2008 Woodie Awards
Play it by Ear: Hank III
Bianca Hopkins
Issue date: 12/5/05 Section: Culture
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I've never felt so comfortable in the presence of so many Confederate flags.
Seeing Hank Williams III perform live (for the third time) on Nov. 11 was well worth being the only black person in a Kansas bar full of rednecks.
Some people from the northern states use "redneck" as an insult, but it's really a compliment from one farmer and/or southerner to another.
That night the Bottleneck housed an audience varied in both age and scene-Johnny Cash's kids in black, metal-heads, and a person I normally would have checked off as a Hot Topic mall-rocker. Also in attendance was a good amount of aging traditional country fans. All were proud to be rednecks, even those who, by the generally accepted description, weren't. Including myself.
When Shelton Hank Williams braids his incredibly long hair neatly back into a ponytail and covers his numerous tattoos with a western snap-button shirt, he bears a striking resemblance to his grandfather.
The vocal similarity is uncanny-it's almost as if Hank was resurrected, live and in concert. Hank's cowboy boots are held together by duct tape, and he's pledged to always keep them so he never forgets where he came from. Despite having Hank Williams Jr. as a father, he spent most of his childhood with little to no money.
His first set, as always, consists of his own brand of outlaw honky-tonk. Distinctive from other Curb Records artists such as Tim McGraw and LeAnn Rimes, his music has an old-school twang with a new-school swagger. The content is mostly "Whiskey, Weed & Women," also the title of one of his songs.
His acoustic guitar bears a giant "Fuck Curb" sticker. In songwriting and banter, he is quick to protest the Nashville machine.
Hank III smashed the stage with His Damn Band. Joe Buck, mohawked zombie of a David Bowie look-alike, played doghouse bass.
Munash Sami, one of the few other people of color in the venue, was on drums.
Adam McOwen smiled and stomped away on fiddle while Andy Gibson, looking like some manner of Tennessee Willy Wonka, played pedal steel and dobro.
The crowd was packed with rabid fans singing along to every song, even some unreleased cuts that will appear on his long delayed upcoming third album, "Straight to Hell. Both albums were well represented during the performance, along with various covers of songs by Johnny Cash, David Allen Coe, Bruce Springsteen and of course, Hank Williams, Sr.
Hank III's first gig was playing drums for his dad, Hank Jr., on the road briefly. It was a rare period when he actually spent time with his father. He later rebelled against his country roots as a drummer for a number of hardcore bands, most notably the punk-thrash trio Buzzkill.
The $50-a-night, on-the-road punk rock lifestyle suited him until an unexpected child support suit from an ex-girlfriend raised the stakes. Williams decided to return to his country roots and soon signed a contract with Curb Records. He now expresses his regrets.
On his first album with Curb, "Rising Outlaw," his writing shines, despite being a slickly produced effort soaked with Nashville pop. Hank won back some control on his second, "Lovesick, Broke and Driftin'," with a more authentic-roots country sound. He found a fulcrum in the "psychobilly" (many fans including myself prefer the term "hellbilly") genre.
Most of the older crowd disappeared as Hank began his hellbilly set. Hank picked up his electric guitar and was joined on stage by vocalist Gary Lindsey. They alternated between screaming, growling and Hank's fantastic singing voice.
The energy was extraordinary. I could hear bassist Joe Buck screaming despite the amps and PA system: "Come on you motherfuckers!" That cued the pit. Joe Buck is a scary man.
They dedicated songs to alcoholics, the drunk and disorderly, and all the country outlaw greats. Frequent intervals between songs were used to rally the fans in obscene chants against Shooter Jennings, son of country legend Waylon Jennings.
Hank III and his band Assjack played the third and final set.
The brutal and frenetically paced hardcore metal is set apart from others by Hank's nasal twang screaming melodies over the top. Both the fiddler and pedal steel player left the stage. Drummer Munash Sami really let loose.
Hank has released two phenomenal country albums with Curb, and another is on the way. "Straight to Hell" to be in stores Feb. 7, 2006.
bhopkins@unews.com
