Joel “Hooch” Parkins, frontman and guitar “virtuoso” of St. Thomas, Ontario born horrorbilly band the Matadors and “ foremost purveyors of Lucifarian Gospel music” is a real character, even when he isn’t playing one.
The Matadors are no strangers to stirring the pot of controversy, being a tribute to Jimi Hendrix that went horribly wrong with the politically correct crowd a few years ago or their latest Porn for the Unborn Drive or simply their avowed affinity for Satan.
Parkins brings the Matadors and his ’90 something rock and roll alter ego Butch Haller back to Lethbridge to play the Moose Hall, Oct. 9 to play a show with the Conniving Cadavers.
“Back in 1995 I was playing in a rockabilly band that was the Matadors with a different line up for a room full of drunk farm workers outside of Chatham and I was approached by representatives from the Lucifarian Brotherhood and they said they could make me a superhero with the superpower of being a virtuoso guitarist. And look at me now. Our relationship is more of a working relationship,” Parkins laughed, breaking character.
“I almost said all that without breaking character,” he chuckled.
He has been in the studio with Butch Haller recording rockabilly/ country versions of some of the favourite ’80s hits “that he wrote.”
“ It will have eight to 10 songs on it and all of them are hits. There's even a video of him we found,” he said adding he hopes the CD will catch the essence of Butch Haller.
“He's a live experience, so it isn’t an official release because we don’t operate with a record company or grants like some bands like band like the Brains do,” he said.
He is also working on a new Matadors’ album.
“I don’t operate under a record label, so I don’t have to be recording all the time. It’s still my baby. It’s been about seven years since the last one,” he said.
“ I haven’t played in three weeks, so I’m going a little crazy. I don’t work again until we play Calgary,” Parkins said.
He hasn’t been idle though. He is working on a re-release of their 2002 CD “The Devil’s Music.”
“And lately I’ve been chasing Butch Haller around, which keeps me busy,” he said.
“ I’ve been not taking shit too seriously,” he said adding the new music is in a similar vein to his previous songs.
He is going to California in February to work on more new music.
“The way it works is I write everything and give it to the band,” he said.
Hooch Parkins also does a podcast.
“It’s a connection tool. It’ the random thoughts of Hooch, ramblings and ideas. I talk about guitars and bands, whatever is on my mind,” he said.
He is excited to return to Lethbridge.
“ Come and see the show and take off your pants,” he advised.
Calgary horror punk band the Conniving Cadavers will be joining The Matadors and Butch Haller. Doors open at 8 p.m. There is a $15 cover for the show.
