Let the music roll again

Malone ready to revive band after partner's death

Mr. Bennett, Malone, Big John

By Jay Hodgkins

OCEAN CITY—The band's members still haven't quite recovered, they know things will be very different, but they still have a thirst to bring the revelry and good times of Irish folk and rock music just like their recently deceased band family member would have wanted it.

"The change will be noticeable, but my only hope is people at the end say it's not quite the same but it's still a lot of fun."

That's the feeling from Gerry Malone, one half of the namesake for all things Irish from singing to dancing to drinking to playing band Malone and Hutch.

The other half of the band's namesake, Paul "Hutch" Hotchkiss, died at 63 in May, confounding the band's future and more importantly throwing the Connecticut group's members into a bit of shock.

Now, though, Malone said the group has played a couple of club gigs with new full-time members keyboardist "Big John" Hartman and banjo, mandolin and "anything with strings" player Jim Bennett, who have played with the band 20 years and 17 years, respectively. While those relatively sedate club gigs had a couple of tough moments, Malone said they've readied the group to roll back in to the wildness of their classic Ocean City haunt, Shenanigans on 4th St. and the Boardwalk from June 30 through July 4.

"It's not like we're going cold," said Malone. "The key to it is the energy. The Irish feel won't change. There will be a little less country because Hutch was a country boy, but now there will be more rock because Big John is big on rock."

And confident that they can continue the positive and joyous vibes they are so known for creating at Shenanigans, the group will embark on its 25th anniversary playing in Ocean City and 18th year at Shenanigans.

There will be moments, though not necessarily taking the energy away and turning somber, that the band pays tribute to Hutch.

"I think there will be plenty of mention without over doing it," said Malone. "It might be spontaneous and be through a couple of songs. Hutch used to do 'Johnny B. Goode,' and I'm sure that's one where I'll say, 'This one's for the Hutcher who did this song better than anybody.'"

Despite his confidence that the band can continue the energy faithfully, Malone does worry about how tough it might be telling fans new and old about Hutch over and over in Ocean City where the band has been beloved for so many years.

"As far as opening night goes and people who don't know come up and ask 'where's Hutch,' it is going to be difficult," said Malone.

In fact, Hutch was so connected to Ocean City that Malone has spoken with Hutch's daughter and they've discussed spreading some of his ashes in the ocean off Ocean City because he loved it here so much.

Malone said that love affair with the resort area will continue through he, Big John and "Mr. Bennett."

"It's been very wonderful and I can't even describe how happy we were to find Ocean City," Malone said. "There are pretty young ladies who come up to me and I say 'Hello!' and then they tell me that I had them up on stage dancing when they were nine-years-old and I think 'Oh gosh."

"Shenanigans is a great place with great customers who come year after year," he said.

And the Irish bar has always loved Malone and Hutch's banjo and mandolin-laced Irish tunes, which Malone explains always has a certain affect.

"It's a great type of music to get you moving. From college aged kids to the very old, Irish music is designed to make you move," Malone said.

It also doesn't hurt to help you put down a pint or two, said Malone, who mentioned the band's Web site (www.maloneandhutch.com) slogan, "Music for the thirsty."

And the band will likely have a drink to Hutch's honor and many other drinks with friends in Shenanigans while they continue to charm and cast spells on the feet of bar patrons.

"We integrate the music with the audience. We're not playing at people, we're playing with them. If we have fun we hope it becomes infectious," said Malone. "It's mellowed over time, but we hope it hasn't mellowed too much because we're drinking along with everyone."

According to Malone, just how Hutch would have wanted it.

Originally published in The Maryland Beachcomber, July 1, 2005.
Used by permission of the author.
Photo by Bertie Black.