By Sharon Oliver
Contributing Writer
REGION – Victor “Moulty” Moulton, Cape Cod native and legendary drummer for the 1960s garage band the Barbarians, lost his left hand in 1959 when a homemade pipe bomb exploded just when he started playing drums at age 14. However, the loss of an appendage did not make him miss a beat on the skins or in life and inspiring others.
Pirates on the beach
The Barbarians (Moulty, Bruce Benson, Jerry Causi and Ronnie Enos) formed in the artsy enclave of Provincetown in 1964 and were often touted as the American counterpart for The Rolling Stones. Their “pirates on the beach” look consisted of leather sandals, open necked/bloused sleeved shirts, and black jeans. Adding to the allure, the band’s image was capped off with Moulty’s modified hook-shaped prosthetic left hand with a notch in the end of a drumstick allowing him to play the drums. By some accounts, females were really drawn in by not just his drumming skills but his movie-star good looks and his extra-long dark locks of flowing hair.
Before the group disbanded in 1968, they had performed in “The T.A.M.I. Show” concert film and the musical variety show “Shindig.” They also had a hit song in 1965 titled “Are You a Boy or Are You a Girl?.” Moulty received a name check in the lyrics of the Ramones’ song “Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio?” with the line, “Will you remember Jerry Lee, John Lennon, T. Rex and Ol’ Moulty?”
Post-music career
In a Rat Tales interview, Moulty explains why his band did not want to open for other bands and shares stories of the Barbarians’ early beginnings. The pioneering drummer briefly returned to the music scene in the 90s with a new incarnation of the Barbarians that included his two sons. He went on to work for the real estate firm Jack Conway & Company, Inc. and taught karate for a while. Moulton, now 80 years old and living in Abington, also ran his own carpet and upholstery cleaning business for many years. Some of his former karate students took to Facebook to express their thoughts.
Sean Moore wrote:
“He was my karate teacher in Quincy. Knew him well!”
Tim Sheehan added:
“Moulty was also a black belt instructor of Okinawa karate and self-defense.”
Mark Kennedy recalled:
“Moulty was my karate instructor when I was a kid. I had no idea that 10 years before that he’d been a rock star as well. When I finally heard the Barbarians I was in high school in 1981. It kinda blew me away when I realized he was the same guy. He was an influence on me in a couple of different ways. Last I saw of him he was putting on a karate demonstration with Bay State School of Karate during the Quincy Sidewalk Bazaar. Must’ve been in the late 70s or early 80s. I wonder what he’s up to these days.”
Cult following
The Barbarians also had a minor hit titled “Moulty,” which is an autobiographical tale chronicling Moulty’s life overcoming adversity and the loss of his hand. Although it barely made the Billboard charts, the song did gain a cult following.
In a 2015 interview with Garagerocktopia, Moulty states, “I had so many people tell me, ‘I was going to commit suicide, or there were things I never would have done if I hadn’t heard that song. I had a lot of teens react to it. Their problems may not have seemed a big deal to adults, but when you’re a teenager, those problems seem very real.”
He added, “I overcame something. I didn’t want to be a drummer – I wanted to be a great drummer. Learning to play drums with that hook was the hardest thing I ever did. And I thought if I did that, it would inspire others to overcome their own problems.”
Watch Moulty and the Barbarians play “Hey Little Bird” in “The T.A.M.I. Show” concert film:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOWC7lhuKtQ&list=RDOOWC7lhuKtQ&start_radio=1
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