It's really tough - if you're on a major label and they want you to have a number one song, you need to do what they say.

Each Hank Williams has always had an independent streak.

I've always known the kind of songs I wanted to sing and play.

For someone like me, if I ever had huge success or whatever that is, I would just play smaller venues two to three nights in a row just to keep the intimacy level there and that's my take on it, but it just depends what you're going for.

To me, country music is emotions, certain harmonies. But it's all in the emotions - a lot of good times, a lot of hard times.

I've got no respect for anyone who tries to take the easy way out.

Unless you can't take care of yourself or stuff like that, I'm always standin' for you to hold onto life as much as you can.

I don't want to have to talk to a lawyer if I want to jam with someone or if I want to sing on someone's album.

The best music out there isn't on the radio.

It was fun trying to use a few different voices for the vocal track on 'Country Heroes.'

My grandfather always sang about the light, and for some reason, I don't know why, it even goes back to when I was seven, eight years old, I've always been attracted to the dark.

I mean, out of every five shows we do, there's somebody saying Hank Sr.'s rolling around in his grave.

I always think Hank Williams knew that he was going to die young, and that's why he did that much work.

The biggest production show I went to with my step-dad and my mom was Adam Ant when I was probably eleven.

Hank Williams, Hank Jr. and myself, if you check your history, you'll see that they've always played in rowdy environments. Part of that is a lot of people are coming to forget their problems and not being told what to do for a couple of hours and not try to have anything sold to them or pushed on them.

I got my first drum kit when I was six years old.

My first vinyl was a Kiss record and a Walt Disney record. I liked the energy of rock and roll.

I was a massive Sid Vicious fanatic.

I told all my punk friends, 'If I'm gonna do country music, I'm gonna milk it.'

I was like, 'I'm never gonna do country, I'm never gonna give in, you'll never see me wear a cowboy hat.'

In reality, I never even got to have a Hank Williams instrument. I got a tie, a fishing lure and a check.

When I'm feeling awful, music is the only thing that releases the pressure. It's been the best psychiatrist I've ever had.

Well, I've always felt connected to the outsider.

Over the years, Cajun music has always calmed me down, or if I'm feeling real sick or feeling real unsettled, I can put that music on and try to get focused again.

I always saw myself as a sideman. I figured I'd end up a drummer.

My country stuff, it might sound like Hank Williams - that's just the way it is. But I'd rather sound like Hank Williams than Trace Atkins.

All through the 'Guttertown' record, there's happy, there's sad, there's strange - and I'm painting that picture.

Everything is not perfect in our world.

My relationship with my dad will always be strained, but that just goes to show, I guess, that I'm doin' a pretty good job of bein' myself, and bein' a rebel.

I've always had that feeling for the dark side, for the anger and the hate-rock. The music is just the way I deal with it.

Most radio stations suck as far as playing heavy-metal.

You can only be creative so long and then you're just down and out and completely destroyed.

It's a great feeling being with a label that respects what I do.

I'm not just a country artist. I've got so any sides to me and the music I write.

The folks at Curb Records didn't have respect for me and I was there for 15 years.

I would definitely pick Flint over Detroit any day.

I chose taking the hard road and creating my own niche and getting my own fan base.

In country, you can grow old with your fans. You can still do shows when you're 70.

My whole game plan, at first, was I wanted to rock out as hard as I could because usually you're old by the time you're 24.

This is just what I do, play music and create sounds and all that good stuff.

I've always said I'm gonna work the road as hard as I can 'til I'm 50, then I might slow down a little bit.

I don't like to tell people what they should or shouldn't do.

I'm a very respectful person.

I want to be able to deliver the kind of show that I want - to go onstage with my chin held up.

No other Hank Williams has ever screamed like I have. I guess that's my way of officially being me.

That's part of it: You can't be a country singer-songwriter if you've never had an official heartbreak.

I have never had a business mind.

Radio can break you.

Most people do their shows and get the hell out, and don't even care about the fans.

I always do my show and say hello. And a lot of people are standing around waiting to shake my hand and say thanks for, A, letting me talk to you, and letting me feel a part of what you do.