Chip Hanna interview
On the 3rd of February, Phil and I lugged our cute asses to the Munich 'Orangehouse', in order to bring to you this wonderfully witty Chip Hanna interview! For the poor fools amongst you that don't know: Chip Hanna plays the drums for the 'U.S. Bombs', used to drum his heart out for 'One Man Army', and has now decided it's time to prove to his ego, that Rock'n'Roll lovin kids will still come to hear his sultry southern accent, even if he's all alone on stage. But as there was so much room up there, he's coaxed 'The Berlin Three' into keeping him company! Now, if you've actually missed Mr. Hanna on tour this year, then at least be good girls and boys, and go buy his record: "Old South Jamboree" (out now on 'People Like You')
Your Mom was a Country musician, was she your main musical influence as a child and did she take you along to see her play?
Oh yeah, she was always singing when I was a kid. We would go driving from Pride to Baton Rouge into town, and she..d be singing 'Hank Williams' all the way in the car! I remember two specific times when she was performing on stage, and I wasn't able to go see her play, so I was listening on the radio, that was brilliant!
How did you get from Baton Rouge, to be being a drummer in numerous L.A. Punk bands?
I went to California at the age of 22. I just wanted to get to L.A.!
Were you into the punk scene already?
No, there was no punk in Baton Rouge. I mean the Pistols played there, but even if I had known about it, my father wouldn't have let me go! That was the tour that broke them up. No, at that time I was playing 'Iron Maiden' and early 'Mötley Crüe' stuff. In Baton Rouge we played in cover bands, we'd play three sets of all covers, like 'Iron Maiden' and 'Judas Priest'. This was before the whole Speed Metal thing, before 'Metallica' and all that shit!
So, did you have a hard time in High School, being the odd one out?
No, I never had a hard time, I had a great time - I liked school. I never liked math, but I really liked history, and I played football. Then something happened when I graduated. I tried to go to college, but I slept in all my classes, because I was partying so much!
What were you studying?
It was gonna be political science, but I didn't even get past the first semester! So I went to LA to play the drums. But the most important thing I learned when moving to LA was, that I didn't have to move to LA! It's not about where you are that's important: its touring! You can do it from anywhere, as long as you tour!
So you do follow politics? Your lyrics aren't political.
No, I've written some political statements, like on the last record. About how the Americans don't seem to get the whole war in Iraq. "We're under attack in southern Iraq. In Lebanon they're diggin the clay", they're diggin graves.! See, I was over here in Europe, and I was seeing all that was not shown on TV in America. I mean I was really pissed off, when the Twin Towers came down; so I was supporting some kind of action, but I should have known that it would generate into this, what it is now. Afghanistan's drugs, Iraq's oil, that's what it's about. Gas prices are going up, they don't want them to go down. Bushes crooks are making the money off all of this!
I've seen you wearing the Confederate Flag. What's the reason? Southern pride?
The flag is a very racist symbol now; it's being compared to the swastika. But growing up I had no idea. The reason I wear it, is that I had relatives that fought for the south, and I was always fascinated by the Civil War. The southern states are the only Americans that lost a war, up until Vietnam or Korea. So when the Americans tell you "We ain't ever lost a war", it's not true, those southern boys sure lost! But I grew up, just really liking this image of the rebel soldier, going against all the odds and fighting hard. Well it's definitely romanticizing. You can't romanticize war, but as a child I sure did. And then I got into the whole reenacting, and I sure as hell can't be a northern soldier soundin like this. And we didn't talk racism or politics; it was about the war and about what those guys must have felt. What I liked most was, when we'd sit around a camp fire at night and cook. It would just be meat on a stick, over the fire… it's a precious family memory! We were just imagining what both sides must have gone through. To me the rebel flag is just romantic. But I have friends, black and white, that are offended by it. I am not a racist, so if and when I do display the rebel flag, it will be alongside the 33 star American flag, to show I'm into the history. It's not a political statement. So don't judge me based on a group of ignorants!
In Louisiana for instance, segregation is still a big issue?
It's not segregated; it's what the government is doing, it's really crazy. When I was in high school, there were 70%whites and 30% blacks at my school. And that was within the federal guide lines, to have an integrated school. But 4 miles from my school was a 99% black school. So my school was turned into an elementary, and we were sent to the black school, to achieve parity. Now when I go back to Pride, the schools have been torn down, the land reverted to the original owners. And when I go to the new school they've built it's almost 95% black. So, whatever they're trying to do, isn't working, whatever they have on their minds isn't working! And it's not like this, anywhere else in America that the government tries to interfere so much. People should just go wherever they want to go! I just had a public school education, but I'm pretty well read, I can't do math, but I know what I believe! You can get a good education where ever you want to get a good education! It's all up to the individual; you can't judge a person by the group. You have to take people one by one. If everybody realized this, we'd have a lot less wars, and a lot less friction!
I heard you're a stunt man as well?!
Yeah, but I don't do that anymore. I'm too old for that shit. That was at a Wild West Park, while I was living in Arizona. I needed a job!
You don't need training?
Oh yeah, I had to learn how to fall, and not kill myself. I'd fall 20 feet, face first!
So, in which big Hollywood films have we seen you … from behind, wearing a wig?
I was never in any films, some of my friends are trying that, but that was never my aim. The music business is hard enough; I don't want to get involved in fucking acting! No Way! The best thing about the stunt business was, I learned how to play guitar. I didn't start as a stuntman, I started as the lowest job they had at this Wild West Park. I had a lot of time on my hands. So I'd bring my guitar and play, and my boss really liked it. So after some time, he asked if id like to act in some of the shows. He told me "a 15 min stunt show, playing a cowboy, getting to carry a gun, and a 50cent pay rise." He also offered that I could play a song before each show. And so I did; I'd play a song in front of 200 people. And that's how I learned to play in front of a crowd.
If your kids were to follow in your footsteps, would you prefer them to be a stuntman or a musician?
Musician! Not a stuntman! I've still got scars on my shoulder, I shot myself, I almost blew my head off, with a shot gun. But you can't tell your kids what to do anyway, they're gonna do, what they're gonna do! After I got past a certain age, I never listened to my folks.
On the European tour you're playing with 'The Berlin Three', is this also the US combo? And how did this formation originate?
I did a tour with 'Mad Sin', and I had my guitar with me. So we got together and played backstage, and we became friends. Then somewhere along the line there was talk about doing a record; and that eventually happened. But in the States it's still usually solo, but I want to play with 'The Berlin Three' over there. That's the next step.
So how do you write or rehearse?
I usually write or record demos, its easy on the guitar, not like with drums. I can write and arrange the songs. And it just goes from there.
But you still live in the states?
No, I've been living in Berlin since September 07; but after this I don't know what's gonna go on, were still trying to decide.
You came from Roots music, went to Punk and now you're going back to Roots? To you, who are the most impressive, and influential songwriters, in Punk and in Country?
Bluegrass or Roots music, would have to be 'Hank Williams', in Punk, that would be 'The Clash'. Apart from that 'Johnny Cash', 'Johnny Horton', 'Stanley Brothers', 'Bill Monroe', 'Dead Boys', 'Agnostic Front'; whatever catches my ear, a good song. I like a wide variety of shit!
Cheers from us, Kirsty McMischief & Phil Zero