Molly Hatchet when, with no warning, Hatchet's singer Danny Joe Brown,
and guitarists Steve Holland and Duane Roland, fly home one night after a
show, right in the middle of the tour. Only lead guitarist Dave Hlubek, drummer
B.B. Borden and bassist Riff West show up in Kansas City the next day. That
night, after a real quick "rehearsal" in the backstage dressing room, Rick
Medlocke and Charlie Hagrett sit in with Molly Hatchet for their set. Medlocke
took Danny Joe Brown's place as frontman, and Hagrett played rhythm guitar
behind Hlubek's lead, with rhythm section B.B. and Riff. It wasn't pretty,
but we pulled it off. The rest of Hatchet rejoined the tour the next day.
Molly Hatchet - The Deed is Done (Epic) 1984
1.
"Satisfied Man" (4:57)
2. "Backstabber" (4:12)
3. "She Does She Does" (6:06)
4. "Intro Piece" (1:15)
5. "Stone in Your Heart" (4:14)
6. "Man on the Run" (4:09(
7. "Good Smoke and Whiskey" (3:33)
8. "Heartbreak Radio" (3:27)
9. "I Ain't Got You" (2:30)
10. "Straight Shooter" (3:46)
11. "Song for the Children" (2:31) |
"Stone In Your Heart" 7" promo single
|
"The Deed is Done" 1989 promo photo. |
Jacksonville's Southern
hard rockers release an album full of 80's pop rock crap. This is one of those
albums that proves how little record executives know about the fans. As
I have read several times, Hatchet were somewhat forced into writing this pop
junk by the bigwigs at Sony/Epic, using several co-writers that are not a part
of the band. Some of the material on this disc was written for the band with
little or no involvement by them except for the actual recording of the songs.
It is a fact that by 1984 Southern rock had almost diminished greatly in popularity.
Bands like .38 Special were having success moving into the AOR/pop rock
category. I suppose this was the logic for moving Molly Hatchet into a similar
direction.
The other problem with
this album is the glossy recording. The addition of keyboards and horns to the
mix makes things worse than they could have been, especially on songs like "Satisfied
Man," which given a rawer, heavier production and less 80's studio sheen could
have been a decent song. The inclusion of triggers or a drum machine adds to
the production problems. "I Ain't Got You" is a Yardbirds cover that
has also been covered by Aerosmith. This
song could have smoked, given the rockin' rendition that Aerosmith did, but unfortunately just falls flat. There are a few decent songs on this
disc, such as "Heartbreak Radio" and "Stone in Your Heart" but there
is an awful lot of crap to wade through to get to it. The killer album cover
art disguises one of the worst Hatchet albums to ever be released. Not long
after the tour for this disc the original members started dropping like flies,
disappointed with the band's new direction and/or their decline in popularity.
Molly Hatchet - Double Trouble Live! (Epic) 1985
1. "Whiskey
Man" (3:48)
2. "Bounty Hunter" (3:00)
3. "Gator Country" (7:16)
4. "Flirtin' with Disaster" (5:30)
5. "Stone in Your Heart" (4:13)
6. "Satisfied Man" (4:43)
7. "Bloody Reunion" (4:04)
8. "Boogie No More" (7:36)
9. "Free Bird" (11:19)
10. "Dreams I'll Never See" (7:03)
11. "Edge of Sundown" (4:24)
12. "Fall of the Peacemakers" (7:12)
13. "Beatin' the Odds" (3:41)
Recorded in 1984 for the "Deed is Done" tour, the band was in a bit of turmoil due to the musical direction being forced upon them by their record company. Classic tracks such as "Flirtin'
With Disaster" and "Beatin' the Odds" are simply fantastic and sound even
better in this live format. The band definitely captured some of that live energy that they spent the past decade refining. The cover of Lynyrd
Skynyrd's "Freebird" sticks pretty close to the original and is a nice tribute to their Southern Rock brother. Danny Joe
Brown dedicates the song to Ronnie Van Zant and the other Skynyrd guys that lost their lives in that tragic plane crash. "Edge of Sundown"
is a track of Danny Joe Brown's solo album and fits the Molly Hatchet sound perfectly.
If "Fall of the Peacemakers" was Hlubek's defining moment, then "Edge
of Sundown" is Danny Joe Brown's coup. "Stone in Your Heart" and "Satisfied Man" are two songs from "The Deed is Done" and stick out like a sore thumb in this set list. It's not that these more pop oriented songs are bad, but they are definitely different.
Double Trouble Live
was originally released as a two record set which is the reason for
the name DOUBLE Trouble. Unfortunately the CD version is a single disc
and is missing two songs off the original vinyl version ("Walk On
The Side Of The Angels" and "Walk With You".). |
Dave Hlubeck
(L-R) Bruce Crump,
Dave Hlubek, Duane Roland, Riff West,
Danny Joe Brown and John Galvin.
|
Molly Hatchet - Lightning Strikes Twice (SPV) 1989
- "Take Miss
Lucy Home" (3:12)
- "There Goes
the Neighborhood" (3:40)
- "No Room
On The Crew" (3:26)
- "Find Somebody
New" (3:12)
- "The Big
Payback" (4:32)
- "I Can't
Be Watching You" (6:00)
- "Goodbye
to Love" (5:28)
- "Hide Your
Heart" (4:38)
- "What's the
Story, Old Glory" (3:20)
- "Heart of
My Soul" (5:33)
I had lost interest in
Hatchet a bit with "The Deed is Done". I felt the band was abandoning their
roots and trying to hard to become the next .38 Special and go for that mainstream
pop rock sound. Because of that I never did order this CD until several years
after it was released. I finally special ordered this import after reading a
review of "Devil's Canyon" that said it was "their greatest album since 'Lightning
Strikes Twice.'" Well, since I was very impressed with "Devil's Canyon" I decided
to go for broke and order this German import. My initial thoughts? Honestly,
I thought to myself, "this disc sucks" and on the shelf it went. It just didn't
have the same vibe as those early Hatchet classics or even the new material
on "Devil's Canyon."
Over the years I have pulled
this one out on occassion and have grown to like several of the songs and appreciate
this disc a bit more. The approach here is more traditional, blues based, Southern
rock. Gone are the heavy guitars and the tripple guitar attack. "Lightning Strike
Twice" was the first Hatchet album to feature guitarist Bobby Ingram, and the
first album without founding member and songwriter Dave Hlubek. Duane Roland
is the only "original" guitarist left in the band and instead of adding another
guitarist to keep their trademark three guitar assault, Hatchet opted to add
keyboardist John Galvin. Galvin was Danny Joe Brown's friend and had played
on Brown's 1981 solo disc, as did guitarist Bobby Ingram. On top of the keyboards,
the band also adds female background vocals and some horns here and there, not
that this is unusual for Hatchet. The band had experimented with horns on past
albums as well. A couple of my favorite cuts are the Southern rocker "Find Somebody
New", the experimental "Heart of My Soul", and the bluesy "I Can't Be Watching
You", which features some great piano work. However, the real standout cut is
the the ballad "Goodbye to Love". (The band would re-record this song some years
later on the "25th Anniversary" CD.) The biggest flaw on this album is "Hide
Your Heart" which is a pop rock song written by Paul Stanley (Kiss).
This song showed up on Kiss' "Hot in the
Shade" and Ace Frehley's "Trouble
Walkin'" CD that same year. This song just doesn't work well for Hatchet, although
the dual guitar lead in the middle is pretty cool. Not even the powerhouse vocals
of Danny Joe Brown could save this song. Otherwise, this CD isn't the atrocity
that it's made out to be.
If found this German import
for only $10.99 (Circuit City) instead of the over $20 range most imports sell
for. |

"Lightning Strikes Twice" 1989 promo photo. Click to enlarge.

Bobby Ingram, Danny Joe Brown & Duane Roland
|
New axeman, and long time
friend of the band, Bobby Ingram replaces Hlubek, who was one of the founders
of the band as well as one of their main songwriters. Bobby Ingram is a longtime
friend of Danny Joe Brown and was the guitarist and co-writer of much of his
solo album. In anycase, this greatest hits package features two brand new cuts
with the new guitarist that are actually quite good and sit well with all the
Hatchet standards. I sort of wish they would have included the studio version
of the Jimmy Farrar-era songs. The live versions of "Bloody Reunion and "Beatin'
the Odds" don't seem to fit as well in a 'best of' package as the studio tracks
would. The live version of "Edge of Sundown" is the only live inclusion that
makes sense since the original studio version was on Danny Joe Brown's studio
album. Oh, and why the heck isn't "Lady Luck" on this disc? Was there some secret
conspiracy about including anything that Jimmy sang on? Regardless, Greatest
Hits is a good collection and a nice career retrospective of Molly Hatchet up
to this point. No other Southern Rock band had their unique blend of Skynyrd/Blackfoot-style
Southern boogie & blues and Ted Nugent/Foghat-style
hard rock/heavy metal.
Greatest Hits was re-mastered
and re-released in 2001 with three additional tracks that were not on the original
1990 release. On top of re-mastering, the label also rearranged the song order
putting the new tracks at the end of the disc and putting the other tracks in
somewhat of a chronological order. I'm not sure what the point of rearranging
the tracks was. The new tracks include the excellent "The Creeper" from the
band's debut. No doubt this song belongs on a package like this. "It's All Over
Now" is from the band's most well known album "Flirtin' With Disaster" and is
also a welcome addition. "Satisfied Man" was from the era when Hatchet were
being forced to use outside songwriters and to go in a pop direction, not unlike
fellow Southern rockers .38 Special. This song is actually one of the better
cuts from that era, but still sticks out like a sore thumb on this compilation.
It would have been cool if they had added the two missing cuts from the CD version
of "Double Trouble Live" instead of this track. This expanded edition also includes
an 8-page booklet that includes photos and a short bio. The original didn't
include much of anything in the booklet.
Molly Hatchet - Devil's Canyon (Mayhem) 1996
1. "Down from
the Mountain" (4:38)
2. "Rolling Thunder" (4:03)
3. "Devil's Canyon" (6:18)
4. "Heartless Land" (6:24)
5. "Never Say Never" (3:46)
6. "Tatanka" (5:01)
7. "Come Hell or High Water" (3:40)
8. "Look in Your Eyes" (6:08)
9. "Eat Your Heart Out" (3:36)
10. "Journey" (7:20 )
11. "Dreams I'll Never See" [acoustic version] (7:25) |
Molly Hatchet promo. Last promotioal photo with Danny Joe Brown
|
The sticker on the front
said this was the bands first studio recording in over 12 years? What? "Lightning
Strikes Twice" was released in 1989, I think. This album was released in
1996. Do the math; it doesn't add up. Maybe what they meant was this was their
first GOOD album in 12 years. Now that I could agree with. Strange thing about
this album is that there is not even one original member performing on the album,
although Banner Thomas has a song writing credit on "Rolling Thunder"
and Danny Joe Brown is still listed as a member. U nfortunately,
Danny Joe Brown had to be hospitalized during the pre-production of this album
so Danny hand picked Phil McCormick to take his place. One thing is
for sure, he picked an excellent vocalist with similar qualities to his own voice.
"Devil's Canyon" is a return to the Hatchet I love with a heavy production
and those long southern rock and boogie jams. Longtime guitarist Bobby Ingram
wrote a majority of the material, he did a fine job as this is a great disc.
My favorite song is "The Journey" which sounds like it would have
fit in fine on "Flirtin' With Disaster," with the exception of the
superior production on this album. The acoustic cover of "Dreams I'll Never
See" is a nice bonus.
Molly Hatchet - Silent Reign of Heroes (CMC International) 1998
1. "Mississippi
Moon Dog" (3:47)
2. "World of Trouble" (5:33)
3. "Silent Reign of Heroes" (8:35)
4. "Miss Saturday Night" (4:04)
5. "Blue Thunder" (4:04)
6. 'Just Remember (You're the Only One)" (4:32)
7. "Junk Yard Dawg (3:35)"
8. "Dead and Gone (Redneck Song)" (3:13 )
9. "Saddle Tramp" (7:15)
12. "Fall of the Peacemakers" [acoustic version] (6:55) |

Molly Hatchet 1998 promo.
|

Phil McCormick 2003
photo by Jeff Stone |
Bobby Ingram, John Galvin
and Phil McCormick keep the Hatchet tradition alive, even though they, nor any
of the other band members, were part of the original line-up. No matter really
as the music still rocks in the southern rock tradition that is Molly Hatchet. "Mississippi Moon Dog" is one fine, hard-rockin' song and should
be a staple in the band's live set for years to come. The title track and "Saddle
Tramp" feature some of those extended guitar jams that Hatchet are known
for.
Molly Hatchet - Live at the Agora Ballroom Atlanta, Georgia April 20, 1979 (Phoenix Gems) 2000
1.
"Bounty Hunter" (3:28)
2. "Let the Good Times Roll" (4:07)
3. "Gator Country" (6:43)
4. "The Creeper" (3:57)
5. "T for Texas" (9:24)
6. "Big Apple" (3:08
7. "Dreams (I'll Never See)" (7:42)
8. "Trust Your Old Friend" (4:07)
9. "Harp Jam" (12:17)
10. "One Man's Pleasure" (3:22)
11. "Crossroads" (5:01)
12. "Boogie No More" (7:49)
I flipped when I found
this little gem. Live Hatchet from 1979, this had to be good, and good it was.
The production is a little thin in places, but not exactly low quality bootleg
crap either. At times some of the guitar solos are hard to hear and at others
Danny Joe Brown's vocals are hard to hear, but overall everything is pretty
listenable. There are three unreleased songs on this disc, a Jimmie Rodgers
cover ("T for Texas"), a Robert Johnson cover ("Crossroads"),
both of which Lynyrd Skynyrd also covered, and an original jam titled "Harp Jam." "Crossroads"
is the same song made famous by Eric Clapton. "Harp Jam" is a harmonica,
guitar jam in which Danny Joe Brown introduces each of the other five Hatchet
members allowing for solos by each. A nice live disc that I bet disappears almost
as fast as it was released. |

Steve Holland |
Molly Hatchet - Kingdom of XII (CMC International) 2001
1. "Heart Of
The U.S.A." (4:01)
2. "Cornbread Mafia" (3:27)
3. "One Last Ride" (7:46)
4. "Why Won't You Take Me Home" (3:21)
5. "Turn My Back On Yesterday" (5:04)
6. "Gypsy Trail" (3:47)
7. "White Lightning" (3:50)
8. "Tumbling Dice" (3:13)
9. "Angel In Dixie" (4:08)
10. "Kickstart To Freedom" (4:36)
11. "Dreams Of Life" (7:12)
12. "Edge Of Sundown" [acoustic version] (7:10)
Molly Hatchet is
an all American, southern rock 'n roll band, so why the heck was this
thing released almost 5 months earlier in Europe than in the good 'ol
U.S. of A.? I went to a CD show in April and was REAL tempted to buy one
of these European copies for $25. I managed to restrain myself and wait
until the June 5th release. So was it worth the wait? I can honestly say
YES! No doubt, Bobby Ingram still can write a heavy boogie rock 'n roll
song with plenty of hook. Best of all, he mixes things up quite a bit,
giving us some nice slow ballads as well as the more full throttle numbers.
Several of these tracks ("One Last Ride," "Dreams Of Life")
have those extended jams that make this style for me. Also, in similar
pattern to the last two albums, the band finishes off with an acoustic
cover of one of their own songs. This particular number was actually co-written
by Ingram with Danny Joe Brown, for Brown's solo disc, Danny
Joe Brown & the Danny Joe Brown Band. In the week I have had
this disc, not a day has gone by that it hasn't been in my CD player.
Overall, another outstanding release from Florida's champions of southern
rock. |

Bobby Ingram

Bobby Ingram
& Phil McCormick
|
Molly Hatchet-Extended Versions (BMG) 2002
Recorded live at the Hollywood Palladium, in California,
December 5, 1981.
1.
"Beatin' the Odds" (3:28)
2. "Flirtin' With Disaster" (5:41)
3. "Gator Country" (6:23)
4. "Bounty Hunter" (2:51)
5. "Dreams I'll Never See" (7:01)
6. "Dead Giveaway" (3:24)
7. "Lady Luck" (3:45)
8. "It's All Over Now" (3:40)
9. "One Man's Pleasure" (3:31)
10. "Let the Good Times Roll" (3:45) |
|
I have avoided these Extended
Version discs like the plague. For the most part they are just cheap reissues
of songs that are already out.(For examples, see the review of Lynyrd
Skynyrd's Extended Versions or Thin
Lizzy's Extended Versions.) However, when I saw this disc for some reason
I picked it up just to scan the track listing. The first thing that stuck me
was that Jimmy Farrar was shown on the cover. Then I noticed that "Dead
Giveaway" was included. "Hmmm...How curious." I thought to myself,
"The only time they ever performed that song live was on the "No Guts
No Glory Tour" with Jimmy on vocals." Could it be that this is a live
album from that tour with Jimmy actually behind the mic? Sure enough, it is!
This is a rare gem, Molly Hatchet recorded live from 1981. I actually saw Hatchet
on this tour twice in Jackson, NJ. Unfortunately the packaging is rather cheap
and the only information given is that the disc was "Recorded Live".
That's it, no more. However, with a bit of investigation I found out that this
show was actually recorded December 5th 1981. It was a "Toys for Rock" free
concert. To get into the show, people just had to bring a toy to be used as
a Christmas present for a underprivileged child. The performance of these ten
tracks is excellent and the material stellar. It's cool to finally get some
live Hatchet with Jimmy. The sound quality on this disc is quite good as well.
However, the songs are totally in the wrong order that they were played and
and the between-song banter has been cut. Plus the following songs are missing:"Few
& far Between." "Good Rockin'," "All Mine," "Dead & Gone," "Loss Of Control,"
"Long Tall Sally/Drum Solo" and "Bloody Reunion". However, this is still a fine
live album. I only wish it would have been complete.
Molly Hatchet - Greatest Hits Live (King Biscuit) 2003
1. "Beatin' the Odds"
(3:29)
2. "Let The Good Times Roll" (3:45)
3. "It's All Over Now" (3:40)
4. "Lady Luck" (3:45)
5. "One Man's Pleasure" (3:31)
6. "Dead Give Away" (3:33)
7. "Gator Country" (6:25)
8. "Dreams I'll Never See" (7:00)
9. "Flirtin' With Disaster" (5:44)
10. "Bounty Hunter" (2:52)
11. "Bloody Reunion" (4:07)
12. "Boogie No More" (8:33)
I love these King Biscuit
discs. They are always raw, live and usually capture bands in their prime. In
this case, Molly Hatchet recorded live in Los Angeles, CA on February 12, 1982
in front of a roaring crowd at the Palladium in Los Angeles. This was a vintage
time for the band featuring Jimmy Farrar on vocals, shortly before the return
of veteran vocalist Danny Joe Brown. Having seen this tour in Jackson, New Jersey
I was overjoyed to have this show on disc, especially since it includes two
more songs left off the previously released "Extended Versions" disc. "Greatest
Hits Live" also restores the in-between song banter and I believe restores the
song order aw well. At one point during the show Jimmy Farrar can be heard asking
the crowd to back up as the people in the front were being crushed. Ha! Been
there! Done that! Making a crowd like that move back is next to impossible.
The Tower of Power horn section is brought in for this show to play during "Lady
Luck". Sweet! Lots of spiced up classics here including "Bloody Reunion", "Beatin'
the Odds", "One Man's Pleasure", etc. I am not exactly sure what the deal is
with the discrepancy in dates. Some sources say these tracks were recorded on
December 5, 1981, while others say the February 1982 date. I would love to know
which one is actually correct. |
Dave Hlubeck |
Molly Hatchet - Locked and Loaded (SPV) 2003
DISC ONE
1. "O' Fortuna/The Seige of Camylarde" (1:49)
2. "Whiskey Man" (3:42)
3. "Heart of the USA" (3:55)
4. "Gator Country" (7:08)
5. "Tatanka" (4:58)
6. "Down from the Mountain" (4:31)
7. "Beatin the Odds" (3:35)
8. "Mississippi Moon Dog" (3:57)
9. "Miss Saturday Night" (4:22)
10. "Edge of Sundown" (6:58)
11. "Dreams I'll Never See" (10:53)
DISC TWO
12. "Bounty Hunter" (3:31)
13. "Dead and Gone (The Redneck Song)" (3:32)
14. "White Lightning" (3:56)
15. "Fall of the Peacemakers" (5:06)
16. "Saddle Tramp" (9:07)
17. "Gypsy Trail" (4:05)
18. "Tumbling Dice" (3:23)
19. "Why Won't You Take Me Home" (3:48)
20. "The Journey" (7:32)
21. "Devil's Canyon" (6:14)
22. "Flirtin' With Disaster" (6:22) |


Bobby Ingram &
Phil McCormick autographs
|
Bobby Ingrim's Molly Hatchet
live in Germany! Germany? Yup, Southern Rock is alive and well in Germany. It's
a shame that good American hard rock like this is more popular outside of American,
than it is in it's own home. In anycase, "Locked and Loaded" is an spectacular
showcase of one of Southern Rock's longest running bands and features a good
variety of material from both the early and later years of the band. Of course
having been a fan since their first record some decades ago, there are some
songs I wish they would have included, like "Lady Luck" and "Bloody Reunion".
Overall, however, there is a good variety of songs on this disc. The inclusion
of "Edge of Sundown" was a nice addition. "Edge of Sundown" was written when
current members John Galvin and Bobby Ingram were in Danny
Joe Brown's solo band during Danny's hiatus from Hatchet during their glory
days in the 80's. However, a tribute disc this is not, and newbies like "Down
from the Mountain", "Beatin the Odds", "Mississippi Moon Dog", "Miss Saturday
Night" "Why Won't You Take Me Home" and especially "The Journey" are all up
to par with the band's classic 70's and 80's material. I also think the band
did a spectacular job of spicing up some of the songs for the stage. For instance,
the piano and guitar introduction to "Dreams I'll Never See" is quite breathtaking.
I can imagine this would have been even more spectacular had I been in the Bremen,
Germany.
I had this CD autographed
by guitarist Bobby Ingram, drummer Shawn Beamer, and singer Phil McCormick when my brother won backstage
passes for a Molly Hatchet 25th Anniversary show. Very cool.
Molly Hatchet - 25th Anniversary: Best of Re-Recorded (SPV) 2004
1.
"Flirtin' With Disaster" (5:08)
2. "Bounty Hunter" (3:05)
3. "Gator Country" (6:20)
4. "Whiskey Man" (3:43)
5. "Fall of the Peacemakers" (7:59)
6. "Satisfied Man" (4:40)
7. "Beatin' the Odds" (3:19)
8. "One Man's Pleasure" (3:33)
9. "Big Apple" (3:06)
10. "The Creeper" (3:28)
11. "Jukin' City" (2:59)
12. "Goodbye to Love" (5:23)
13. "Bloody Reunion" (4:01)
14. "25th Anniversary Song" (:30)
15. "Epitaph/Memories/The Great Beyond" (4:09)
16. "Dreams I'll Never See" (7:28)
17. "Boogie No More" (6:43) |
Molly Hatchet 2004 |
This album contains the
25th Anniversary, 2004 re-recordings of Molly Hatchet's biggest hits and best
tracks from each of their albums, from their self-titled debut through "Lightning
Strikes Twice". The freshly recorded tracks were all done by the current incarnation
of Hatchet, led by guitarist and producer Bobby Ingram. The band offers up slight
reinterpretations of the classics, although for the most part the band doesn't
stray to far from the originals. What makes this so unique is that there are
no original members in this Hatchet lineup, and singer Phil McCormack, hand
picked by Ingram and original vocalist Danny Joe Brown sounds so much like Brown.
However, with young, fresh blood in the band, these classics have a new bite
to them. This is especially true of the songs off the bands 1978 debut, as the
guitar tones are just so much meatier. The big, roaring guitars that sound like
chainsaws rumbling throug the Florida swamplands and the thundering drums shake
the foundations. One of the most noticable changes to the song structures is
the addition of "Dixie" to the end of "Gator Country." Also, the new instrumental
opening to "Dreams I'll Never See" really adds something to the song. To be
honest, as with any compilation from a band with a catalogue as big as Hatchet's,
there are some songs I would have liked to have seen included that were not
and a couple that I could do without ("Goodbye to Love"). I would have loved
to have heard a new, rockin' rendition of "Lady Luck" and perhaps "Whats It
Gonna Take". However, as it stands, this CD rocks! I can't see any Hatchet fan,
or Southern rock fan, not enjoying this rocker!
Molly Hatchet - Rock 'n' Roll Fire (Westcoast Music) 2004
Recorded Live in USA, 1984
1. Bounty Hunter (3:13)
2. It‘s All Over Now (3:59)
3. Gator Country (7:28)
4. Satisfied Man (5:41)
5. Heartbreak Radio (4:18)
6. She Does She Does (5:52)
7. Rockin ‘Roll - Fire (4:53)
8. Straight Shooter (4:42)
9. Crossroads (4:01)
10 Fall Of Peacemakers (9:35)
11. Beatin‘ The Odds (3:23)
12. Flirtin‘ With Disasters (5:30)
Recorded Live in Florida, USA, December 31, 1980
13. Intro (0:19)
14. Bounty Hunter (2:47)
15. Let The Good Times Roll (4:01)
16. Dead And Gone (4:08)
17. Few And Far Between (3:12)
"Rock 'n' Roll Fire" is an unofficial (bootleg) release from Molly Hatchet and features a full show from 1984, as well as some additional cuts from 1980. In true bootleg fashion, there is nothing accurate about this release. The photos are taken from the 70's-era of the band, which is slightly more accurate than the liner notes which list the band members as the Phil McCormick/Bobby Ingram version of the bands from the early 2000's. The actual line-up for this tour was Bruce Crump (drums), Dave Hlubek (guitars), Duane Roland (guitars), Riff West (bass), Danny Joe Brown (vocals) and John Galvin (drums). As well, the track listing has "Bounty Hunter" being listed as "Running". So, the packaging, despite an awesome cover design, leaves a bit to be desired.
The music on here is outstanding capturing the band on tour with original singer Danny Joe Brown. The band were touring to support "The Deed Is Done", which was the band's attempt to crossover into pop rock, much like .38 Special. The songs from this album sound much better in this live setting than they did on the studio album. The band recorded an official live album on this tour as well, but many of these songs such as "She Does She Does", "Rockin' Roll - Fire", "Heartbreak Radio", "Straight Shooter" and "Crossroads" were not on that album. The overall sound is superb, so this was either a radio broadcast or perhaps some of the recordings the band were doing for "Double Trouble Live".
The final four songs were recorded in 1980 with Jimmy Farrar on vocals on the "Beatin' the Odds" tour. Ot features three songs that were never officially released on a live album in "Dead and Gone" and "Far and Few Between". These tracks are a nice addition tacked onto the end as bonus tracks. However, I'd also love to hear the whole show.
Despite the complaints about the packaging, this is an outstanding bootleg release.
Molly Hatchet - Warriors of the Rainbow Bridge (SPV) 2005
1. "Son of the
South" (4:44)
2. "Moonlight Dancin' on the Bayou" (5:08)
3. "I'm Ready for You" (4:24)
4. "Roadhouse Boogie" (3:58)
5. "Time Keeps Slipping Away" (3:18)
6. "Get in the Game" (5:32)
7. "Flames Are Burning" (6:43)
8. "Hell Has No Fury" (4:32)
9. "Gone in Sixty Seconds" (3:37)
10. "Behind the Bedroom Door" (6:10)
11. "No Stranger to the Darkness" (4:22)
12. "Rainbow Bridge" (6:18)
Released on the heels
of the deaths of original vocalist Danny Joe Brown, as well as Bobby Ingram's
wife Stephanie and legendary Southern rock drummer Jakson "Thundefoot"
Spires, I was expecting a rather somber and sorrowful release. However,
"Warriors of the Rainbow Bridge" is surprisingly upbeat and hard rocking.
That is not to say that this disc doesn't have some melancholy moments.
"Rainbow Bride" is a song about and dedicated to Ingram's wife. From what
I can tell, the rainbow bridge is suppose to be the bridge between this
world and the next. I would also swear that "Moonlight Dancin' on the
Bayou" is a slight nod to fallen heavy metal hero Dimebag Darrell (Pantera)
as well, especially in the guitar solo. For the most part, however, Hatchet
continue to raise a loud and proud banner for Southern Rock. Songs like
"Son of the South" and "Roadhouse Boogie" are exactly what you would expect
from the bastard sons of Southern Rock. These twelve songs all rock moderatly
hard and are full of those ragin' guitar jams. Of course Phil McCormack's
testosterone injected vocals are still ever present and give the band
their unique sound, even with the Skynyrd influenced female background
singers. One thing worth mentioning is that original Hatchet guitarist
Dave Hlubeck is once again listed as a member, although he has no writing
credits, nor is his photo pictured anywhere on the booklet. It will be
interesting to see if he tours with the band or not; we can only hope. |

Far right: founding
member Dave Hlubeck (guitars)

Bobby Ingram
live in Albuquerque, 2008.
photo by Scott Waters
|
Molly Hatchet – Live in Hamburg (SPV) 2006
DISC ONE (DVD)
1. “Intro” (1:21)
2. “Whiskey Man” (3:45)
3. “Bounty Hunter” (4:02)
4. “Gator Country” (7:30)
5. “Moonlight Dancin` on a Bayou” (5:08)
6. “Fall Of The Peacemakers” (5:16)
7. “Devil´s Canyon” (6:06)
8. “Drum Solo” (3:47)
9. “Beatin´ The Odds” (4:03)
10. “Son Of The South” (4:57)
11. “The Creeper” (4:55)
12. “The Rainbow Bridge” (5:13)
13. “Keyboard Solo” (2:24)
14. “Instrumental Jam” (2:45)
15. “Guitar Solo” (5:54)
16. “Dreams I`ll Never See” (8:02)
17. “The Journey” (9:24)
18. “Gone In 60 Seconds” (3:43)
19. “Jukin´ City” (1:39)
20. “Flirtin´ With Disaster” (6:41)
DVD BONUS MATERIAL
- Behind The Scenes
- Bobby Ingram Interview
- Picture Gallery
- Biography
- Select SPV Discography |
DISC TWO (CD)
1. “Intro” (1:21)
2. “Whiskey Man” (3:45)
3. “Bounty Hunter” (4:02)
4. “Gator Country” (7:30)
5. “Moonlight Dancin` on a Bayou” (5:08)
6. “Fall Of The Peacemakers” (5:16)
7. “Devil´s Canyon” (6:06)
8. “Drum Solo” (3:47)
9. “Beatin´ The Odds” (4:03)
10. “Son Of The South” (4:57)
11. “The Creeper” (4:55)
12. “The Rainbow Bridge” (5:13)
13. “Keyboard Solo” (2:24)
14. “Instrumental Jam” (2:45)
15. “Guitar Solo” (5:54)
16. “Dreams I`ll Never See” (8:02) |
“Live in Hamburg” came out only a year before, “Flirtin’ with Disaster-Live” and only a few years after the double live CD, “Locked and Loaded”. It seems to be a trend lately for many of the great bands of the 70’s and 80’s to release multiple live albums with only one or two studio releases between those studio releases. In many cases, I find this to be annoying as most fans cannot afford to keep up with it all and in most cases, the track listings aren’t all that different. In the case of Molly Hatchet, I really don’t hold that opinion as I think Molly Hatchet are a great live band. Frankly, I think that this CD is better than the “Flirtin’ with Disaster-Live” due to song selection and due to the better crowd response.
Recorded live in Germany at the Hamburg Harley Days on July 24, 2004, “Live in Hamburg” offers a full DVD of the concert and an abbreviated CD. I’m thankful that the CD was included as I tend to listen to CDs far more than I have time to watch DVD concerts. Unfortunately the CD deletes “The Journey”. I really wish that one of the older songs had been left off in favor of this song as it’s one of the best songs by the current incarnation of Molly Hatchet. The show itself is excellent. The band sounds great. Lead guitarist and Molly Hatchet mainstay Bobby Ingram is all smiles for the entire show. You can really tell the man just loves being on stage and performing. The band has an infectious attitude on stage and captivates the audience. Here the audience is very much into the performance adding to the overall energy captured on the disc. From the drum solo, to the guitar solo, to the in-between song banter, to each and every song performed, this is Southern Rock at it’s finest. The DVD offers various camera angles including a big crane camera over the crowd. The concert was recorded in Dolby Digital 2.0 and Dolby Digtal 5.1.
The DVD also includes a lengthy interview with Bobby Ingram, a photo gallery and a video montage of behind the scenes footage from the Hamburg Harley Days festival. The discography included is sort of worthless since it only includes albums released on the SPV label. None of the bands Epic releases are included.
Molly Hatchet - Flirtin' With Disaster-Live (Deadline) 2007
DISC ONE
1. "Whiskey Man" (3:40)
2. "Bounty Hunter" (3:14)
3. Medley: "Gator Country/Dixie" (8:01)
4. "Son Of the South" (5:28)
5. "Fall Of the Peacemakers" (4:41)
6. "Devil's Canyon" (5:50)
7. "Get In the Game" (5:01)
8. "Drum Solo" (5:05)
9. "Beatin' the Odds" (3:38)
10. "Moonlight Dancing On the Bayou" (5:04)
11. "Rainbow Bridge" (4:05)
12. Medley: "Layla/Guitar Solo" (10:10)
13. "Dreams I'll Never See" (7:49)
14. "Flirtin With Disaster" (5:51)
DISC TWO
1. "Whiskey Man"
2. "Bounty Hunter"
3. Medley: "Gator Country/Dixie"
4. "Son Of the South"
5. "Fall Of the Peacemakers"
6. "Devil's Canyon"
7. "Get In the Game"
8. "Drum Solo"
9. "Beatin' the Odds"
10. "Moonlight Dancing On the Bayou"
11. "Rainbow Bridge"
12. Medley: "Layla/Guitar Solo"
13. "Dreams I'll Never See"
14. "Flirtin With Disaster" |

Bobby
Ingram & Dave Hlubeck live in Albuquerque, 2008.
(Phil McCormick in the background)
photo by Scott Waters

Dave Hlubeck
& myself in Albuquerque, 2008.
|
Recorded live in Prestonburg,
KY and featuring a good variety of songs from the old and the new Molly Hatchet
catalog. This live album features the return of Hatchet founder Dave Hlubeck
on guitar, along with longtime members Bobby Ingram (guitars), Phil McCormack
(vocals), John Galvin (keys) and Shawn Beamer (drums). The sound quality of
the CD is outstanding. I have a feeling the crowd noise has been enhanced, but
this is of little difference. I really enjoyed the live version of "Rainbow
Bridge", a song dedicated to Bobby Ingram's wife Stephanie who passed away only
a couple short years ago. The instrumental version of "Layla" was a nice addition
as well. Unfortunately there aren't a whole lot of tracks featured that weren't
already featured on the 2003 release, "Locked and Loaded".
This two disc collection
is split up into the audio CD and the video DVD. Honestly, while I enjoy watching
live concerts on DVD from time to time, I am much more concerned with the CD
portion of this release. I spend a lot of time listening to music and can do
so while doing other things. With a DVD, you have to devote yourself to nothing
but that, and frankly I just don't have that kind of time. However, I did view
the DVD once before reviewing this and it was quite enjoyable to watch. Molly
Hatchet aren't nearly as energetic on stage as they use to be, but they are
still fun to watch. Seeing the audience and hearing the reaction tends to reinforce
my opinion that the audience noise was added or enhanced on the CD. Guitarist
and Molly Hatchet mainstay Bobby Ingram looks great! The man lost a lot of weight
years ago and has continued to keep the weight off. Dave Hlubeck has gained
quite a bit of weight since Hatchet's heyday in the 80's, but he still plays
as well as he ever has. Shawn Beamer is just a lot of fun to watch. I've seen
the second incarnation of Molly Hatchet in concert myself and Beamer is quite
the showman. One top of the complete concert there is also some bonus features
including a biography, discography and photo section.
Molly Hatchet - Southern Rock Masters (Dead Line) 2008
1. "Sharp Dressed
Man" (4:46)
2. "The Boys Are Back in Town " (4:58)
3. "Desperado" (3:52)
4. "Bad to the Bone" (4:01)
5. "Dreams I'll Never See" (7:51)
6. "Melissa" (4:43)
7. "Mississippi Queen" (2:38)
8. "Tequila Sunrise" (3:00)
9. "Tumbling Dice" (3:07)
10. "Wild Horses " (5:37)
BONUS LIVE TRACKS
11. "Whiskey Man" (3:43)
12. "Beatin' the Odds" (3:32)
13. "Flirtin' with Disaster" (5:52) |
Dave Hlubeck
|
Anyone reading this review
probably can gather that I am about as big of a Molly Hatchet fan as they come.
As such, it was a no brainer that I run out and picked up this album of covers.
Hatchet has always done a great job with covers. Their cover of "Dreams
I'll Never See" from their first album is a classic. They've been doing
"Mississippi Queen" live for decades. With "Southern Rock Masters"
Hlubek, McCormick and Ingram revisit some of their favorite classic rock songs.
However, as with any album of this nature there are some songs that are better
than others.
I've never been a big fan
of the Eagles, but any classic rock fan worth his vinyl collection is
familiar with "Deperado". Hatchet does a commendable job here with
Phil McCormick giving an exceptional vocal performance. He also does a phenomenal
job on the Stones "Wild
Horses" and the Allman Brothers "Melissa". I am a huge Thin
Lizzy fan, so one of my favorite bands doing a cover of one of my other
favorite bands is awesome. Oddly enough I felt that Hatchet's cover of "The
Boys Are Back In Town" was decent, but not one of the better tracks on
the album. Unlike a song like "Dreams I'll Never See" in which Molly
Hatchet just owns, with "The Boys Are Back in Town" they seem to be
trying too hard to stay faithful to the original recording and don't give it
a full blown Molly Hatchet treatment. I felt the same way about "Bad to
the Bone", although I actually did enjoy this song quite a bit. The addition
of horns was a good idea. The biggest disappointment was "Mississippi Queen".
Perhaps I am just use to hearing the cover they did with Ted
Nugent on Volunteer Jam VII, but this version seems a little weak in comparison.
I also think think this song doesn't feature the strongest vocal performance
on the album. "Tumbling Dice" on the other hand is a killer cover,
although one that had already been done on their 2001 release "Kingdom
of XII".
With the title being "Southern
Rock Masters" I had hoped that Hatchet would cover some other Southern
bands like The Outlaws, Blackfoot or Charlie Daniels Band, especially since Hatchet has worked with Charlie
Daniels in the not so distant past. It's a bit disappointing that two Rolling
Stones tracks were included and nothing from Lynyrd
Skynyrd.
The last three tracks are
live versions of Molly Hatchet classics, all taken from the band's recent live
album "Flirtin' With Disaster-Live". I suppose these were added on
to help promote that album. I certainly don't mind having them tacked on at
the end, but they are somewhat unnecessary for the Hatchet fan that already
owns that live album. The CD also came with a small button featuring the cover
art from "Flirtin' With Disaster-Live", giving further promotion for
that live album.
Molly Hatchet - Justice (SPV) 2010
1. Been To Heaven - Been To Hell (4:35)
2. Safe In My Skin (4:34)
3. Deep Water (5:39)
4. American Pride (3:58)
5. Gonna Live 'til I Die (8:32)
6. Fly On Wings of Angels (Somer's Song) (8:07)
7. As Heaven is Forever (4:45)
8. Tomorrows and Forevers (5:34)
9. Vengeance (6:25)
10. In the Darkness of the Light (5:06)
11. Justice (8:38)
I admit up front that I'm a bit of a Molly Hatchet fanatic. I have purchased each and every one of their new albums as soon as they were released since the day I discovered them back in the early 80's. I've found something to like about just about every one of their albums, even though I readily admit that some of the band's late 80's albums weren't nearly as strong as their early catalog. When the band picked things up in the 1990's with Danny Joe Brown and Bobby Ingram at the helm, I was just as excited as I was about the original band. After Danny's untimely exit from the band in 1996, and vocalist Phil McCormack was brought in as his replacement, many felt that Hatchet should call it a day. After all, there were no original members left in the band by this time. However, with the release of Devil's Canyon, Ingram proved that Molly Hatchet still had plenty to offer fans of Southern Rock. Fans who were open to the new line-up found that Molly Hatchet were keeping the music and Southern rock spirit alive. Several more studio albums didn't disappoint with each forging ahead with new ideas, while still keeping that Hatchet vibe. Fortunately, founding guitarist Dave Hlubek did rejoin the band in 2005 after a near twenty year absence. It was with this news that I was even more excited, as Hlubeck had penned some of Hatchet's best material.
"Justice" is the first studio album of all original material since Hlubeck has been in the fold. Unfortunately he doesn't have even one writing credit on the album. This was a little disappointing to me going into this album as I had really hoped for a collaboration from Ingram and Hlubeck. Once I popped the CD in and spun it a few times, the initial disappointment disappeared. "Justice" continues the proud Molly Hatchet tradition and offers a bit of diversity as well. "American Pride" seems to really sum up the sound and attitude of the band, both past and present. This is Southern Rock! As well, the opening "Been To Heaven, Been To Hell," will grab you by the jugular and shake you to your very soul. "Vengeance" is one of the heaviest tracks on the album and features some screaming guitar work. "The Darkness of the Light" is a melodic hard rocker and features more stunning guitar solo work. Best of all, though, are two epic songs. "Gonna Live 'Til I Die" and the title track both clock in at over eight minutes, and are absolutely stunning. The dual leads in the title track should please even the most skeptical fan. I can't wait to see McCormack and Hlubeck belt out this song together on stage.
The centre piece of the album is "Fly On Wings Of Angels (Somer's Song)," the closest Molly Hatchet come to a power ballad. This song will be released as a single, with all proceeds going to the Somer Thompson Foundation, which was set up in memory of a seven year old girl who was found murdered in October 2009. It's a non-profit foundation set up to help victims' families of child abduction resulting in death and brings education and financial aid during that critical time.
This is quality rock and roll! Though some will never accept this line-up of Molly Hatchet as genuine. They are missing out. No, Molly Hatchet 2010 isn't the same band as Molly Hatchet 1978. What band that has been around for forty years can claim to be the same? Regardless of the naysayers, Molly Hatchet 2010 are upholding a proud legacy. Though the days of Southern rock ruling the world are long gone, "Justice" will surely not allow it to be forgotten.
Molly Hatchet - Greatest Hits II (SPV/Steamhammer) 2011
DISC ONE
1. Son Of The South (4:43)
2. Heart Of The USA (4:01)
3. Tatanka (5:01)
4. Fall Of The Peacemakers [acoustic] (6:56)
5. American Pride (4:02)
6. Devil's Canyon (6:16)
7. World Of Trouble (5:33)
8. Down From The Mountain (4:38)
9. I'm Gonna Live 'til I Die (8:27)
10. Safe In My Skin (4:33)
11. Rainbow Bridge (6:18)
12. Cornbread Mafia (3:28)
13. Mississippi Moondog (3:46)
14. The Journey (7:21) |
DISC TWO
1. Bounty Hunter [live] (3:31)
2. Gator County [live] (7:08)
3. Edge of Sundown [live] (6:58)
4. Whiskey Man [live] (3:45)
5. Beatin`The Odds [live] (3:35)
6. Dreams I'll Never See [live] (8:02)
7. The Creeper [live] (4:55)
8. Flirtin`With Disaster [live] (6:22)
9. Sacred Ground (07:07) |
Molly Hatchet are the die-hard Southern rockers from Florida. Going on four decades as a band now and they still keep cranking out quality, hard rock, Southern style. "Greatest Hits II" is a collection of songs from the later Bobby Ingram/Phil McCormack years, circa 1996 to present. In that time the band released five new studio albums, a tribute album, a collection of re-recorded classics, a double live CD and two live DVDs. Molly Hatchet have been busy over the past decade. This collection of songs commemorates all that work and marks the 35th anniversary of this legendary rock band.
Disc one is a compilation of the bands five new studio albums. The album opens with two very strong tracks. "Son of the South" is a Southern Rock anthem for the ages. I saw Hatchet on this tour and shouted along every single time. "Hell Yeah! Son of the South..." Had this song been recorded during the band's heyday in the 70's and 80's it would have been as popular as "Flirtin' with Disaster". "Heart of the USA" is a rip-roaring American anthem to follow it up. "Tatanka" is a heavy song with a chugging riff, but I never thought it was one of the band's strongest songs. In all, I can't really find much fault in this collection other than the fact that few of my personal favorites were left off. "Saddle Tramp" seems like the most obvious omission. I might also have included "Whilte Lightning", "Why Won't You Take Me Home" and the bands cover of the Rolling Stones "Tumbling Dice", all from "Kingdom of XII". I personally feel these are stronger songs than "Cornbread Mafia" and "Tatanka". However, every fan is going to have their favorites. Glad to see classics like "The Journey", "Devil's Canyon", "I'm Gonna Live 'til I Die" and "Rainbow Bridge" make the cut, despite being lengthy songs.
Disc two is a compilation of live tracks. All the songs are early Molly Hatchet classics, save for "Edge of Sundown", which was a song from Danny Joe Brown's solo album. Of course current Molly Hatchet members Bobby Ingram and pianist John Galvin were also in that band. The remaining seven live tracks are early classics recorded by the current line-up of the band. All these tracks are taken off of "Locked and Loaded" or "Live in Hamburg". Both those albums are solid live albums. I'm not sure why nothing was taken from "Flirtin' With Disaster-Live". Doesn't really matter I suppose. It's almost like a bonus to disc one anyhow. The last track is a previously unreleased studio track titled "Sacred Ground" that is a heavy rocker and features some slide guitar work.
The package includes a 12-page booklet with tons of photos of the band, which includes drummer Sean Beamer, bassist Timmy Lindsey, pianist John Galvin, longtime vocalist Phil McCormack, founding guitarist Dave Hlubek, and guitarist and principle songwriter Bobby Ingram. There is also a short essay by Ingram and a discography, which is limited to the bands SPV recordings. All in all, a nice package and a good way to introduce new fans, or old fans that didn't keep up, to what Molly Hatchet have been doing for the past couple decades.
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