HANK IV is a San Francisco panic-skiffle rock band with no relation whatsoever to the Hank Williams clan. Fronted by the spectacle of singer Bob McDonald and his jaw-dropping dance moves, Hank IV plays hard-charging, melodic, primitive, cathartic, dual-guitar rock music that has been likened to “Crime meets Viletones meets Styrenes punk” (Z-Gun Magazine) and by WFMU’s DJ Terre T as “a sick combination of Volcano Suns and Blue Cheer and Chain Gang!” Already having established a reputation as one of San Francisco’s most riveting live acts, Hank IV changed drummers in July, installing Scott Jones (formerly of the Touch-and-Go band Brickbat) on the traps. The “tighter yet looser and way more rocking” results were immediately apparent as the band recently turned in a trio of defining, still-talked about performances at Gonerfest IV in Memphis, supporting Pierced Arrows at Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco, and headlining opening night of Oakland’s Budget Rock VI festival. Following up last fall’s debut LP “Third Person Shooter” (Hook or Crook), Hank IV released its first 7”, “Dirty Poncho”, on the Plastic Idol label in May. “Dirty Poncho”, a scorching expose of the social phenomenon of beautiful girls wearing filthy ponchos to a Vetiver concert in Los Angles, received heavy airplay on radio stations such as KUSF, KDVS and WFMU (on which Hank IV has twice performed live -- the Brian Turner and Terre T shows). "Dirty Poncho" spent three months (early May-early August) on the KUSF 90.3 local Top Ten, including two weeks as the number one local record in mid/late June, and cracking the Top 10 for the entire station in June. Playing shows this November with Intelligence, Dan Melchior, and Jay Reatard, over the past year Hank IV has played gigs with Black Lips, Earthless, Pierced Arrows, Sic Alps, Birds of Avalon, Los Llamarada, Mr. Airplane Man, Eddy Current Suppression Ring and been selected to the aforementioned Gonerfest and Budget Rock festivals. Hank IV is in the process of writing and recording its second full-length album, scheduled for summer/fall 2008 release. Selected press quotes: “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 “The new 7” from Hank IV ‘Dirty Poncho’/Symptomatic’ get’s the pulse racin’ like I figured it would. The a-side find ’em at their most aggressive yet, spinnin’ a yarn about a gal (I think) I know who has a thing for the ‘Susan Atkins look’. She’s lucky they didn’t say nothin’ about that moustache. Right Sanchez? Ding! The flip chews & spits out more of the proto-skiffle tar ‘n tuneage these guys have been excellin’ at since their inception.” – Siltbreeze/Siltblog “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. Take “Mimehunter,” for example, where singer Bob McDonald sneers nuggets like “I choked the talking mime, he died in record time.” This sort of disquieting whimsy courses throughout Third Person Shooter, as evidenced by such song titles as “Melonhead,” “Crime of the Scene,” and “Hole in My Eye.” Mixed by Tim Green (of the Fucking Champs) at Louder Studios, the album well represents the Bay Area. Loaded with anthemic tandem vocals and dueling guitar clamor, Third Person Shooter makes a solid addition to San Francisco’s current rock arsenal.” — SF Weekly
http://2008.sxsw.com/music/showcases/band/67430.html
