Hank IV is a San Francisco rock band with no relation whatsoever to the Hank Williams clan. Hank IV plays hard-charging and visceral twin-guitar and tandem vocals rock-and-roll punk that's been likened to “Crime meets Viletones meets Styrenes punk” (Z-Gun Magazine), “a sick combination of Volcano Suns and Blue Cheer and Chain Gang!” (DJ Terre T, WFMU), and “desperate man-style punk in the vein of Minute To Pray-era Flesheaters, combining accelerated jams with gut-busting vocals and the kinda furious delivery that makes it sound totally non-contemporary.” (Volcanic Tongue, U.K.)
December 2010 update:
Hank IV’s third album, III was released November 9th, 2010, on Siltbreeze. It was the #1 played album on all of KUSF 90.3FM the week of Nov. 19th and the #2 album for the week of Nov. 26th. A cool, in-depth review can be found at the Agit Reader: www.agitreader.com/primitivefutures/hank_iv-iii.html During months of seclusion this past year, III was recorded by the band for zero dollars at their Shill Building studios in San Francisco and mastered by Bob Weston (Shellac, Mission of Burma). III is Hank IV’s sickest album yet, bearing the aroma of “---- you” coupled with a faint flutter of “---- me.” Its 8 songs in 25 minutes of blistering rock’n’roll punk (and the shocking inclusion of a Stereolab cover) is sure to unite all the warring factions of every local and national micro-scene into one big tears-of-joy group hug at the proverbial water cooler. Just substitute “booze” for water!!
Check out the music video for new album's leadoff track, Garbage Star, by SF video production team Clean White Lineson either Vimeo or YouTube.
http://vimeo.com/16645979
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JztLzQqzp3Y
Hank IV's second album, Refuge in Genre, was released on Siltbreeze in 2008. The band's first album, Third Person Shooter was released in 2006 on Hook or Crook Records.
"In the cross-hairs of the Siltbreeze hunting rifle since just after their debut LP was released, the sound of Hank IV is a bit too wily and scrambled to pigeonhole as any one type of honk. Forward thinkers might tag 'em as Panic-Skiffle, combining the cunning and menace of compadres such as Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments or The Country Teasers, with a dual guitar attack that nods toward the Bailey/ Keupper-era Saints as much as those dudes looked at Smith/Kramer for their nascent moves. Through all this stutter and pummel vocalist Bob McDonald (formerly of Denver hardcore icons Bum Kon) doesn't throw caution to the wind as much as atomize it. If a shattered leg can't keep this dude from heralding the apocalypse, do you think your tender widdle ears have a chance? Not likely, bub." - Siltbreeze
Hank IV has played three times at SXSW, including the 2008 WFMU 50th anniversary showcase with Half Japanese. That same year, Hank IV was hand-picked by Mission of Burma to support their California tour dates. The band's also performed at festivals such as Gonerfest IV (Memphis), Budget Rock (Oakland), and Slabtown Bender (Portland, OR). Hank IV has played live on air three times on WFMU (twice on Brian Turner's show and once on Terre T's Cherry Blossom Clinic).
LIVE VIDEO CLIPS:
* SXSW 2007, (3-camera shoot courtesy of Autopilot Films, NYC)
* Gonerfest IV, 2007.
DON'T CALL IT A STUPOR GROUP:
Hank IV features former members of Icky Boyfriends, Bum Kon, The Roofies, Resineators, Brickbat, The Leather Uppers, Coup de Grace.
WHEN YOU'RE REACHING FOR THE TOP SHELF:
Hank IV (as their alter-egos Theme Weavers LLC) wrote and performed the theme song for Tom Scharpling's The Best Show on WFMU. They also did "The Mike Show" theme song.
THUS SPEAKETH THE PUNDITS:
Hank IV play a throaty, rollicking version of rock'n'roll that cuts through the grease with the grimy edge of wry-hooked songs." - Victim of Time
“Frisco’s sexiest seniors follow up their excellent debut album with ‘Dirty Poncho’ an excellent 45 that recalls non-hardcore LA punk of 1982. Specifically, I’m thinking of Flesheaters territory. Read: territory, i.e., smart, well written rock & roll with an edge as well as some respect with the sounds that came before it.” – Z-Gun Magazine
“Hank IV is all about bringing the swaggering, spastically flailing, hard-charging rock. Hearkening back to the rousing sounds of ‘80s/’90s punk, this quintet of S.F. scene vets has a sound resembling Mission of Burma drummer Peter Prescott’s other band Volcano Suns, with hints of everything from the Fall and Country Teasers to West Coast old-school in the vein of X, Dead Kennedys, and Crime. What elevates Hank IV above the middling fray is the band’s ability to deliver punchy garage rock with snarky lyrics. Loaded with anthemic tandem vocals and dueling guitar clamor, Third Person Shooter makes a solid addition to San Francisco’s current rock arsenal.” — Mike Rowell, SF Weekly
"Incredibly brainy, powerful and genuine twin-guitar punk rock played by folks who have seen, done and snorted it all. Third Person Shooter is one of the year’s top punk albums, offering up a powerful take on Rock’N’Roll with million dollar smarts and a drug-addled, spiteful 70s punk mood, minus all the smirks and fashionable cliches." - Mitch Cardwell, Maximum Rocknroll
"Whoa, check out singer Bob McDonald's moves; part Sally Can't Dance era live Lou Reed herk, part 'She Lost Control' era Ian Curtis jerk, part Jack LaLanne dedication, part Robbie Robot spazz arms from 'Lost In Space', part Robert Shields in sweat-face. Awesome! The rest of the band was killin too, the twin guitars were like the sonic attack of Bailey/Kuepper from prime era Saints, the bassist was throwin down solid & the geezerly dude on drums looked like he was wound pretty tight too. His arms & feet couldn't stop! It was great." - Siltblog
"Smart, clich� free, punk rock with the kind of edge you find in mid 70s CLE punk or Crime-ridden San Francisco. Nine strong songs pack this puppy, three of which (Melonhead, Tonight We Ride, Crime of the Scene) are great and one of which lands in my all time classic punk songs list. That one classic is Hole in My Eye, a tune with the drive of the Viletones' Screaming Fist, but a bit smarter. How good is it? I am writing this from the emergency room because Hole in My Eye kicked my balls so damn hard they have swollen to the size a grapefruits. I might have the doctor replace them with a pair of steel ball bearings. I wanna be ready the next time I see them live. Really. I am not lying to you." - Scott Soriano, Z-Gun
"Hank IV are rude, ill-tempered, potty mouthed ruffians whose music has absolutely no socially redeeming qualities… other than enormous raw energy, infectious, hard-charging tune-age and enough kinetic wallop to T.K.O. a narwhal. They’re very much informed by the skeazier side of pre-HC punk. All their songs evince a marked sense of rhythmic strut and swagger. Each and every one comes equipped with an ear-catching rhythm guitar riff that’d be the envy of anyone from AC/DC to the early Who. Hank IV basically make the Dead Boys sound like Midnight Oil in terms of ’tudes projected." - Your Flesh
"A sick combination of Volcano Suns and Blue Cheer and Chain Gang!" - DJ Terre T, Cherry Blossom Clinic, WFMU
"What teacher's lounge did these guys meet in? These over 35s knocked out some great Crime meets Chain Gang meets Viletones meets Styrenes punk rock, that hearkens back to the dark grunt of late 70s Frisco punk, while remaining fresh." - Terminal Boredom
BEST OF's FOR "Third Person Shooter" LP:
Best of 2006 - Terminal Boredom
Number 2 album of 2006 - Evan "Funk" Davies, WFMU
Number 8 album of 2006 - Terre T's Cherry Blossom Clinic show, WFMU
"One of 2006's top punk albums." - Maximumrockandroll
DISCOGRAPHY:
III. Vinyl LP with digital download, Siltbreeze, 2010.
Refuge in Genre vinyl LP w/digital download card, Siltbreeze, October 2008
Dirty Poncho 7", Plastic Idol, 2007
Third Person Shooter LP/CD, Hook or Crook, 2006
