Nine Pound Hammer

For the traditional song, see Take This Hammer.

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.

History

Nine Pound Hammer first played at The Ross Theater, opening for the Xtian rap group, The Disciples Of Decadence, in nearby Evansville, Indiana, 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.

Releases

Full Length

• The Mud, The Blood, and The Beers - 1988
• Smokin' Taters! - 1992
• Hayseed Timebomb - 1994
• Live At The VERA - 1999
• Kentucky Breakdown - 2004
• Mulebite Deluxe - 2005
• Sex, Drugs and Bill Monroe - 2008
• Country Classics - 2010

Other

• 12 oz. Mouse Theme - 2005
• Carl's Theme - Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters Colon the Soundtrack - 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)

External links

• The Official NINE POUND HAMMER Website