[riptorn]

26

Artist: Molly Hatchet (USA)
Release: BBC In Concert - Reading Festival (1979)
Genre: Hard Rock/Southern Rock
Country: USA
Bitrate: 320 kbps
►►SEE POST BELOW FOR LINK
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Recorded at the Reading Festival 26/08/79
For BBC Radio 1's "In Concert" programme



Danny Joe Brown: Vocals (DANNY JOE BROWN BAND)
Duane Roland: Guitars (GATOR COUNTRY, DIXIE JAM BAND)
Dave Hlubek: Guitars (SOUTHERN ROCK ALLSTARS, DIXIE JAM BAND, GATOR COUNTRY, SKINNY MOLLY)
Steve Holland: Guitars (GATOR COUNTRY, DIXIE JAM BAND)
Banner Thomas: Bass (BIG ENGINE, DIXIE JAM BAND)
Bruce Crump: Drums (GATOR COUNTRY, DIXIE JAM BAND, SMILEK, CHINA SKY)



MOLLY HATCHET is a Southern Rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1975.
The band, founded by guitarists Dave Hlubek and Steve Holland, took its name from a prostitute who mutilated and decapitated her clients.
The band signed with Epic Records in 1977, with LYNYRD SKYNYRD front man Ronnie Van Zant slated to produce their first album, having helped in writing arrangements and directing rehearsals.
Sadly, this never transpired as Van Zant died in a tragic airplane crash.
Molly Hatchet had actually cut their first demos in Lynyrd Skynyrd's 8-track recording studio using their equipment.
Prior to the band's signing with Epic Records, they often toured the Florida roadhouse and bar circuit.
Hlubek has stated that the demise of Lynyrd Skynyrd – who were at the height of their success – opened the door for Molly Hatchet.
Combining Boogie, Blues and Hard Rock, Molly Hatchet's sound was differentiated from more Country-influenced Southern acts such as THE OUTLAWS.
The band recorded and released its first album, "Molly Hatchet" in 1978, followed by "Flirtin' with Disaster" in 1979.
Danny Joe Brown, whose gruff voice and tough persona had defined the act to that point, then left the band in 1980, only to return two years later.
When Brown left the group to form The DANNY JOE BROWN BAND with future Molly Hatchet guitarist Bobby Ingram, he was replaced by vocalist Jimmy Farrar, coming from the cover band Raw Energy out of Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
Along with Farrar came a new approach to the band's sound.
The earlier albums feature more variation in guitar tone and style and exhibit a distinct Southern cultural influence – which changed with the addition of Farrar on vocals.
Farrar's new vocal style, mixed with the new harder-rocking sound saw Molly Hatchet enjoy a rise in popularity in the early 1980s.
With the success of the Harder-Rocking "Beatin' The Odds" release, the band ventured farther away from their original sound.
By 1981, Molly Hatchet had almost completely abandoned their original style of 1978 for a straight-ahead Rock style exhibited on the "Take No Prisoners" release of the same year.
This album received a less-than-warm reception from many of the fans of the original sound and, while the band was still successful on the touring circuit, bass-player Banner Thomas left in late 1981 and was replaced by Riff West, while Farrar left the act in May 1982.
Brown rejoined the band in 1982 and B.B. Borden (ex of MOTHERS FINEST) replaced Crump on drums.
In 1983, a new album was released entitled "No Guts... No Glory".
Steve Holland left in 1984 and the band recruited keyboard player John Galvin.
This period saw the band return to the more overt Southern style it had displayed on its debut record in 1978.
However, with the addition of keyboards into the mix, the band managed to take this sound to an even more orchestrated approach on some songs such as "Fall of the Peacemakers".
Critics hailed "No Guts...No Glory" as a true return to form, but Southern Rock no longer enjoyed the widespread appeal it had previously.
As a result, the record went largely unnoticed, in contrast to the glory years, but did rejuvenate interest from the band's fan base, who had started to drift after the uncharacteristic "Take No Prisoners" album.
In 1984 came the release of a new album "The Deed Is Done" for which Bruce Crump returned to ultimately replace B. B. Bordan on drums.
Then in 1985, the double live album "Double Trouble Live" was released.
The greatest hits collection "Greatest Hits" was also released in 1985 and was the last Molly Hatchet album to achieve gold status.
Hlubek left in early 1987 to recover from his drug addiction.
In 1989, the album "Lightning Strikes Twice" was released, featuring Hlubek's replacement Bobby Ingram.
1990 saw the announcement of Molly Hatchet's final show in Ohio.
By the mid-1990s, a new version of Molly Hatchet began working on a new studio album.
In 1996, after a stroke and a worsening of his chronic diabetes, Brown had to leave the band, who brought in lead singer Phil McCormack to finish the album "Devil's Canyon" in 1996.
During the rest of the 1990's, the band's line-up contained not a single member who had performed in Molly Hatchet prior to 1984.
1998 brought a further album, "Silent Reign of Heroes".
In 2000, the album "Kingdom of XII" was recorded and released in Europe, surfacing in the United States in 2001.
"Locked And Loaded, 25th Anniversary: Best Of Re-Recorded" (2003) and "Warriors Of The Rainbow Bridge" (2005) followed.
In January 2005, Hlubek was invited to rejoin Molly Hatchet. He remains in the band to this day.
Danny Joe Brown sadly died on March 10, 2005. He was 53.
On June 19, 2006, founding guitarist Duane Roland also died at the age of 53.
Former Molly Hatchet members Steve Holland, Bruce Crump, Jimmy Farrar and Riff West still perform together in a group called GATOR COUNTRY.
Original guitarist Duane Roland also played in this group until his death, whereupon he was replaced by ex-LONE STAR, UFO & WAYSTED six-stringer Paul "Tonka" Chapman.
To date, Gator County have released a live album, the imaginatively named "Live", and a single, "Oh Atlanta".



art & txt included

no pw

ctWeaselkin1
---------------------------------------------------------------------
01. Bounty Hunter
02. Let The Good Times Roll
03. Gator Country
04. Big Apple
05. Dreams I'll Never See (Allman Brothers Band cover)
06. Flirtin’ With Disaster

[Boring Oldfart]

Great live recording with good sound, you can really hear how the three guitars, all playing completely different parts, add up together playing forcefully ahead, a bit like a guitar symphony. Above all Danny's powerful voice belching like a randy deer.

[riptorn]

Danny's powerful voice belching like a randy deer.

Great description!

[chrispbacon]

Thin Lizzy played at this event as well? That would be fantastic if it could be unearthed. "Black Rose"-era Thin Lizzy shows are hard to find, particularly with Gary Moore and with great sound quality.

[chrispbacon]

Reuploaded here in 320:
►Hidden Link - same info as above, and with two album art choices.

All credit to the uploader at heavybootz.blogspot.com.

Enjoy!

• 
• 6 likes this

[riptorn]

Thin Lizzy played at this event as well?

The late 70s/early 80s Reading Festivals had some truly amazing bills. The bands listed on the posters as 'special guests' usually went on before the headliners, so you'd have had Motorhead play right before The Police on Friday & Peter Gabriel following The Ramones on Sunday. Mismatched to perfection.

• 
• 1 likes this

[chrispbacon]

I did some digging and it turns out that Thin Lizzy did not play this particular gig. I know that at some point during their tour in 1979 Gary Moore left the band - I'm inclined now to think it was before August, and Thin Lizzy couldn't find a replacement in time for this gig.

The Scorpions took their place, I believe.

• 
• 1 likes this

[riptorn]

I did some digging and it turns out that Thin Lizzy did not play this particular gig. I know that at some point during their tour in 1979 Gary Moore left the band - I'm inclined now to think it was before August, and Thin Lizzy couldn't find a replacement in time for this gig.

The Scorpions took their place, I believe.

Things were quite chaotic for Lizzy in '78 & '79 with Moore's comings & goings. Not sure if the cancelled Reading festival appearance was around the time when Ultravox's Midge Ure filled in for Moore or the spell when John DuCann of Atomic Rooster/Bullet/Hard Stuff briefly filled the role. Alternatively, it may have been while they were breakng in Mark Nauseef of Elf/Ian Gillan Band/Velvet Underground whilst Brian Downey was absent.
As a mere fan it's hard to keep all the to-ing & fro-ing in that era straight, but it must've been crazy time for Lynott & Gorham trying to keep the band going with a revolving cast of bandmates.

[chrispbacon]

I think Du Cann was only with them in 1974 and only for one tour. But he may have joined up with them again in 79 before Midge Ure (and, ultimately, Snowy White). Lizzy certainly was an interesting band, and on this St. Patrick's Day (as I write this), let's pour one out for the lads.