Hasil Adkins :: Out To Hunch :: 1986

Hasil Adkins was a Rockabilly musicians in the latter 50's/early 60's (this 1986 cd is a compilation of singles and other stuff as he never released an official album in his early days). There were a lot of Rockabilly musicians back then. The problem is that most of them sound the same and are completely interchangeable. About the only thing that could set one apart is that elusive "something" that i've referred to in past posts. You know what that "something" is. The thing you can't put your finger on that makes a person magnetic and turns them into a star. So the question is does Mr. Adkins have what it takes to stand out from the pack.

Well, let's just start with an examination of the external. The photos on the front and inside of the CD booklet show us a tough looking young man with popped collars and towering pompadour. There are a lot of photos of him by cool-looking cars or holding records or a hollow-bodied electric guitar. Alright, everything seems in line so far; let's check out the song titles.

"We Got a Date," "You Don't Love Me," "High School Confidential," "Gee But I Love You." Ok, that sounds about right. Then there's "Chicken Walk" and "No More Hot Dogs" which seem a little weird but those kids were kinda crazy in the 50's. But then there's "Hot Dog Baby" so maybe he just has a thing about hot dogs. And the final track is called "I Need Your Head." I'm assuming this isn't like the Misfits singing "I want your skulls." Maybe i have a dirty mind but this could be the most risque song on the Rockabilly circuit. I guess we'll just have to see; let's check out the songs themselves.

For the most part, it sounds like Rockabilly. There's that chugging country rhythm and all that energy. It's kind of sparse sounding and the recording quality is a little rough but that's ok i guess. Also this guy sounds like he might be a little crazy but that just adds the fun of it, right? Whatever this is, it's not exactly Gene Vincent but i guess there can only be one of them. Let's just move onto some lyrics and see how they stack up.

The first song, "She Said" is all about hookin' up with a girl. Ok, sounds about right. Wait, did he just say she looked like "a dying can of commodity meat?" You lost me a little there, Hasil. Alright, let's move on to the second song, "No More Hot Dogs." After some kind of maniacal laughter, the lyrics come in, "I'm gonna put your head on my wall/ just like i said baby, you can't talk no more/ you can't eat no more/ eat no more ho-o-ot dogs." What the hell is going on here?!! Holy crap! This is like the Misfits! That oh-so-innocent sounding "We Got a Date" is also about chopping off some girl's head! And as far as "I Need Your Head," i may not even listen to that one. Who knows, maybe it's just about snuggling or something... nope, i just listened to it, it's definitely about decapitation.

So here's the quick bio on Hasil Adkins. Born in Boone County, West Virginia, he fell in love with the radio and the likes of Hank Williams. He noticed on one of his records that the only name listed was Hank's so he just assumed he was the only one playing. With that information, Adkins taught himself to play guitar with his hands and the drums with his feet. He got hold of a reel-to-reel recorder and started making records. He self-released his records and reportedly always mailed one to the sitting President of the United States. (He received a thank-you letter from the office of Richard Nixon).

In the mid-80's a couple of fine folks discovered his rare 45 of "She Said" and went on a search for the song's writer. They formed Norton Records and released this compilation of early singles. They eventually got him into a proper studio to record some new material, including an album called "Poultry in Motion" on which his single favorite meat was the subject of every song.

Out To Hunch will fall into what has become known as "Outsider Music." It seems odd that it's become a genre but it makes sense. This is music that is just too strange to fit into any kind of conventional mold. The catch is that the makers of the music don't really know that it's strange. Adkins was making these records with the belief that they were capable of being just as successful as those of Jerry Lee Lewis or Elvis Presley. And in all their strangeness and, frankly, scariness, it's that purity that's makes them special. Hasil Adkins, didn't have an education, he didn't have guitar lessons, he didn't have a proper studio or even a band to back him up. But he, without a doubt had that "something" that so many others lacked.

Adkins toured through the latter 80's/early 90's and played the occasional show in the new millennium. He passed away in the spring of 2005. Possibly from intentionally being run over by an ATV.

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Not surprisingly, i couldn't find old footage of The Haze but i wanted you to hear it so here it is.