Damn Right, Rebel Proud

To metalheads looking to expand their musical palate by gaining appreciation for country and western music and its related subcategories, Hank Williams III seems like a prime entry point. He certainly has the pedigree to bridge the gap between these worlds, having performed in Superjoint Ritual and Arson Anthem alongside Phil Anselmo and members of Eyehategod, while being a successful solo artist who carries on the musical tradition of his father and grandfather, two legends of country music. Though Hank 3 has released metal albums under his name (hence his inclusion on the Archives), it's important to note that most of his solo material is honest-to-god country music. Don't think the marijuana leaf patches and parental advisory stickers means you're getting a rock album with steel guitar and some Southern folkisms slapped on it. Unconventional as he is, Hank 3 has stuck closer to the genre's roots than the glitzy refuse Nashville spews out these days.

Damn Right, Rebel Proud opens with “The Grand Ole Opry (Ain't So Grand)” which, in no uncertain terms, states Hank 3's disgust with the national icon, though I suspect his disgust is more wide-reaching, with the Grand Ole Opry acting as a synecdoche for Nashville, itself a synecdoche for mainstream country music. “Did you know Hank Williams ain't a member, but they keep him outside their door” he laments, showing this is clearly personal. His granddad isn't the only name dropped. We also get mention of Waylon Jennings, Johnnys Cash and Paycheck, and most colorfully Jimmy Martin who “if he was still here, he'd tell 'em all to suck his dick”.

Imagining a hypothetical situation in which a deceased bluegrass musician instructs people what they can do with his dick is but one example of this album flouting the genre's wholesome image. The most outrageous is “P.F.F.” (Punch, Fight, Fuck), an ode to GG Allin. It may seem like cheap edginess dedicating a song to rock 'n roll's most infamous degenerate, but it makes sense knowing that Allin was an avid country music fan, having made a country album of his own. That album, Carnival of Excess, is better than anyone would expect and the reissue has a brief appearance from Allin acquaintance Tiny Tim (yes, that Tiny Tim). [Bonus trivia tying back to metal: Paul Ledney of Profanatica briefly played in one of Allin's backing bands and refused to add country music to the set.] “P.F.F.” is a beast at ten minutes, starting off as a rowdy good time complete with gang shouts, eventually speeding up to some lightning string picking and clips of Allin speaking. Before the halfway point it halts and shifts to a spare arrangement of slow guitar strumming while behind it a more complex melody is played on steel guitar. Hank sings the same lyrics from the first half, but in a reserved, tired tone, though the gang shouts continue forceful as ever.

Not everything is pissed off and transgressive. Other topics covered include the importance of being loyal to family, doing blue collar work to support a family, using alcohol to escape from sorrow, and mourning the end of a relationship. As you can tell from those last two, this album squares with country's reputation for sad songs about bad luck and hard times, though even that isn't typical in the hands of Hank 3. The lyrics of “Candidate for Suicide” are just as heavy as the title suggests, and that's not the only allusion to suicide on the album. “Stoned and Alone” has him crooning “Will you pick up the gun dear, and put me asleep?” The fast paced “Long Hauls and Close Calls” seems like a rebel manifesto, but given the context of the other songs a line like “I don't care if I die” seems less like caution-to-the-wind recklessness and more like veiled but conscious self destruction.

None of this would be worth a damn were the music inadequate. Fortunately Hank is joined by a crew of talented musicians. There's some electric guitar, but this is primarily an acoustic affair, with most tracks featuring fiddle, banjo and standup bass. There's also appearances from accordion, Dobro and mandolin. Whether a song calls for raucous honky-tonkin' fun or forlorn spareness, these guys are up to the task. Solos are frequent, performed effortlessly and on various instruments to keep things interesting. Other than some gang shouts and a duet with Bob Wayne on the final track, all the vocals are handled by Hank so thankfully he is a more than competent singer capable of a wide range of expression (and traditionalists can rest assured, he has no shortage of twang).

At fifty minutes, Damn Right, Rebel Proud starts to become too much of a good thing and the fuck you attitude is pushed so hard it feels forced at times, but those are minor gripes. Re-listening to the album reminds me of the many Hank Williams III albums I still haven't listened to and how that needs to be rectified. Here's someone who won't be honored at the CMAs anytime soon, but is a force within country. He's taught many punk and metal fans to appreciate country music as well as brought hope to people who thought their beloved genre had been killed and replaced with an unconvincing imposter.

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While Hank 3 has crossover appeal for metalheads, he may not be the best gateway into the genre. Those who want to gently ease their way in, should start with Those Poor Bastards. This duo is unorthodox to say the least, with inspirations that include Einstürzende Neubauten and Christian Death. They use harsh vocals, lo-fi production and lyrics you'd expect to hear from the mouth of a doomsday preacher character in some deranged western. It's dark and twisted, but with elements of camp horror. Hank 3 and Those Poor Bastards are mutual admirers. Hank covered their “Pills I Took” on his breakout Straight to Hell album. Two Years later, they invited Hank to provide guest vocals for “Swallowed by Sin” from their Satan Is Watching LP. That album also happens to be their strongest and the one I recommend everyone listen to.

And since there's little opportunity to talk about this subject on MA and if you've read this far you may be looking for more recommendations for good country music, I'll list some artists worth exploring. This list is not meant to be exhaustive, merely suggestions to get you started.

First some oldies: David Allan Coe, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Dwight Yoakam, Johnny Cash (but you already knew that), Willie Nelson, Charley Pride, Donna Fargo

And finally some artists still making worthwhile country in the present: Lindi Ortega, Corb Lund, Rachel Brooke, Greg Graffin (the Millport LP), Caitlin Rose