2002-04-13 - 7:02 a.m.
Well, here we go. The Hick Hop battle begins. Check this story out. Click here and then come back. .http://music.netscape.com/mynsnews/story2.tmpl?cat=music&cp=muspspap&sid=0001/20020412/143014085
As most of you know, there is a song on my new album called Hick Hop. I wrote and recorded that tune back in 1997. A few years later I read an interview with Kid Rock where he called his music "hick hop." Right then I knew that this day would come. I've heard a lot of people sling this term around. From my old manager, who was hangin' out with some cats in Jersey, who were putting banjo on some rap tracks to a few hipsters here in Austin. But I will end the debate right here.
The term Hick Hop and the idea for fusing country and rap were the brain child of the one and only Jeff Smith, lead singer of The Hickoids. Jeff pulled me aside at the Cannibal Club (where I worked as a DJ) one night and told me that he wanted to start a hick hop band. Now, Cannibal closed around '90-'91. So Jeff probably told me this in 1989. I thought it was genius and the idea never left me. When I started work on Faster Than The Speed Of Suck, Jeff still hadn't done anything with his brilliant idea and I figured enough time had passed to pursue his vision. Hick Hop seemed an obvious vehicle for the radio parody theme of the record. The tune practically wrote itself and now it's become a staple at Spanker shows.
So there you have it. The history of Hick Hop. For the uninitiated, The Hickoids were one of the most amazing bands I have ever had the privilege of seeing. They could be the greatest live band in the world and the worst, sometimes within the span of two songs. They put out three pieces of vinyl, We're In It For The Corn, Hardcorn and Waltz Across Dressed Texas. If you ever come over to the house, I'll be happy to play them for you. You might be able to find some of their stuff on the web. Do yourself a favor and search for them.
An idea as obvious as Hick Hop was bound to pop up in different places. This sort of thing happens a lot. Hell, I was watching The Osbournes the other night and Jack's band suggested the name Jack Sabbath. Mikey and I have been using that one for years.
