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Six String Thongs And A Bottle Of Jack: |
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“A number of leaders within the revolt
confessed to being members of a great society that was behind the revolt,
but no one had any idea who started it. Who organized the peasants to
revolt?” |
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| Wino's guitar riffs, like a bottle of homemade blackberry wine on downtime, have aged gracefully with time. Regardless of the current release of Probot and videos with Lemmy and a dozen half naked Suicide Chicks, I still rose to the occasion to interview him. Evidently, the man has had biker women bending over backwards for him since Saint Vitus, or maybe even since his blood ran black in The Obsessed. More currently, The Hidden Hand have hit a milestone, both for Wino's career, and for conducting sobering electricity with just a three-man lineup. I can validate this, for Smutstrutter packs her sacks |
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with six string thongs and bottle of Jack to
attend her annual rock camp at
The Emissions Fest, where they headlined last year. (see
travels). Even if a minority of the audience spends quality time
getting stoned or fucked in the parking lot during the three day-50 band
lineup, ultimately everyone can be found standing in front of the
stage come time for Wino to gear up. Making room for his venomous
volume, not even a squinted eyelid dropped in the hazy room. Originally, I
had my doubts about the new lineup. Crew cuts and glasses were somewhat
awkward, paired beside a man who’s hair drapes past the frets and fingers.
Then again, who said anything about having to look heavy when you already
sound it?
“After I left Spirit Caravan I was looking for something different and found it with Bruce Falkinburg and Dave Hennesy,” he mentions. “Bruce owns and runs a half a million dollar recording studio called Phase Studio, in which he has recorded Clutch, Iron Boss, Sixty Watt Shaman even to Pakistani, traditional, and an orchestra. He’s a phenomenal bass player and major inspiration to me. We’re doing a split 12” EP with Wooly Mammoth on McCarthyism Records and we’re on a Maryland doom compilation with Eternal Void, Earthride, Clutch, Unorthodox and any other Maryland bands you can think of. Another upcoming release is one of our first songs we ever recorded, “Falconstone” which will be featured on the High Times Record. After we play the Emissions again this May, we’ll be touring Europe.” Amongst becoming happily married and a bustling father of two, Wino presently joined forces with long-time friend and rock comrade, Victor Griffin (ex-Pentagram) to record with Place Of Skulls, but after realizing the 800 miles between them, Victor decided they’d go on without him. Over top of his infant’s impatient whimpers, he told me the reason why. |
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“Victor was very adamant on supporting the record with the same lineup,
but after the first rehearsal and with shows booked, it boiled back down
to the distance. It took me over eight hours to get to practice.” Maryland to Memphis is quite a considerable distance. Not even within The Cherokee Nation would it be considered a privilege, but traditionally Wino left a Trial Of Beers between them. Along with Pentagram, Eternal Void, Asylum, Clutch, and other primal Maryland metal, Wino can very well be held accountable for serving metal scene justice. |
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“That scene to me seems to have peaked already,” he announces. “A lot of those bands from those days aren’t really doing much or have never really done much, so we’re not limiting ourselves to just playing with doom or stoner rock. I mean, a lot of those bands are great and everything, but somewhat inactive.” The Hidden Hand's intentions, however, could be compared to much like those of The Freemasons. A secret underground movement who revolted for what they believed in. Their standards of songwriting have broken out of the everyday molded metal about booze, drugs, and women. “Divine Propaganda,” their current album, is aimed towards the realization of one crooked ass con artist, The United States Government. What else might he be doing instead of bunkered away in Maryland equipped for a Revolution with one active volcano of a band and ready to tour with it? “Raising these kids while keeping my sanity.” -Smutstrutter Hidden Hand Official website Sleaze Home |
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