You knew Hank Williams III
was more country than you, but did you know he’s also more punk, more metal,
and more hardcore than you, as well? After a decade battling Nashville megalith
Curb Records over everything from album titles to parental advisory stickers to
concert bootlegs, Curb has finally agreed to release “Assjack,” the self-titled
debut of Hank III’s longtime backing metal band. In true rebel fashion, Hank
wrote, recorded, and produced the entire album himself, in between lobbying to
have his grandfather reinstated to the Grand Ole Opry and playing drums for
Southern punkers Arson Anthem. EasternSurf.com
caught up with this self-professed “crazy fuck from Tennessee” about his normal
childhood, stoner rock, and the cesspool that is Music Row.
ESM: All
right Hank, this current tour is in support of your upcoming death-metal album
with Assjack. Will you be playing your usual trifecta of a country set, a
hellbilly set, and then a punk-metal set?
Hank Williams III: Yeah, that’s what’ll be happening ‘til I’m 50. Nothing’ll be changing.
That’s what makes us different and unique. It’s the best of both worlds, and
it’s a long show, so we play as much as we can. It’s been a while since we’ve
been up to the East Coast, so we’re excited to do it all over again.
ESM: What
first motivated you to play music? Was it your country music roots?
HW3: Nah,
it was Ted Nugent, Kiss, Black Sabbath. ZZ Top was my first vinyl record, and I
got a drum kit when I was seven years old. That’s what got me into it. I was
never pushed into it like my father — it was my own decision, something I
wanted to do, and it became a little more official as I got older. The choice
was mine, and I’ve been having fun with it.
ESM: You’ve fought your battles in the past with Nashville. Do you still feel like
you’re shunned from the traditional country scene?
HW3: If
you want to find traditional country, you gotta go outside of Music Row. You
got guys like Lucky Tubb, who’s out there being a full-on purist, and all the
great singers and songwriters who tell their stories and play their music just to
play. That’s where the real country is, the real music. Nashville is just
business, all lawyers. I’m never down there. I never do lunch. I never do
coffee or any of that stuff. I do it on my own — we create our own
following out here on the road. That’s how we get our stuff done.
ESM: Do
you see yourself as another member of the “outlaw country” genre, like Willie
Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, or Johnny Cash, who all put their time in on Music
Row before becoming famous?
HW3: Some
of them guys weren’t born and raised there, but I was. I always fought most of
my life to get outside of Nashville, where those guys were doing the business.
I got on the road, while their managers were saying, “Hey, go here, you need to
write with this guy, and talk to this record producer.” That’s back when they
were clean-cut, short hair, no beards. And then they were like, “These guys are
a bunch of fucking dicks.” They started getting rowdy and growing long hair,
becoming themselves, and then they started getting famous. But I’m still doing
it the rebellious, amateur way in their eyes. So it’s a two-sided coin. As far
as Nashville being a place to live, it’s got cheap rent, not too big, not too
small, and everyone’s pretty damn cool. There are just a couple of streets in
that city that are run by the business. Nashville is slowly starting to get a
little more diversity in the music scene.
ESM: Operating outside the normal parameters of the music industry, how have you
been able to build such a rabid fan base?
HW3: The
beauty of it is it’s not for everybody. Most guys do their show and don’t say
hello, but I stick around, shake hands, take pictures. Over the years, that’s
what has kept us real — all the folks saying, “Man, we’ll always be there
for you.” That helps spread the word. The business people don’t like it,
because they don’t get their money, but that’s why without any radio, without
any record company in our corner, we’ve still been able to climb the charts.
It’s paying the dues and showing respect to your fans. That’s the difference.
ESM: Playing three sets each night, do you find the crowds sticking around, or do
some come for the country set and then leave?
HW3: It’s
always up and down. Sometimes you’ll see 1000 people walk out the door, and
sometimes no one will leave at all. It’s always a roller coaster, but the show
doesn’t change if there are people leaving. That’s just part of it — it
is for the select few. Some kids might only come to see Assjack and hate the
country stuff. But to them that’s being rebellious.
ESM: How
about the substance abuse problems that plagued your grandfather and father? Is
it truly a family tradition?
HW3: It’s
there, but I’ve always done my shows. I have had to cancel a couple of times
because of the deathly flu or whatever, but I know how to pace myself —
most people think, and they thought the same thing about Hank Williams too,
like, “Oh, that guy’s wasted all the time.” Yeah, here and there we partake,
but it’s not a daily, out-of-control, jonesing, “I can’t play if I don’t have
my fix” thing. It’s never gotten like that. I’ve been around the kings of
partying, and my crew right now is definitely a hard workin’ one. I had a
pretty normal upbringing — I wasn’t around Hank Jr. and all those crazy
shows. I had a normal mom, went to high school and all that stuff. I was able
to be a kid. Now if my mom was a drunk, coked-up bitch that was beating me and
fucking a million different guys in front of me all the time, I might be
completely straightedge. But I had such a normal upbringing, so I flirted with
the flame a little bit. It’s in the bloodline; my son’s going through the same
thing. It just is what it is.
ESM: You
mentioned before that you’ll keep playing until you’re 50. Do you think your
voice will hold out that long?
HW3: Look
at Robert Plant — his voice dropped five, ten octaves, but he’s still
doing shows. Just ‘cause everyone might not be as into it, you’ll still be able
to do your show. Look at Lemmy from Motorhead.
ESM: What
kind of new music have you been listening to lately? And what older artists
still inspire you?
HW3: Man,
I honestly don’t listen to much of anything new, because I’m always going back.
The newest guys I would be listening to would be Matt Pike from High On Fire,
or a band called Earthride. I’m still doing my research on the older stuff.
It’s not necessarily country, but I’m definitely into a lot of the Death Row
stuff, and Bobby Liebling from Pentagram, and a lot of stuff that’s classified
as stoner rock. That’s one of my favorite genres out there… Witchfinder
General, I’m a huge Mike Patton [of Faith No More] fan, and I’ve always been a
Melvins fan.
ESM: Do
you stay in contact with any older country music or rock ‘n’ roll legends that
have offered advice about your career?
HW3: David
Allan Coe’s about the only one who’s offered his input. He’s had 20 #1 songs
and got ripped off by many a lawyer, so he’s had all kinds of stuff happen to
him. We write songs together, he gives me his opinions, and we do shows
together sometimes.
ESM: How
about your dad? Do you stay in touch with him?
HW3: It’s
a “Hey, how you doin’?” thing, showing up every once in a while. Pretty much
the only thing that is discussed is hunting and guns. But that’s just the way
he is.
ESM: Do
you share his outspoken political beliefs?
HW3: There’s so much out there... who knows, man? I’ve never been that political. If
the people’s opinion really mattered, we’d be able to pick out who we vote for,
instead of them picking out who we vote for.
ESM: You
said you haven’t toured on the East Coast in a while. Are you excited about
this upcoming run?
HW3: Oh
yeah, we’re looking forward to doing it again. We’ve been up in the concrete
jungles, so it’ll be nice to see the ocean.
Upcoming Hank III tour dates:
6/26
6/27
6/28
6/30
7/1
7/3
7/4
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Lupo’s....................................... Providence, RI
TLA.....................…….................Philadelphia, PA
Chameleon
Club...........................Lancaster, PA
9:30
Club.....................................Washington, DC
National…………………...........….
Richmond, VA
Lincoln
Theater…………...........…. Raleigh, NC
Amos……………………...........…..
Charlotte, NC
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7/5
7/7
7/8
7/10
7/11
7/12
7/14
7/15 |
Shoreline………………...........……
Hilton Head, SC
Music
Farm……………...........…… Charleston, SC
Masquerade……………...........…..
Atlanta, GA
Culture
Room……………...........…. Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Club
At Firestone………...........…... Orlando, FL
Freebird
Live……………...........….. Jacksonville Beach, FL
The
Orange Peel………...........…… Asheville, NC
Valarium………………....................
Knoxville, TN |
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For all things Hank III, visit www.hank3.com, www.myspace.com/hank3, or www.myspace.com/hankwilliams3
