True Grit: The First Five Years

Ever since Hammerlock's formation in the mid-'90s, reviewers have been finding interesting ways to describe the power trio's southern-friend sound. Hammerlock has been called everything from a punk version of Lynyrd Skynyrd to a redneck metal band, and the outfit definitely has a distinctive, fresh-sounding way of fusing alternative metal, southern rock and punk. Bringing a wide variety of influences to the table, Hammerlock could be described as a raucous, forceful, in-your-face blend of Motörhead, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Outlaws and Black Flag-an unlikely combination, but one that works amazingly well, and one that has earned the threesome a small yet extremely loyal and enthusiastic cult following. Hammerlock hasn't been headlining large sports arenas. When they play a small club, though, the hardcore fans who show up tend to be incredibly passionate about being there. Hammerlock was formed in San Francisco in 1995, when the husband-and-wife team of Travis (guitar, vocals) and Liza Kenney (bass, vocals) got the ball rolling. The Kenneys needed a drummer, and the person they ended up hiring was Marco Beltran. From the beginning, Hammerlock went for a redneck image-the Kenneys thrived on redneck stereotypes, and Travis Kenney loved the stereotype of the hell-raisin', shotgun-totin', whiskey-drinkin' outlaw. San Francisco, of course, isn't exactly known for it's surplus of good ol' boys, which may explain why the Kenneys have done well in that city-Hammerlock is so atypical of Bay Area bands, and Northern Californians seemed to love the fact that they dared to be different. But after Hammerlock started to tour and record, they became more than just a local Bay Area attraction; Hammerlock struck a chord with good ol' boys (and girls) all over the United States.