by Will K. Shilling

He's been called "The Ghost" by one writer, for his eerie vocal, musical, and spiritual resemblance to his late grandfather, the legendary Hank Williams. He's been called a genius and a legendary pain in the hole by his record company. But when it comes to playing music -- either with his country crew, the Damn Band, or his hard-rock backers, AssJack -- Hank Williams III won't settle for being called anything but an original.

Williams' sound swings wildly between traditional country troubadour balladry and anti-everything punk rage. This summer, Hank3 (as he likes to be called) will unleash both on the American musical landscape, touring in support of Risin' Outlaw, his debut album, and the upcoming This Ain't Country. From his home in Nashville, the gaunt, 28-year-old, self-described "slacker" of anti-alt-country explains why it took two years to record and release the first record.

"Aw, 'cause the label fucked it all up," says Williams, speaking in a Nashville accent twangier than a banjo on the Bayou. "They assigned me a producer who had his way of doing things, and he just wasn't really that into it. It was the classic example of a label trying to be creative for you. It's like, didn't you hire me to be creative? And now you don't wanna let me do what you hired me to do.

"I would rather be on a label that's more into both the rock and country thing," says Hank3. "But they've got me by the balls. We've done everything we could to get kicked off that label, but they would just not let us go."

If Risin' Outlaw sounded almost too rootsy, too "down home" for contemporary country radio -- his record company says they didn't even try to convince country programmers to add it to their playlists -- wait till you hear the follow-up.

"This next album's gonna be a lot more [traditional country], a lot more," promises Williams. "I don't write these songs for radio. I write for whoever's gonna buy the album."

But Hank3 isn't abandoning his angry side. This Ain't Country will show off the rock music he makes with AssJack.

"A few of the songs have some melody to 'em," he says, "and a few of 'em don't. It's just full-out screamin', weird shit, get-fucked-up-and-blast-it-out kind of thing.

"[In concert] we do a lot of Misfit covers: '138,' 'Mommy,' or 'We Bite.' We've done Black Flag in the past. We got this little medley where we rip into 'Whiplash' from Metallica, and then we rip into Ministry right quick, and then we rip into Slayer. You know, just so people can get into the show with something they’re familiar with, along with all our original shit."

Hank3's guitar has been autographed by the likes of Kid Rock and Loretta Lynn -- testament to his schizophrenic influences.

"Let's see," he says, listing the other signatories. "You got the Reverend Horton Heat, George Jones, Al Jourgenson [of Ministry], the Jesus Lizard guys, the Melvins, David Allen Coe, Charlie Daniels, Merle Haggard, Johnny Paycheck. It's close to about 45 different people, folks we've worked with, met out on the road, opened up for -- and they're all great."

Some critics have suggested that Hank3 proves the theory, "talent skips a generation" -- implying that Hank  Williams Jr., with his Are-you-ready-for-some-football??!! redneck commercialism is somehow an embarrassment to the family tradition. Hank3 doesn't agree.

"That's gotta be someone that Junior's pissed off," he says, defending his Dad, who left home when Hank3 was only four. "To say Hank Jr. isn't talented is just bullshit. He can instantly turn on 40,000 people at one time. He's written so much, he's played all the instruments, he's paid his dues. Me and my dad don't get along all that well, but I respect him a thousand percent as a player and an entertainer." Risin' Outlaw will soon be followed up by another, even rootsier country recording, Williams III says. And This Ain't Country should be in stores by June. This month, Williams sets off on a national tour with the Melvins that will include appearances on the Vans Warped Tour

Hank Williams III, with special guests Flogging Molly, will appear at 4th & B, May 16. Call (619) 231-4343 or (619) 220-TIXS. For a chance to win free tickets, visit 4thandb.com
 
 

© 2001 SLAMM Magazine