Buzz Cut... The Hackensaw Boys

Jan. 17, 2007

One music reviewer recently wrote this about the Hackensaw Boys: “Imagine the Carter Family meets the Ramones and you begin to get the picture.”
Who wants to imagine that? To suggest that the Hackensaw Boys are some blend of these two iconic bands, well, it is downright disgraceful and disrespectful to the Boys from Charlottesville, Virginia. It’s like saying squirrel tastes like chicken; no, squirrel tastes like squirrel, and for that matter, the Hackensaw Boys have their own flavor.
To get a taste of the Hackensaw Boys, check them out this weekend at the Crooked Tree Arts Center in Petoskey. The Saturday night concert is part of the Blissfest Folk & Roots Winter Music Series.
The Hackensaw sound is drawn from a wide range of musical influences. Rooted in the old-time music of the Blue Ridge Mountains with a blend of rock, gospel, blues and newgrass, and a hint of punk rock, the Hackensaw hum is better experienced than described.
“Yeah, when people ask us to describe our music, we tell ‘em that it is full of energy,” said Baby J, the band’s harmonica and stand-up bass player. “Yeah, it is wild and high energy stuff, not something easily categorized.”
Baby J has been with the band since day one.
“Well that ain’t exactly true. I joined on day two,” said Baby J. “I was working in a bagel shop and a buddy told me about a group of guys jamming on the street corner, and people were putting money in the can ,so I signed on.”

ORIGINAL CHARACTERS
That was in 1999 and though the band has sent a few members to new pastures, much of the original cast of characters remain. Characters they are, with such names as Kookey Eyed Fox on the Stelling banjo, and Salvage playing the charismo, spoons and skins. Then there is Maholn on mandolin, guitar and claw-hammer banjo, Four on fiddle, and Spits on guitar.
The Hackensaw Boys made their first appearance around these parts in 2002 with a sold-out show at Union Street Station in Traverse City, and have only been back once.
“Yeah, we might not come back again, you never know, so you better come out and catch us,” laughs Baby J. “No, I hope we are invited back.”
Tour demands have the band traveling year-round. The night before Petoskey, they will be in Chicago at the House of Blues, and after their Blissfest appearance, they head to Kentucky.
The band was excited to learn the Crooked Tree Arts Center building was formerly a church.
“Cool, but we will skip the sermon and just get right down to the revival,” said Baby J. “If there are pews, you tell them organizers to expect this revival to spill out into the aisles.”
Anyone who has experienced a Hackensaw Boys performance knows it ain’t easy sittin’ still. So bring comfortable shoes.

TOUR BUDDIES
Psychedelic rockers The Flaming Lips and indie-rockers Cake brought the band out on tour with them a few years back during their Unlimited Sunshine Tour. The group has also toured with Cheap Trick, The Detroit Cobras and others.
“We love those guys,” said Flaming Lips founder Wayne Coyne. “The Hackensaw Boys are a smorgasbord of sounds and our fans took to them immediately.”
The Flaming Lips remain at the top of the list of the nearly 6,000 friends at the Hackensaw Boys’ myspace site.
But The Hackensaw Boys haven’t built their following with high-powered friends in the music industry. Instead, it has been all grassroots. They picked themselves up by their bootstraps and worked their way off of street corners, and into clubs. Their wide fan base has landed them with Nettwerk, a management company and record label with the likes of Barenaked Ladies, Avril Lavigne, Sarah McLachlan and Dido.
The Hackensaw Boys are currently out supporting their “Love What You Do” album that was their first-ever label release and third studio record. The group is also in the studio working on a new album to be released this spring, and will showcase tracks from the upcoming album this weekend.

THE DIRTY BIRD
Part of the Hackensaw lore is the “Dirty Bird,” their old 1960s touring bus. But “The Bird” was retired in 2005 and serves as a lodging facility at the band’s recording studio.
“In the early days we had 12 guys in the band and Dirty Bird served us well. Salvage has been busy working on her and now she serves as a bunk house at the studio,” said Baby J. “The van isn’t the same, but
we have a better chance of getting to the show on time.”
Each member possesses multi-instrumental talents and honors the heritage of the Blue Ridge Mountain sound that surely has their ancestors stompin’ their feet in support. Kookey-Eyed Fox, aka Jimmy Stelling, is son of the famed Geoff Stelling, considered to be one of the best banjo makers of all time.

Check out the Hackensaw Boys this Saturday, January 20 in Petoskey at the Crooked Tree Arts Center. For info, visit www.blissfest.org or call the box office, 231.348.7047. For a sampling of the Hackensaw sound visit
www.hackensawboys.com and click on the “Keep It Simple” video for a look at life on the Hackensaw tour and vintage footage of the “Dirty Bird.”