Jason and the Scorchers - The Essential Jason and the Scorchers, Vol. 1
The bass player in the Scorchers has been my best friend since high school, we were the "Incredible Toxic Duo". We overdosed on Tranxenes one night, but managed to survive, thanks to the nitroglycerine patches we had (for some strange reason) stuck under our armpits. We made Hunter Thompson look like a teetotaller.
Anyway, Kenny's been playing bass with the Scorchers for 10 years, and they still introduce him as the "new guy". If you've never seen the Scorchers live, you've missed out. Their shows are balls-out energy. Warner Hodges is one of the most amazing guitarists I've ever heard,with a lot of flash and showmanship. Jason is a combination of Barney Fife and Iggy Pop, all nervous energy and rivetting to watch. Perry Baggs is a solid drummer, great vocal harmonist, and the writer of a lot of the Scorchers best tracks. And shit, I hate to write this 'cos Kenny will read it and his head will inflate like gas prices, but he's one of the best bass players around. His manhood is much smaller than mine, however. (I had to balance it out, Kenny)
The last real Scorchers show is coming up on June 2, it's a benefit for Perry, who needs a kidney transplant due to diabetes complications. The show sold out before almost anyone in the States could get tickets, most were bought by Europeans, especially Brits and Scandinavians who really love the Scorchers and are willing to spend much money for what could be the Last Gig with this line-up. Kenny managed to snag two tickets for my wife and I, and we can't wait.
Alright, a true Scorchers story: In the mid-Eighties, the Gold Rush was THE bar for the Rock & Roll crowd in Nashville. Cocaine was as easy to get as bar peanuts. Warner Hodges spent a lot of time at the Gold Rush picking up women and scoring blow. ("Pappy needs some sniffy,") He would pick up a willing female, make the beast with two backs, then head back to the Gold Rush to find another woman of casual morals and more Peruvian marching powder. Warner often pulled three or more ladies for impersonal couplings per visit to the Gold Rush.
One night, Warner took his parents to dinner at the Gold Rush, which did have a semi-respectable eatery attached. Warner's mom excused herself and went to the ladies room. She came back looking slightly disturbed.
"Warner, do you come here often?" She asked.
"Yeah, pretty often. Why?"
His mom deadpanned, "Well, I was in the bathroom stall, and someone had written 'Warner Hodges has a small dick' on the wall, and a bunch of girls had written their own opinions under it,"
