The “E” in Warner E. Hodges, Supersuckers frontman Eddie Spaghetti notes later on, stands for “always awesome.” Notwithstanding the fact that he’d be poor in Dictionary Corner on Countdown, your man has a point.
Warner has been doing this, he says, since 1969 (and apparently, this is the first time he’s played in the second city), and consequently, he knows how to “throw down,” which he does when they fire up “Just Feels Right,” which really does.
He’s here with a band that includes Ben Marsden (most recently seen around here playing with Carole Hodge at the Ginger And The Sinners show) and Shane Dixon, who drums for GATS, and he’s got a new album in his pocket. Evidently proud of “Soul Shaker,” the handful they play off it justifies that belief.
“No End In Sight,” “Great Unknown” – which features a wonderful solo from Marsden – and “Red Devil Road” all prove Hodges still has it, as befits a man wearing turquoise boots with ornate ironwork on the back.
The first time I saw Hodges was as part of Dan Baird’s band back in 2011, and he was just about the coolest man alive then too, and they most probably played “Two For Tuesday” that night as well. It’s fully rocked up here, though, as bassist Jason Knight (who gets bonus points for sporting a Wolfsbane shirt) sort of insists on it.
There’s a proper country song in the shape of “The Magician” before they, in Hodges’ world, “put the pedal down.” What that means is a gloriously raw reprise of his days in Jason And The Scorchers with one of the great songs in “White Lies” before some raucous fun with “(Take Me Home) Country Roads” as you’ve never heard it before and “Let There Be Rock.”
In 54 years, Warner E. Hodges has never been to the home of metal. He’d best not leave it that long again. The man from Nashville belongs wherever he plays.
“I got my nose against the grain and, yeah, you know that it’s a bitch
Playing through the pain and watching bad bands get rich,” so sang Eddie Spaghetti back 20 years ago. There’s a certain irony to the fact they play it here to a crowd that is best described as “small but enthusiastic.”
Spaghetti is wry when pressed. “I’ve come to the conclusion over the years,” he reasons, “that what we do isn’t for everyone.”
It’s their loss, because in full flight, there’s nobody who does this type of rock ‘n’ roll better.
“Ain’t Gonna Stop (Till I Stop It),” a magnificent “Evil Powers Of Rock ‘N’ Roll,” and “Creepy Jackalope Eye” all come and go as the first third of the set flashes by.
They do slow it down slightly for a groovy “Dead Inside” or a kind of Stones’ lick on “Deceptive Expectation,” but they’ve still got that sound and, as “Girl I Know,” the oldest song they play tonight proves, they’ve always had it.
For all that Spaghetti, in his shades and cowboy hat, looks like a rock star, this is all tongue-in-cheek. As they sing on “History Of Rock ‘N’ Roll,” they’re an anecdote to the footnote of the music they love. Although, with “Rock Your Ass,” they have one of the great anthems to it.
Guitar player “Metal” Marty Chandler sings three from his solo record – the Chuck Berry-style boogie of “Working My Ass Off” is perhaps the pick
There’s a new song “Maybe I’m Just Messing With You,” a couple of audience requests, “Pushing Through” being dusted off was very welcome, but they are professional, so “Pretty Fucked Up” and “Born With a Tail” end things as clearly they should.
35 years in and still celebrating music, themselves, and their vision. The greatest rock ‘n’ roll band ever? That’s their claim, and to be fair, they walk the walk almost as well as they talk the talk.
