This week’s 5 Questions is with the incredible Warner Hodges of Jason and the Scorchers fame. I really appreciate him taking a few from his incredibly busy schedule to play along! So here it is.
Vintage Guitar magazine described Warner as “part Don Rich through a Marshall, part Angus Young on a Tele” and I guess that is pretty fair except I am sure he hopes you hear a lot of Malcolm in there as well (and he’s known to play a pretty mean Les Paul too!). A ferocious guitarist and a first rate showman Warner has been performing since he was a kid playing drums in his family’s USO show band. As the guitarist and founding member of the legendary Jason and the Scorchers, there just wasn’t anybody that sounded quite like Warner. Punk-fired, Country-fried Rock N Roll that honestly and truly “scorched” everything in its path. Nowadays the Scorchers are a bit more of a part time band but between receiving an Americana Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award with JATS, touring near constantly with Dan Baird & Homemade Sin, The Bluefields, his solo band (and now Drivin N’ Cryin as well!) Warner keeps himself as busy as a guitarist can be and still have fingers! One of Nashville’s best and another long time favorite of mine I am thrilled to have Warner take part in the 2nd installment of “5 Questions with…”
GK: Warner what’s happening in your musical world these days?
WH: Right now, I am out touring with “Dan Baird And Homemade Sin” in Europe. We finish Great Britain in 2 weeks. I’ll go back home Nov. 9th, then pick back up with “Drivin N Cryin” on Nov. 14th back in the US. I’ll write a new solo record in Nov. and Dec. Try to record in Jan. 2016. Feb. 2016 we do a DB & HMS US tour????? Hope that happens! Back to Europe with my solo thing and Dan through April-June 2016. That is the immediate future. I have select dates with DNC in Nov. and Dec. Kinda Busy!!!! LOL
Why Guitar? (I mean playing the bongos is cool but….)
WH: I was already starting to play around with My Dad’s Guitars, (I was a drummer first, still think like a drummer) then I saw AC/DC, 74/75-ish. Done!!!! I knew that guitar was IT for me.
GK: What’s some of your favorite gear?
WH: As far as gear, I am totally into the old Marshalls and Hiwatts. I’m very lucky that Dan Baird has a nice assortment of the Classic R & R amps, and I get to use them a bunch to record. Live, I am usually in clubs, so I have gotten into smaller amps. I’m a BIG fan of the new Vox AC 30’s. I also love the Orange Dual Terror. Dan and I both use them. I have rigs here in Europe, and back home in the US. I use all kinds of pedals. My board right now has TC Electronic tuner, MXR “Carbon Copy”. Ernie Ball Volume Pedal (ALWAYS), Wampler “Faux Tape Echo”, Mad Professore “Royal Blue Distortion”, and “Little Green Wonder”, Catalinbread “Belle Epoch”, and Bearfoot Effects “Baby Pink” I have this on both the US and the Euro pedal board.
GK: Who ‘s the man? (We all have a Mt Rushmore of guitar right?)
WH: Wow there are a bunch. Obviously Angus and Malcolm Young. Keith and Woody, Audley Freed, JD Simo. My absolute favorite Danny Gatton, Albert Lee, Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, all the “Twangsters”. Ritchie Blackmore, Hell Dan Baird, Kevin Kinney, anyone that can put their “Heart” into it. Stevie Ray, Jimmy Vaughan. Long list.
My Mt. Rushmore would be Danny Gatton, Billy Gibbons (Completely left him and Rick Nielsen from CT off my guitarist list?????) Malcolm Young, and Blackmore (way off to the side because he’s a great player, but not so “Nice” to deal with LOL…). Oh yeah also Brendan O’Brien as an EVERYTHING musician/producer
GK: Do you have a favorite guitar related You Tube clip?
WH: My favorite You Tube clip is a rehearsal of Deep Purple on German TV in 1970/1971. “No. No. No” Ritchie rockin’ a “Pilgrim” Hat! Not many people can make a Pilgrim hat look cool. He did????? Lol.
Scott Bittner is the founder and main author for the Guitar Blog “Guitar Kulture “. Scott is also the lead singer/guitarist for NY Punk N Roll band The Heartless Devils. The Heartless Devils “El Diablo Sin Corazon” is now available for download on iTunes. You can also check out The Heartless Devils on Facebook and Reverb Nation.