Hank Williams, III Damn Right, Rebel Proud CD

Country scion Hank Williams III has been involved with projects that reflected his love of punk and heavy metal, such as Superjoint Ritual (with Pantera's Phil Anselmo) and his hillbilly act, Assjack, but on DAMN RIGHT REBEL PROUD Hank keeps it pure country. By country, we're still talking about the rough-edged, true-blue style of Waylon Jennings, David Allan Coe, and Johnny Paycheck. Williams has too much of his grandfather in him to make a crossover arena-country record. Right at the start, he hits Nashville hard with the raucous opener, "The Grand Ole Opry (Ain't So Grand)." Elsewhere, old-fashioned songs of hard living and late night introspection like "Stoned and Alone" and "3 Shades of Black" tell harrowing tales that are as punk rock as anything Black Flag ever did, only with a lean honky-tonk accompaniment instead of mountains of volume.

Photographer: Jennifer Tzar.

Personnel: Hank Williams III (vocals, guitar, guitars, acoustic guitar, drums); Bob Wayne (vocals, guitar, guitars, bass instrument); Randy Kohrs (acoustic guitar, dobro); Marty Stuart (electric guitar, mandolin); Johnny Hiland (electric guitar); Andy Gibson (steel guitar, dobro); Charlie Cushman (banjo); Adam McOwen (fiddle, accordion); Gary Sommers, Chris Carmichael, Donnie Herron (fiddle); Joe Buck (upright bass); Shaun McWilliams (drums); Walker.

Illustrator: Keith Neltner.

Rolling Stone (p.127) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "Hank III keeps things engaging, thanks to a country-punk sound with a strange bent: He balances catchy, classic melodies...with weirder, more-rousing stuff..."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.108) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Like a punk Springsteen, his songs are for and about the 'busted up, beaten down, anti-social, depressed and cursed'..."