Molly Hatchet

The Early Years

Jacksonville, Florida in the mid-sixties.

While the rest of the world was glorifying the Beatles and surviving the soul expression, there were numerous musicians hanging out and jamming at the Forest Inn on the West side, Greenfields Stables, or the now defunct Comic Book Club. While most lay-people tend to categorize Southern musicians with the Macon, Muscle Shoals, or Miami empires, the spawning ground for at least five top Southern bands was actually in Jacksonville. It's a well known fact that the very first Allman Brothers Band jam took place there in the park in 1969 and, of course, the rest is history. Such locals as King James Version, Magi, 1%, and Sweet Rooster contributed their formidable array of talent to form such bands as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Grinderswitch, and .38 Special. These bands went on to carve their niche in the world of rock 'n roll. Meanwhile back in Jacksonville, an obscure band called MOLLY HATCHET was dipping in that talent pool once more, coming up with what some would call one of the best of the rest, but this unprejudiced observer calls THE BEST. These six guys sat back, observed what their fellow bands were doing and what they weren't, then hit the road for the obligatory Southern road house/club/bar circuit. Okay, MOLLY HATCHET does sound like a strange name for six-tough, extremely macho Southern boys. The explanation for the name comes from the 17th Century Salem where one legendary lady (if one could call her that) named Hatchet Molly would behead her lovers with that hand tool Lizzie Borden made famous. Now the mystery still is what that has to do with these guys but once you listen to the opening bars of "Bounty Hunter" or such cuts as "Gator Country", "Big Apple", etc. you won't even worry about it anymore. To get on with our story, the guys paid their dues and were referred to manager Pat Armstrong by .38 Special, whose career, along with Lynyrd Skynyrd, he has helped guide in their formative stages. Armstrong drilled MOLLY HATCHET until they were ready for the national recording scene. At the end of '77, Epic Records quickly snatched up this group knowing a great band when they hear one. Epic and Armstrong put MOLLY HATCHET together with producer-extraordinaire Tom Werman (Ted Nugent, Cheap Trick, Mother's Finest). Hardly a Southern band producer, you'd say. Well, this ain't Southern country/rock. It is some of the Rockin'est Rock 'n Roll to come out of the South and I ain't just whistlin' Dixie! These boys are Southern and are proud of it, but they cut off their collective teeth on rock 'n roll, not the traditional country/blues! MOLLY HATCHET, a band who lives fast, works hard and plays tough... well put it on and decide for yourself!