Tracks:

1. The Game [3.25] 1998 studio recording (H)
2. For Annette [3.56] 1998 studio recording
   alternate to Anthology version (G)
3. Child [3.48] (D)
4. Fort Lauderdale [4.51] (B)
5. Blues Vir Louise [5.30] (F)
6. Northern Sky [3.26] originally recorded by Nick Drake (H)
7. Klein Bietjie Reën [4.30] (E)
8. Goeienag Generaal [3.50] (E)
9. Liberty [4.01] (G)
10. Midnite Angels [5.03] (C)
11. Suitcase Vol Winter [4.20] (E)
12. Van Tonder [4.40] (E)
13. Tangerine [2.50] originally recorded by Led Zeppelin (H)
14. Welcome To Azania [4.39] (C)
15. Runaway Train [3.27] originally recorded by Soul Asylum (H)
16. Donkermaan [4.51] (E)
17. Cocaine Blues [2.59] (D)
18. Applause [0.15] (H)

Click on song titles for the lyrics.

Recordings:

Tracks 1 & 2 were recorded at Red Room Studios in October 1998 by Trip (Francois Scheepers & Niel van der Spuy).

Tracks 3, 4, 13 & 17 were recorded live at "Crooked Lum" in Pretoria during the winter of 1998.

Tracks 8, 9, 10 & 14 were recorded at SABC studio 2 during a live broadcast for 5FM.

Tracks 7, 11, 12, 15 & 16 were recorded at the Dorp Street Theatre, Stellenbosch during the winter of 1999.

Tracks 5 & 6 were recorded in Oudtshoorn in April 2000 and were previously released on the Tassenberg All-Stars compilation CD.

Musicians:

• Piet Botha: vocals, guitars, piano, harmonica on all tracks
• Johnathan Martin: vocals, guitars, cello on all tracks
• Tertius du Plessis: bass on most tracks
• Paul van de Waal: drums, percussion on some tracks

Release information:

1st February 2001, Pofadder Records/ Intervention Arts,
INT 011/ POF 001

This album is dedicated to the Frost family, in memory of Frank Frost and specially for Maggie Frost.

ALBUM DISCOGRAPHY

1. Jack Of All Trades – Jack Hammer (1987)
2. The Judas Chapter - Jack Hammer (1990)
3. Ghosts On The Wind - Jack Hammer (1994)
4. Death Of A Gypsy - Jack Hammer (1996)
5. Suitcase Vol Winter – Piet Botha (1997)
6. Jan Skopgraaf – Piet Botha (1999)
7. Anthology - Jack Hammer (2000)
8. Bootleg (live) – Piet Botha & Jack Hammer (2001)

Reviews:

SA Rock Digest
Kurt Shoemaker, July 2001

I don't have an unbiased opinion about this CD, and see no reason to pretend to be objective. Hearing the music of Piet Botha and Jack Hammer, I think, "Here's one of the reasons I got into South African rock." Of course, the "South African" part can be dropped so that the statement reads, "Here's one of the reasons I got into rock."

'Bootleg' is the perfect representative Piet Botha and Jack Hammer CD. It contains live versions of older songs and some songs new to me. Piet Botha displays his strength at rock ballads, his gruff voice gentle and emotive, and it showcases him and Jack Hammer blasting fierce rockers such as 'Welcome to Azania'. We also get Johnathan Martin stepping forward for a sweet acoustic rendition of Led Zeppelin's 'Tangerine'.

On this CD, Jack Hammer is Piet Botha (vocals, guitars), Johnathan Martin (vocals, guitars, cellos), Tertius du Plessis (bass), and Paul de Waal (drums). What a band, talented rockers all.

As much as I do enjoy Piet's, for lack of a better term, rock ballads, his stand-out tunes are the big electric noise rockers. Nevertheless, I always begin this CD with track #1, 'The Game' (one of Bootleg's two studio-recorded songs {originally released in 1999 on the obscure album 'Is' by Trip - ed}).

I prefer loud and fast rock, but have a high tolerance, even an appreciation for, honest, emotive songs such as Piet and Jack Hammer play. Piet's softer and more personal songs are not to be confused with Barry Manilow's smarmy music, no pieces of which stick to Jack Hammer's boot heels even though I think Barry's songs belong underfoot. Piet's slower, softer songs are authentic and intelligent songs.

The live version of 'Welcome to Azania' rocks more powerfully than the studio cut on 'Anthology', which is a wild song there. This song contains the line 'We are not the chosen people'. I expect some listeners are infuriated by this devastating line. Powerful stuff, lyrically and musically, real music for real people, as Piet and Jack Hammer often are (See: 'Gypsy Suite' on the CD Death of a Gypsy).

'Midnight Angels' is a wow song. (As I listen to it, all I can say is "Wow"). Great lyrics, and the rock ideas are well-developed throughout its five minutes. The live versions of 'Fort Lauderdale', 'Liberty', and 'Goeienag Generaal' (another "Wow!"), also come across as more powerful and intense live than the studio takes, and those studio takes don't exactly slouch around, either.

I'm picking up enough Afrikaans to catch the gist of the songs from Piet Botha's solo CDs on this disc ('Donkermaan' and 'Goeienag Generaal'), but, oddly, can't find any Afrikaans speakers to practice the language with here in the Hill Country of Texas... Anyway, many lyrics are online at the comprehensive site, www.pietbotha.com.

If they had let me compile this CD it would be a two disc set. A few songs left off: 'Laat Die Wiele Rol', 'The Fisherman', 'Death of a Gypsy', and 'Street of Love'. Though 'Bootleg' represents Piet Botha and Jack Hammer perfectly, 'Bootleg' also complements Jack Hammer's Anthology CD as if they were a two-CD set. 'Anthology', a collection of studio songs, and 'Bootleg', a live set, work well together in my SA rock collection.

In place of popping into Pretoria from Texas this weekend for a set or three of Jack Hammer, this live set satisfies. And that's my biased opinion.

---

Pretoria.co.za
Bert Badgrass, January 2001

The growing number of Jack Hammer fans will be happy to hear that a new Piet Botha & Jack Hammer CD, entitled Bootleg, is now available.

As the title suggests, it is a live album, recorded at various locations up and down the country between May 1998 and April 2000, except for the two opening tracks, The Game and For Annette.

I love their version of Nick Drake's Northern Sky — which isn't surprising. There are also some original gems, like Blues Vir Louise, Goeienag Generaal and, of course, Suitcase Vol Winter — and I tell you, the blues never sounded so good in Afrikaans.

Led Zeppelin's Tangerine (sung by Johnathan) is also there and is superb, as are Jack Hammer showstoppers like Runaway Train and Cocaine Blues. Jackson says the CD is available at live gigs. Good news is that the lads will be going into the studio towards the end of the year to record a brand new CD.

Keep on hammering away guys; we, your fans, are all jacked up! And thanks hey!