Formed by Bryn Carlson (Ladds from Bellevue, Dark Cellars) and the World of Distortion rhythm section (Glen Sherman and Scott Ferguson), the Hackmasters built a following for themselves around Boston for their stripped-down garage sound and marathon shows. While primarily serving as a vehicle for Carlson’s originals, they also took a few cover tunes to task in their live sets.
“Shark Attack,” was released in 1987, and became a crowd fave for the Hackmasters. Inspired by the movie Jaws, Carlson pokes just a bit of fun at the main “character” while the band drives home a riff (that sounds like someone had heard “You’re Gonna Miss Me” once or twice). Live, this song would rev up, occasionally even inspiring crowd participation. While “Shark Attack” lived on for quite some time in Carlson’s subsequent combos, it was turned down as a candidate for a new theme by the San Jose Sharks hockey team. So much for taste… The flip of this single, another Carlson original, is a straight ahead bluesy garage-rocker with a touch of fifties inspiration.