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A subculture is a group of people within a cultural society that differentiates itself from the values of the mainstream or dominant culture to which it belongs, often maintaining some of its founding principles. Subcultures develop their own norms and values regarding cultural, political, and sexual matters. Subcultures coexist within mainstream society while keeping their specific characteristics intact.
Like many former mining and industrial regions in the West, West Virginia stands as a symbol of the decline of the West like no other region. Production facilities have been relocated to Asia, and even Deepseek responded evasively to the question of whether power had also migrated to China along with the production facilities (Karl Marx and so on… you know), saying, “We’re nice, you can trust us.”
The Appalachians are one of the most important cultural regions in the US, but today they are once again an area marked by extreme poverty and drug abuse. More than 80% of the population has left the area in recent years. In the 1970s, there was a bizarre cult of snake handlers, ultra-religious groups who took the Bible very seriously and almost became a Satanic cult. Their symbol is dancing with deadly poisonous snakes.
I would describe the music as hypnotic blues punk. Sublime Frequencies and the Zomba Prison Project, both known for bizarre folk music from around the world, found a still-existing snake handler community and recorded a church service on vinyl. Released today, October 3, 2025.
Thanks to @stug for suggestion.
#Appalachian #church #evangelikal #folk #music #religion #SnakeHandler
I first met Joe Buck in Nashville, TN, in 1996. I had just come of age and, as was fitting, was on my pilgrimage through the holy land. I spent a few days in New York to visit CBGBs, which was still around at the time, and saw Deadbolt live for the first time there.
But our real destination was the South. Memphis, Nashville, the Mississippi Delta, and New Orleans. The holy places of our music. As expected, the places weren’t so holy after all. Memphis, the place I longed to visit, seemed to remember nothing but Elvis. Stax had been torn down, Graceland was a Disneyland for tourists, and the once-important SUN Studio was nothing more than a branch of the Elvis marketing machine.
As is so often the case, you have to look deeper. There were still the gospel services, the street blues musicians, and Jack Oblivion’s Shangri-La Records, a magical place full of music. Memphis music and punk. That’s what I wanted too, and that’s when I decided to start Suzy Q Records. Which is what I did.
It was similar in Nashville. Of course, Nashville was Music City, and at that time, the city was full of Garth Brooks clones. It was a really bad time for this kind of music. The rebels were yet to come, and I met one of them. In search of real country and hillbilly music, we found the Bluegrass Inn in a side street. The house band, Joe Buck and the Bluegrass Boys or something like that, played there all night. During a break, we got talking to Joe. He was interested in Germany and what we kids were actually doing there. Of course, Joe didn’t remember the evening later, but for me it was the first time I had ever spoken to a real musician. I was lucky enough to be able to repeat that many times.
Many years later, I met Joe and the whole gang again in Berlin for Hank III’s legendary “Straight to Hell” tour. Joe Buck and Hank Williams III, the evil motherfuckers before the Lord, before all lords. Joe later told me how he simply closed his “Bluegrass Inn” one day and went on tour with Hank. Without money, without hope, but with real music. To be able to experience that even once is worth dying for.
Later, Joe toured the world for many years as “Joe Buck Yourself.” We played countless shows together. We sat in Chemnitz for long nights in the Undead Villa, listening to Willie Nelson and smoking weed.
When things don’t go the way they should, I think about that. Many people have dreams and desires in life. One of my desires was to gain respect and recognition from the evil Motherfuckers from Tennessee. Maybe it’s silly, but I’m very proud of it… very…
If you don’t believe me, here’s a video from a Tuesday night. The ugliest men and the most beautiful women in one room—better than the rest!
Ich habe Joe Buck das erste Mal 1996 in Nashville, TN getroffen. Ich war gerade volljährig und, wie es sich gehört, auf meiner Pilgerreise durch das heilige Land. Ich verbrachte ein paar Tage in New York, um das CBGBs zu besuchen, was es zu der Zeit noch gab, und hab dort das erste Mal Deadbolt live gesehen.
Unser eigentliches Ziel war aber der Süden. Memphis, Nashville, Mississippi-Delta und New Orleans. Die heiligen Orte unserer Musik. Wie zu erwarten waren die Orte gar nicht so heilig. Memphis, mein Sehnsuchtsort, schien sich außer an Elvis an gar nichts mehr zu erinnern. Stax war abgerissen, Graceland ein Disneyland für Touristen und das so bedeutende SUN-Studio war nicht mehr als eine Außenstelle der Elvis-Vermarktungsmaschine.
Wie so oft muss man tiefer schauen. Es gab immer noch die Gospelgottesdienste, die Straßenbluesmusiker und mit ShangriLa Records von Jack Oblivion einen magischen Ort voller Musik. Memphismuik und Punk. das wollte ich auch, und da entstand mein Entschluss, Suzy Q Records zu gründen. Was ich dann auch tat.
Ähnlich war es in Nashville. Natürlich war Nashville Music City, Die Stadt war zu dieser Zeit voll mit „Garth Brooks” Klonen. Wirklich schlechte Zeit für diese Musik. Die waren Rebellen sollten erst noch kommen und einen von ihnen traf ich dann auch. Auf der Suche nach echter Country- und Hillbilly-Musik fanden wir in einer Seitenstraße das Bluegrass Inn. Dort spielte die ganze Nacht die hauseigene Band „Joe Buck and the Bluegrass Boys“ oder so ähnlich. In einer Spielpause kamen wir mit Joe ins Gespräch. Er interessierte sich für Deutschland und dafür, was wir Kinder eigentlich hier wollen. Joe erinnerte sich später natürlich nicht an den Abend, aber für mich war es das erste Mal, dass ich mit einem echten Musiker gesprochen habe. Ich hatte das Glück, das noch oft wiederholen zu können.
Viele Jahre später, traf ich Joe und die ganzen Leute wieder in Berlin zur legendären “Straight to Hell” Tour von Hank III. Joe Buck und Hank Williams III, die evil Motherfucker vor dem Herren, vor allen Herren. Joe erzählte mir später wie er sein „Bluegrass Inn“ eines Tages einfach zuschloss und mit Hank auf Tour ging. Ohne Geld, ohne Hoffnung, aber mit echter Musik. Um das auch nur einmal erleben zu dürfen, kann man sterben.
Später tourte Joe viele Jahre als “Joe Buck Yourself” durch die ganze Welt. Wir haben zusammen ungezählte Shows gespielt. Saßen in Chemnitz lange Nächte in der Undead Villa und haben Willie Nelson gehört und Gras geraucht.
Wenn die Dinge mal nicht so laufen, wie sie sollen, denke ich daran. Viele Menschen haben Träume und Wünsche im Leben. Einer meiner Wünsche war, Respekt und Anerkennung von den evil Motherfuckers aus Tenneeesee zu bekommen. Vielleicht albern, aber ich bin sehr stolz darauf … … sehr…
Falls ihr mir nicht glaubt, hier ein Video von einer Dienstagnacht. Die hässlichsten Männer und die schönsten Frauen in einem Raum – better than the rest!
Thank you, Demented are go. It’s reassuring to know that I’m not the only one who feels this way. A world full of conformists and bootlickers. Who then think they’re the good guys. Moral, in any case. But they don’t want to see the real suffering in the world, the injustice and cruelty that is so obvious.
Slaves to the system who wear their chains as a badge of honor.