Conjuring Up the Ghost of Grandpa Hank

Nigh round ‘94, I was kicking it cowpoke-style in Nashville, with Shelton Hank Williams III as my tour guide. We ended up at this one country bar, where I caught two old-timers whispering to each other, “That boy shur looks like Hank.” Despite Shelton’s long hair braid and punk-rock attire, you couldn’t miss seeing his grandpappy in that finely sculpted face and whisper-thin build--even in the dark.

At the House of Blues on Tuesday, Hank III, as he’s now known, exorcised his hillbilly and punk-rock demons for three dark hours, giving a defiant salute to family traditions. It was another historic scene in clubland’s archives, and shiver me timbers, I almost missed out ‘cuz I wasn’t on the list. Luckily, I brought my hot sister, and the HoB’s velvet roper extraordinaire, doorman Gary Private, lassoed us right in.

Once inside, Burgundy Room deejay Loomis, who usually greets folks by drawing an imaginary gun and snapping his fingers, almost pistol-whipped me with excitement ‘cuz he and Johnny Knoxville were getting their swerve on out on the dance floor. The good Reverend Horton Heat was on hand to bless this fest, and crazysexycool actress Virginia Madsen was first in line. Exene Cervenka, whose new band, the Original Sinners, opened the show, held court at the rails with Go-Go gal Kathy Valentine, among other veteran punkers. . . .

Got a lovely package from Steve Stewart Management: a new Bluebird CD. Kudos from Cuda, boys, for making such a wise biz deciz. . . . When Dayle Gloria tells you to check out a band, people listen. Her latest hot tip: Otep, a merger of Korn and Slipknot but with a chick singer. Ouch. . . .

And finally, the great L.A. metal band Goatsnake is demanding a decisive Bush victory. According to drummer Greg Rogers, “With a Republican presidency, times get hard for people, but music gets good.”

Yeah, tell me somethin’ I don’t know.