Jack Hammer

Jack Hammer

Jack Hammer is a South African blues rock band that is also known as Piet Botha & Jack Hammer. The group starts in November 1984 and has Piet Botha as the constant member across its history. It is based in South Africa and is described as a collective or revolving band rather than a fixed line-up.

Formation and line-up

The band starts with Piet Botha, Boet Faber, Jan Maloney and Eric Birckenstock. Over time, its membership includes a wide range of musicians, among them American actor Billy Bob Thornton, Rupert Mellor of McCully Workshop, producer Gabi le Roux, Not My Dog guitarist Lanie vd Walt, prog-rock musician Kenny Henson, Blues Broers member Simon Orange and saxophonist Mike Faure. The group is presented as more than a band, functioning as a roundabout of players who move in and out of the project.

Style and career

Jack Hammer stays rooted in rock and roll, while the broader tags associated with it include soul, jazz, twist and blues rock. The band survives for decades in the South African music industry and builds a catalogue of original albums. It also performs as a live band with a heavy gigging schedule.

Performances and associations

Some of the group’s notable live appearances include performances alongside Deep Purple, Uriah Heep and ZZ Top on their South African tours. It also performs with Shawn Phillips and Vusi Mahlasela. In 2004, the band marks a 10th anniversary performance at Oppikoppi.

Recordings

The discography includes Diskous Jack Of All Trades, The Judas Chapter, Ghosts On The Wind, Death Of A Gypsy, Anthology, Bootleg, Live at the Nile, The Pilgrim, TuksFM Sessions, Highway 13, Road Works 1984-2009, Handful Of Rain, 13 Towns and 13 Towns, Vol.2 (Live). A release titled Second Chapter appears in 2022.

Related name

There is also a separate use of the name Jack Hammer for an American singer and songwriter, and for Jack Hammer and the Pacers, a pseudonym used by Werly Fairburn. These are distinct from the South African band.