Nine Pound Hammer
Encyclopedia
Nine Pound Hammer is an American cowpunk
band
formed in 1985 by vocalist Scott Luallen and guitarist Blaine Cartwright (later of Nashville Pussy
) in their hometown of Owensboro, Kentucky
. Though not recorded until 1988, the band were one of the initial wave of acts to combine the roots sound of country music
with punk rock
, and became a foreruner to subsequent roots-punk artists.
, with drummer Toby Myrig, David Epperson, and bassist Brian (Forrest) Payne, in 1984. David and Brian left, and Bart Altman, thunderstick man from The Disciples Of Decadence, joined on bass. This lineup played locally in Owensboro, Kentucky
and Evansville Indiana, garnering a very loyal following before relocating to Lexington, Kentucky
as the Raw Recruits. The band then changed their name to The Black Sheep and became the house band at Great Scott's Depot. Darren Howard replaced Toby, and the band became Nine Pound Hammer again. The name of the band is taken from the Merle Travis
song Nine Pound Hammer.
Brian Moore (Active Ingredients) and Rob Hulsman (Tarbox Ramblers) joined on bass and drums in 1988, just before recording the band's first LP, The Mud, The Blood, and The Beers.
The band has six full length albums and several EPs
.
In 2005, Nine Pound Hammer was asked to pen a theme song and lyrics for 12 oz. Mouse
, a new Adult Swim
animated series showing on America's Cartoon Network
. Singer Scott Luallen also appears in the series as the voice actor for the character Roostre. More recently, they were featured on Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters Colon the Soundtrack
with the track "Carl's Theme," in which the lyrics play off of the character "Carl" and one of his lines in ATHF.
Cowpunk
Cowpunk or Country punk is a subgenre of punk rock and New Wave that began in the UK and California in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It combines punk rock or New Wave with country music, folk music, and blues in sound, subject matter, attitude, and style...
band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
formed in 1985 by vocalist Scott Luallen and guitarist Blaine Cartwright (later of Nashville Pussy
Nashville Pussy
Nashville Pussy is an American hard rock band from Atlanta, Georgia. Their musical style mixes boogie rock, Southern metal and psychobilly. Much of the band's lyrical themes mostly revolve around sex, drugs, drinking, fighting, and rock 'n' roll...
) in their hometown of Owensboro, Kentucky
Owensboro, Kentucky
Owensboro is the fourth largest city by population in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is the county seat of Daviess County. It is located on U.S. Route 60 about southeast of Evansville, Indiana, and is the principal city of the Owensboro, Kentucky, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's...
. Though not recorded until 1988, the band were one of the initial wave of acts to combine the roots sound of country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
with punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, and became a foreruner to subsequent roots-punk artists.
History
Nine Pound Hammer first played at The Ross Theater, opening for the Xtian rap group, The Disciples Of Decadence, in nearby Evansville, IndianaEvansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...
, with drummer Toby Myrig, David Epperson, and bassist Brian (Forrest) Payne, in 1984. David and Brian left, and Bart Altman, thunderstick man from The Disciples Of Decadence, joined on bass. This lineup played locally in Owensboro, Kentucky
Owensboro, Kentucky
Owensboro is the fourth largest city by population in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is the county seat of Daviess County. It is located on U.S. Route 60 about southeast of Evansville, Indiana, and is the principal city of the Owensboro, Kentucky, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's...
and Evansville Indiana, garnering a very loyal following before relocating to Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
as the Raw Recruits. The band then changed their name to The Black Sheep and became the house band at Great Scott's Depot. Darren Howard replaced Toby, and the band became Nine Pound Hammer again. The name of the band is taken from the Merle Travis
Merle Travis
Merle Robert Travis was an American country and western singer, songwriter, and musician born in Rosewood, Kentucky. His lyrics often discussed the life and exploitation of coal miners. Among his many well-known songs are "Sixteen Tons", "Re-Enlistment Blues" and "Dark as a Dungeon"...
song Nine Pound Hammer.
Brian Moore (Active Ingredients) and Rob Hulsman (Tarbox Ramblers) joined on bass and drums in 1988, just before recording the band's first LP, The Mud, The Blood, and The Beers.
The band has six full length albums and several EPs
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
.
In 2005, Nine Pound Hammer was asked to pen a theme song and lyrics for 12 oz. Mouse
12 oz. Mouse
12 oz. Mouse is an animated television series that aired on the American channel Cartoon Network as part of the Adult Swim late night programming block. The show centers on the antisocial actions of an alcoholic mouse known as "Mouse Fitzgerald", "Fitz," "Butch," or simply "Mouse"...
, a new Adult Swim
Adult Swim
Adult Swim is an adult-oriented Cable network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am ET/PT in the United States, and broadcasts in countries such as Australia and New Zealand...
animated series showing on America's Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
. Singer Scott Luallen also appears in the series as the voice actor for the character Roostre. More recently, they were featured on Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters Colon the Soundtrack
Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters Colon the Soundtrack
Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters Colon the Soundtrack is a soundtrack album for the movie Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters, and was released on April 10, 2007. It features many previously unreleased songs, some recorded for the purpose of this album...
with the track "Carl's Theme," in which the lyrics play off of the character "Carl" and one of his lines in ATHF.
Full Length
- The Mud, The Blood, and The Beers - 1988
- Smokin' Taters!Smokin' Taters!Smokin' Taters! is a 1992 album by Owensboro, Kentucky-based cowpunk band Nine Pound Hammer.-Track listing:# Long Gone Daddy# Cadillac Inn# Everything You Know Is Wrong# Feelin' Kinda Froggy# Don't Get No# Folsom Prison Blues...
- 1992 - Hayseed TimebombHayseed TimebombHayseed Timebomb is a 1994 release by Kentucky-based Cowpunk band Nine Pound Hammer.*Bill Waldron- Drums*Scott Luallen- Vocals*Matt Bartholomy- Bass*Blaine Cartwright- Guitar...
- 1994 - Live At The VERA - 1999
- Kentucky BreakdownKentucky BreakdownKentucky Breakdown is a 2004 album by Owensboro, Kentucky-based cowpunk band Nine Pound Hammer. This album marks the first new material from the band since the album Hayseed Timebomb was released ten years earlier.-Track listing:#Intro – 0:50...
- 2004 - Mulebite Deluxe - 2005
- Sex, Drugs and Bill MonroeSex, Drugs and Bill MonroeSex, Drugs & Bill Monroe is a 2008 album by Kentucky-based cowpunk band Nine Pound Hammer.-Track listing:#I'm Yer Huckelberry #Hookers And Hot Sauce #Black Sheep #Everybody's Drunk #Fightin' Words...
- 2008 - Country Classics - 2010
Other
- 12 oz. Mouse Theme - 2005
- Carl's Theme - Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters Colon the SoundtrackAqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters Colon the SoundtrackAqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters Colon the Soundtrack is a soundtrack album for the movie Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters, and was released on April 10, 2007. It features many previously unreleased songs, some recorded for the purpose of this album...
- 2007
Current line-up
- Scott Luallen (Vocals)
- Blaine Cartwright (Guitar)
- Brian Pulito (Drums)
- Mark Hendricks (Bass)
Former members
- Brian Moore (Bass)
- Rob Hulsman (Drums)
- Matt Bartholomy (Bass)
- Bill Waldron (Drums)
- Earl Crim (Bass)
- Bart Altman (Bass)