WEST SEATTLE, Washington, July 30, 2010 (WSFB) – If you’ve spent any time on the road – hitchhiking, driving truck, driving drunk, fleeing from the law, or running from that crazy bitch back in Pocatello – you can relate to the gritty, raw sound that is Bullitt County.

Bassist for Bullitt County and Seattle music promoter, Ted Walker took the time to field a few questions from the Funblog on behalf of the rest of the band. This interview might result in Big John Hamhock (founder, lead guitar) piledriving Ted off the back of a flatbed truck while Earl Haikka (guitar) and Ray Pena (drums) watch, but that’s a risk he’s willing to take.

Belly up to the rail and shotgun some of what Ted’s cookin’!

WSFB: Tell our readers about Bullitt County; when / how did the band get together?

TW: This incarnation of BC has been together a couple of months now. Big John was scanning the King County Jail release records one day as he’s prone to do, and noticed the three of us all made bail on the same day and figured it was a sign.

WSFB: On Bullitt County’s MySpace page there’s a defining passage that reads, “..the bastard offspring of rednecks and punks, of hillbillies and headbangers…” – sounds like our family (Mom’s side is all Okies and Arkies, crazies, boozers, dopers, preachers, and cowboys). Is there a difference between rednecks and hillbillies? If so, what’s the defining feature?

TW: I see where you’re going with this line of questioning “Luigi”, and frankly I’m a little disappointed in y’all. We don’t label people anymore. We treat both the rednecks AND the hillbillies equally, that is to say as long as they show up to the shows, buy our CD’s, and shower us with rounds and rounds of good whiskey, then they are our brothers. [sometimes literally]…By the way, how is Your Mom? Tell her I said hi.

WSFB: So the Cornbread Ball is coming up and Bullitt County is on the bill. How did the band get involved in this event?

TW: Big John lost a bet. Best to leave it at that. Actually Big John has a big heart, and the Cornbread Ball is a way for folks to give back to those who may have been hit hard by the Bush Recession, and could use a little help with supper right about now.

WSFB: While I’m writing this email I’ve got “Two Bottles of Tequila” playing in the background. Is it just me, or am I detecting a little Hunter S. Thompson influence in the lyrics? Nobody sings about LSD or salt shakers full of cocaine anymore. Is HST a literary influence for Bullitt County? Has the band ever had a “Fear and Loathing” experience?

TW: The Good Doctor is indeed one our biggest guiding influences. We spent many a night at Owl Farm learning the finer points of overindulgence and blowing up things. The fact that Hunter checked out on my birthday really pissed me off though. He never could just give me that one day to myself. He HAD to upstage me again.

As to the second part of your question, I simply refer you back to the previously mentioned bail hearings…..

WSFB: If Big John Hamhock was a vegetarian, what would his nickname be?

TW: Did PETA put you up to this? Since when did the West Seattle Funblog become a mouthpiece for the fringe left?…. That’s just silly. Everyone knows the only vegetable Big John has ever met was some corn in his sour mash. Unless we’re counting that time he was introduced to Ronald Reagan

WSFB: If Bullitt County could run over any other band with their van / car / truck / bus, what band would that be? Would you take their equipment and use it, or would you sell it all to get hookers and blow?

TW: That’s easy. GUNS OF NEVADA. Those bastards have been a real burr in our saddle since day one. They get all the cool gigs, and they beat us out of our Grammy last year. In fact Guns of Nevada kept us from solving world peace as well as convinced the Florida Supreme Court to stop the recount in 2000. They’re bullies who steal our beer money and make out with our wives while we’re onstage. Crosswalk or not, there wouldn’t be a skidmark in sight.

WSFB: Tits or ass: which is more useful?

TW: Not sure yet, I’ve seen your tits but we got sidetracked before I could get a good look at that moneymaker of yours.

You better not miss Bullitt County at the Cornbread Ball this Saturday. You’ve been warned.

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