Peace, Love and Hard Liquor

The TV networks came out with their Fall line-ups this past week, and I have yet to get around to writing up my traditional Unfair Previews (see the sidebar for previous years). Once again, Austin fun has been overriding my blogging time. For example, Friday night I finally got to see Iron Man at the Alamo Drafthouse, the greatest movie theater chain in the world. And Thursday night I went out to the Continental Club to see a fantastic double bill:


THE LONESOME SPURS
That's Lynda Kay Parker on the left, cute as can be, with an amazing voice and playing tenor guitar and kickdrum suitcase (!), and the incredible Danny B. Harvey on lead guitar. They play some awesome rockabilly with a great sense of humor behind it. I'd never heard of them before, but by the time they were done I was a big fan, and I would've been well-entertained if that were the entire show. But fortunately, there was even more:


UNKNOWN HINSON
Looking like an undead cowboy, with his trademark vampire teeth and fake black eyebrows and muttonchops, Unknown knocked my socks off from the very first second he stepped on stage. This guy is incredible, both funny as hell and a wickedly talented guitar player -- my jaw dropped watching his hands blur on that guitar, most especially during a ten minute-long cover of "Manic Depression." He's a psychobilly maniac with both hilarious send-ups of country-western cliches ("(I Can't Believe You're) Pregnant Again," "I Ain't Afraid Of Your Husband") and face melting straight-up rockers (such as "Rock 'N' Roll Is Straight From Hell"). Hank Williams III has a tattoo of Unknown on his arm. Tom Petty once cornered Unknown backstage to ask how he gets his sound. Oh, and for you Adult Swim fans, he's the voice of Early on Squidbillies. If you don't know this guy, you really should make the effort, and make sure you see him when he comes to your town. I guarantee you will be entertained.

My point is, I'll get to my Unfair Previews next week.