Honky Tonk Hustlas

It seems that I go through long stretches of time where I’m just bored with music in general. I get stuck in a rut of listening to the old stand-buys and just crave for something to catch my ear.

Honky Tonk Hustlas have done it.

I purchased their CD “Hallways of the Always” last Monday and haven’t been able to listen to anything else since (I’m listening as I write this very post).
These guys truly capture a real old time country feel that you just can’t escape from.

T.Junior and Stemp were kind enough to answer a few questions for me.

1)How long have you been together as Honky Tonk Hustlas?

We've had some lineup changes here and there, but me and Stemp have been hard at it for about 2 years now.


2)What bands are you guys listening to these days?

Right now, we're listening to a lot of country stuff... Hank Williams, Johnny Horton, The Carter Family, Hank III, Wayne Hancock... but we also listen to a lot of metal and hardcore punk... bands like EYEHATEGOD, Soilent Green, Zeke, and Weedeater.


3)How are people reacting at shows for you?

We typically get really positive reactions at our shows. Of course, we get the occassional drunk-ass moron that doesn't know when to walk away, but for the most part, we've got our own little demographic that we fit into that's made up mostly of bikers, metalheads, hellraisers, and just plain old regular folks who like old-school country music with a punk rock twist. Our shows are high-energy, so our core fans have high expectations when they come out to see us play.


4)What bands are you dying to play a show with?

There's nobody out there that we're really dying to play with, but it would be great to do a run with Hank III or Wayne Hancock. We almost got a few dates with Wayne, but it fell through at the last minute. But overall, we're pretty satisfied with what we've got, although we're always looking to get better and do more.


5)Whiskey or beer?

Both... at the same time.


I kind of expected that answer, the perfect mix.

Here’s a clip of the boys doin’ Cocaine Blues


Thanks for the time guys. All the Best.

New Podcast Coming

I’m finally doing it. I’m putting together a weekly podcast for Punks Pickers and Outlaws.
Obviously, it’s going to be a mix of my favorite punk, bluegrass and country music from the underground. Should be fun, so if you’re in a band and would like your music on the show, let me know.



Beets, cooked over a campfire. mmmmmmmmmmm!!

Dirt Daubers

If you haven't heard The Dirt Daubers, you're in for a treat. JD Wilkes (Front man for "The Legendary Shack Shakers") and his wife Jessica play for you the old time Appalachian music.

Here's their version of one of my favorite old-time country songs "Wayfaring Stranger"

R.I.P. Lux

Sam Black Church

I’m just feeling a little nostalgic today.

I grew up a fan of Boston hardcore in the 90’s. Sam Black Church was tearing it up.

God, I miss these guys.

El Bastardo

Lead singer and guitar player for Italian rockabilly band The Motorsonics,
El Bastardo, in my book, is about as good a picker as you’re going to find anywhere.
I’ve been listening to him all week and was thrilled when he said he’d talk to me about his playing.


1) How long have you been playing guitar?

I've been playing guitar a lil more seriously since I was 17 years old, but I started in studying it when I was 12, in the meanwhile I started in playing Harmonica. I started playing with bands at 19.

2) What artist has influenced you most since you began playing?

Many! Too many! Elmore James, Cliff Gallup, Jimi Hendrix, JL Hooker, Tony MCPhee, Doc Watson, Robert Johnson, Jimmy Page, Dan Crary, Leigh Stephens, John Hammond Jr, Leadbelly, Hank Williams, Bill Monroe, Pete Townshend (I think the most), Jimmie Rodgers, Son House, Wes Montgomery,

Chet Atkins, Charlie Patton, Jimmi Page, Angus Young, Duane Eddy, Jim Croce, Sonny Terry, Little Walter.. Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington... I don't know exactly, really too many...

3) What artist would you most like to record or play a show with?

Surely, Doc Watson.

4) How are your acoustic fans compared to your Motorsonic fans?

Are often the same people, maybe Motorsonics fans are a lil younger and "Party Oriented" people but generally the same people...

5) What's in the future for El Bastardo?
Any new recording? Touring?

Yeah! In the next weeks Hank Records will re-release my first "6 Inches Blues" with some Bonus Tracks.. maybe ONLY in Vinyl (UAO!).. Now I'm recording a song for the next One Man Band compilation that will be released by Squoodge recs/Luna Sounds during 2009.

I started in preproducing songs for my next LP, think will be released at the end of 2009/early 2010. There will be some changes for this; there will be mostly original songs!

I'm planning a tour in Germany, maybe Switzerland, Austria, for next spring. Many gigs in Italy are coming, I think I'll be on the road from early March.

6) Tell me what the world needs to know about El Bastardo.

This is El Bastardo, Wood, Steel, Breath and Beat.
What you see is what you get.


Here's a clip of him playing ONE HAMMER FOR YOU



Thanks El Bastardo!

Ramblin' Outlaws

Dirty, greasy, slimy, DIY country punk. Does it get any better?

The newly formed Ramblin’ Outlaws are serving this shit by the platefull all over the San Diego area.

Lead singer and guitar player Tim Raldo took the time to answer a few questions for me over the weekend.

1) How long have you been together as Ramblin' Outlaws?

We have been together for a little more than a month, I (Tim Raldo), Rowland, & Dan all played together in another bluegrass band called Whiskey Wise Tales, but the 3 of us all quit that band because they were too slow for our liking, plus they didn't want to do any of my songs & I felt they were too good to go to waste so we formed the Ramblin' Outlaws.

2) What are all of your musical backgrounds?

Pretty much just punk, I sing in a band called Tim Raldo & the Filthy Fuks, Rowland plays bass for Noisegod, & Dan plays drums for a band called Inciting Riots, the only one in the band whos not a punk is Kris, Kris is the back bone of the band, he's the one who turned us from a bunch of drunks fucking around into a real band.

3) What do you guys like to do when not playing music?

When we’re not playing music we pretty much just drink booze, smoke weed & listen to music.

4) What bands are you listening to most right now? What's in the IPod?

I mostly listen to what I refer to as "Outlaw Music" shit like: Hank III, Unknown Hinson, Johnny Paycheck, David Allen Coe, George Jones, And when im not listening to country I listen to: GG Allin, The Dwarves, ANTiSEEN, Gwar, Black Flag, Dead Kennedys, Turbonegro, ect.. Lately I can’t seem to get enough of a band called The Hookers from Kentucky, if you never heard of them, check em out!

5) How have you been recieved at the shows you've played so far?

So far people have really taken a liking to us, a lot of other Bluegrass & Rockabilly bands have been asking us to play with them left & right! I’m really excited to see what’s to come, I’ve been in the local scene & been playing in bands for the last 12 years & never before has there been this much hype on a band that I’m in, it’s really cool!


6) What does the world need to know about the Ramblin' outlaws?

The Ramblin Outlaws truly do not give a fuck about nothin! We’re here to get drunk & raise sum mother fuckin hell!
Rock-n-Roll 4 Life!!!!!!!


You can hear them on their MySpace page: www.myspace.com/ramblinoutlaws666


Thanks for the time Tim. I get the feeling we're going to be hearing alot from you guys. Good Luck!