DESCRIPTION:
South African band formed in Pretoria in 1984, but rather than consistently having the same group members, Jack Hammer is more of a roundabout of musicians, a collective that over the years has included American Oscar-winning actor Billy Bob Thornton, McCully Workshop keyboard wizard Rupert Mellor, Kwaito master producer Gabi le Roux, Not My Dog guitarist Lanie van der Walt, prog-rocker Ken E Henson, Blues Broer Simon Orange, saxophonist supremo Mike Faure, and many, many others. The one constant factor in the band has, however, always been the man affectionately known as "The Hammer", Piet Botha (born 18 July 1955, and the son of the former South African Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pik Botha). He started off his career in 1974 with Abner Smith (while at the University of Pretoria), and they used to play at the Keg and Tankard in Pretoria. Following this he formed the band Raven with the members of Tusk (Doc Barendse, Dino Salvatori, and Derek Riley) and later added keyboardist Gabi le Roux. Raven won the 'Beat 79' nationwide competition for new rock groups.

He went on to form the three-piece Catherine Wheel with Karlien van Niekerk and Doc Barendse. At this time violinist Dave Tarr and drummer Colin Pratley (ex-Freedom's Children) were in a duo called Wildebeest, and the two bands amalgamated. When Doc Barendse left, Boet Faber joined as guitarist. In 1981 the classic 'Bushrock 1' live album (recorded at Upstairs in Sunnyside, Pretoria) was released under the name Wildebeest. 'Bushrock 1' was the Rand Daily Mail's 'Album of the Year' in 1981. In 1983 Wildebeest was one of the first bands to mix rock music with Afrikaans lyrics and recorded the (now very rare) 'Horings Op Die Stoep', a 4-track EP which featured 'Bossies', a song about the Border War, which was very much a no-no during those Apartheid times.

In November 1984 Jack Hammer was started with Boet Faber, Jan Maloney and Eric Birckenstock, but during the festive season of that year, the club they were booked at burnt down with all their gear, and Piet Botha subsequently left for the USA. During 1985, Piet Botha lived in Los Angeles, working construction and other immigrant jobs by day, and writing and recording by night. By a stroke of luck he teamed up with a young, aspiring actor, drummer and singer from the south called Billy Bob Thornton. Thornton would do the drumming in the studio as well as vocals and Botha would do the guitars, piano, vocals and harmonica. Twelve years later, Billy Bob Thornton would win the 'Best Actor' Oscar for his part in the film 'Slingblade', and is also well-known for his marriage (now dissolved) to actress Angelina Jolie.

By the end of 1985, Piet Botha had to returned to South Africa, and by 1987 the first Jack Hammer album, 'Jack Of All Trades' (this album), was eventually completed and released in South Africa. From this time onwards the Jack Hammer band would perform all over South Africa with many different line-ups, and a number of further albums have since been released.

This song is off the first Jack Hammer album, "Jack Of All Trades", released in 1987. It was written by Piet Botha. Musicians on the album are:

• Piet Botha: Vocals, guitars, bass, piano, harmonica
• Billy Bob Thornton: Drums, vocals
• Derek Riley: drums
• Paul Barnard: bass
• Paul van Eeden: guitar
• Friedel Knobel: sax