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Hank III: Rebel without a pause |
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Written by Glenn BurnSilver
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Wednesday, 14 June 2006 |
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The story of Sheldon Hank Williams III is already well chronicled, much like that of his famous granddaddy and Monday Night Football-loving father. Talent was a birthright and a musical career fairly well assured, if he wanted to play the game. Trouble was, Hank 3, as he prefers to be called — wasn’t and still isn’t — interested in playing the country music game.
Instead, he is “playing along,” which beats jail time or hanging garage doors, his past profession before he was “pretty much forced to play the country music game.”
Coming from a broken home and growing up in Atlanta where he listened to underground radio, Hank 3 became a hard partying, punk rocker playing drums in hardcore bands in defiance of his musical linage.
(For the uninitiated, Hank Williams Sr. is more or less credited with the formation of modern day country music, right down to the heartache and sorrow that concluded with his death in the back of Cadillac at the age of 29.)
Then, during a one-night stand, Hank 3 impregnated the local police chief’s daughter and suddenly was faced with a hefty child support payment — or jail time. DNA testing confirmed he was the child’s father, and he agreed to pay up.
He donned a cowboy hat and the game was on.
Signed to Curb Records — a “mistake,” he said — he cut an album of worn country classics and a few scaled-down originals. There was immediate success, yet Hank III was hardly doing it his way and was forced to use Nashville studio musicians and keep his language in check.
But in no way did Hank III forget his roots and in that defiant manner fitting of a Williams, has continually fought against the country music machine. Having proved himself, Curb is finally, reluctantly, giving in to the realization that Hank III is best left to his own devices—for good or bad. His latest album, “Straight to Hell,” actually carries a parental advisory sticker.
“They’re kinda realizing what we are and if they are not going to let us (out of our contract), then it’s a ‘why are they holding on to us?’ kind of scenario,” Williams explained from is home in Nashville. “They’re trying to understand us. It’s definitely better than it was.”
It’s the rebel scenario that throws the label for a loop as Hank III splits his time — and his concerts — between his straight-up country outfit The Damn Band and his death metal configuration Ass Jack.
“At least until 50, I’ll be doing the Jekyl and Hyde shows, man,” he confirmed.
In many respects, Hank III is not so far removed from the country music rebels he sings about in “Country Heroes,” guys like George Jones, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard, who all did their share of jail time and hard living. Is this the way Hank Williams III wants to be remembered?
“It might happen one day, when all of them are dead and gone,” he said. “Yeah, it might be something like that.”
TO GO
Hank Williams III performs with The Murder Junkies
9 p.m. June 20
Aggie Theatre, 204 S. College Ave., Fort Collins
$15, for tickets, call 482.8300
Doors open at 8 p.m., ages 21 and over
A WINNING ADDICTION
In 1999 Hank Williams III was addicted to the video game "Monster Truck Madness 2." In fact, he was good enough to win a national competition and drive away with a 1999 Toyota Tundra. Nice, but not exactly the right image for a country music rebel.
“I sold it to a guy in Montana and bought an old Cadillac... a 1960 with big fins,” he said. “I blew the rest of the money on stuff for the (tour) pretty much.”
The Caddy no long survives. “Already gone down the road,” Hank III added.
JUST SAY NO TO ASS WAGGIN'
Hank III adamantly proclaims in several songs: “Country music sucks.”
“Yeah, pop country,” he clarified. “All that ass waggin’ and fake smiles. That’s more about the look and going along with the machine and not thinking for yourself. Now, Wayne ‘The Train’ Hancock and Dale Watson, that shit’s real.”
PASS THE LEMON WATER
Hank III wakes up pretty dry every morning, at least his voice does.
“Sometimes it takes four or five hours of vocal exercises and stretching to get it awake so I can make it through the show,” he says. “I do whatever I can to warm it up. But it’s definitely an ordeal; it’s gone half the time.” | Only registered users can write comments.
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