Interview with Hank III
Words: David Saunders
Photo: Jana Miller

Appeared:
November 2, 2007
Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg

I had been looking forward to seeing the “rising outlaw” again for months and as I arrived at the jam-packed, sold out Jannus Landing to hear the crowd chanting “Hank! Hank! Hank!” my anticipation began to get the better of me. The audience was truly excited, they knew just what was in store and from the moment he took the stage until the final notes of the “Assjack” set (Hank’s angry punk/dirt rock “side project”) he gave them everything they had wanted and then some. Like his father and his grandfather, Hank is pure country, albeit quite a bit more edgy and aggressive. I found it interesting that a group of young punk rock girls gathered to my right were doing the Two Step and singing along to “I’m here to put the Dick in Dixie and the Cunt back in Country…” It’s not exactly the demographic one would expect to be fans of country music let alone line dancing, which speaks volumes in my mind to Hank’s importance as a crossover artist. About a half an hour after his set and half a bottle of whisky later I had the opportunity to discuss this and other things with the “crazed country rebel” himself.

REAX: I find it really interesting that a lot of your fans aren’t necessarily people that you’d expect to listen to country music.
Hank III: From 14 to 80, but a lot of ‘em are dressed in black. The “Jeckyl and Hyde” aspect I think is what they’re seeing … that’s what makes us different. Definitely being in Superjoint Ritual brought a lot more kids into it and playing in the rock clubs has helped out a lot.

REAX: Do you play shows where you’d say that there was more of a “country” audience?
Hank III: If we play V.F.W. halls they’re a country audience. If we’re opening up for Willy Nelson or Merle Haggard…

REAX: And you’ve done that?
Hank III: Yes.

REAX: How does that crowd take to you?
Hank III: Kinda like zombies lookin’ at us…or like David Allan Coe would say, “…well goddamn you just scared the fuck out of everybody so I got 15 extra minutes to play.” Ya know, …getting’ up there and sayin’ fuck, shit, goddamn…that’s not supposed to happen in country music.

REAX: So your dad says?
Hank III: Mmmmm ya, that’s one of ‘em…The “F” word doesn’t belong in country, but you know D.A.C. David Allan Coe will go off and say, “I’ve been fucked over for years because I say motherfuck.”  You know, that’s just the way it is...

REAX: What do you attribute that to?  Obviously country music has been “Disney-fied.”
Hank III: It’s been Disney-fied and it’s awful. You got heartbreak and you got sinnin’ on Saturday, goin’ to church on Sunday and forgivin’ your sins. That gospel thing bleeds over in it pretty heavily and I’ve always thought that Hank Williams senior sang about the light and I’ve always thought it’s for me to sing about the dark or embrace the other side. Bluegrass and country music…it’s all about being clean and perfect and pretty…dancin’ to their tune…

REAX: Do you think that it started out that way?
Hank III: Well, let’s look at Hank Williams. He was carrying a gun, getting in fistfights, totaling cars…rollin’ ‘em…ya know.

REAX: The original outlaw…
Hank III: Yeah, I mean goddamn, he was full on and that’s why still he isn’t a member of the hall of fame to this day, ‘cause he pissed off somebody so fuckin’ bad.

REAX: People like Hank Senior and Johnny Cash, especially in his later years after doing the records with Rick Rubin, kind of transcended the label of country music and have become more what I’d call “Americana.” All of a sudden there were all these kids who got into it because it grew beyond the Nashville clique…Do you think that you’re walking down that path? Have you thought about it?
Hank III: I think I’m walking down the path of being dressed in black and embracing the dark side of things. As far as “Americana” goes… we’ll see what happens when Hank, Jr. dies. That’s gonna say a lot…what’s gonna happen when that day comes?

REAX: You haven’t ever relied on him?
Hank III: I haven’t relied on him, but is he the one who’s holding a thumb on me…with the rest of Nashville.

REAX: Explain that a little if you will…the difference between the “pop country” clique and the “real” ass-kicking country like what you do. I mean, this wasn’t a “country” crowd here tonight, but it was packed and you kicked their asses.
Hank III: This is the biggest crowd we’ve ever played for in St. Pete for sure…this country clique though, it’s a Nashville thing. It’s like Hank, Jr. is part of that thing.  Whatever that thing is I’m not a part of it…it makes me wonder. I mean last week Jessica Simpson and all those fuckers just did a big tribute to Hank, Jr. in Los Angeles…nobody picked up the phone and called me and that’s a big deal. That tells me I’m not on their side…

REAX: A lot of the old school guys…Coe, Johnny Cash…give name checks to other artists within their songs. The pop country guys don’t. You do.
Hank III: Every guy that I name drop I’ve had the pleasure of opening up for except for Waylon and Johnny Cash. Coe, Merle Haggard, George Jones…I’ve gotten to open up for ‘em, I’ve gotten to drink with ‘em…Waylon used to call me when I was in rehab back in the day…I’m not just name dropping…You know I’ve actually met those people and it’s not just bullshit. I’ve done my time and remember it. I’m not just name dropping…well I guess I am just a little bit but that’s what I was raised on.

REAX: You’re carrying on a tradition. You’re putting the balls back in something that had balls to begin with, but has somehow been watered down over the years.
Hank III: Over the years the lawyers have outsmarted the musicians…especially in Nashville. The musicians used to really be in charge and that’s changed a bunch.

REAX: So when you record do you have to use some of the producers, etc. that do a lot of these other country records?
Hank III: No! The last guy I had that recorded the new country record was a kid that I had heard had worked with Al Jourgensen Ministry. I called him up and said, “You wanna come live with me for a month?” He said “sure” and that’s it. The first record, Rising Outlaw, I had to deal with the fucking machine as I call it. And ever since then I went to court. I won. I got the power to do it my way and turn in a record…take it or leave it. Here’s your two clean songs for your fucking radio. Here’s your edited “clean” country record and the dirty one.

REAX: We’re talking about “Straight to Hell”?
Hank III: Straight to Hell and the new record!

REAX: You have a title for the new one yet?
Hank III: Damn Right and Rebel Proud!

REAX: When can we expect the release?
Hank III: It was supposed to be out in December, but…Curb the record company president is…bustin’ my balls, so we’ll see. He's just bustin’ my balls for the sake of doin’ it. I don’t know if he’s just wastin’ my time or what but he’s been wastin’ it. I mean, I’ve been on his label for eleven years and have three records out.

REAX: So, you really feel like they’re trying to put the squash on you?
Hank III: Yes. I feel like I’m the black sheep of the Bible Belt in Tennessee and they’re holding me back because of religious morals.

REAX: Your fans who were singing along to all your songs tonight don’t seem to feel that way. They like your F.U. attitude. I think it’s a part of your appeal.
Hank III: A year and a half… that’s all I’ve got left on my contract and then things are really gonna change. Then I can legally sell music again. In my eyes I’ve got this little Hellbilly genre but I still don’t have a rock record out there. I’ve made my bootlegs and have been forced to stop selling them.

REAX: You’re referring to Assjack?
Hank III: As far as me singin’ in a rock band there hasn’t been an “official” release. Every bootleg out there has been printed and signed by me. That’s what I’m talking about. They’re killing my livelihood.

REAX: So they just want you to do “clean” country stuff or they don’t want you to do anything?
Hank III: In 1999, I recorded This Ain’t Country and Curb records wouldn’t stand behind it because of lyrical content.  In return, they’re trying to take me to court and get publishing on every Assjack song I’ve ever written. It’s like the shit that they don’t want, but for some reason they want…it just doesn’t make sense…so the fight is on. A year and a half…go to hank3.com and buy an Assjack CD.

REAX: Can we look forward to the new country record as well as Assjack albums? Tour plans?
Hank III: We’re touring through December with The Reverend Horton Heat and then we’ll be back. The new country record is done and collecting dust as we speak, so we’ll see what happens…

Hank III's Official Site