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I'm gonna make a start on this and the other guys can correct me...
The original concept of The Five Hanks first germinated over glasses of cheap cask wine and an animated discussion between "Max from Hell" and Hankie Lee Sinatra somewhere in the early eighties (not to put too fine a point on it...).
The original idea was to create a band which would only play train songs and songs by anyone by the name of Hank.
(poster by Sherry Rich - aka Sherry Sue Cactus - Thanks Sherry!).
Great in theory, but the reality was when the band finally had it's first rehearsals some six months later, all sorts of unhealthy ideas began to emerge and flourish and before you knew it almost anything...be it Tennessee Ernie Ford through psychobilly to surfin' instrumentals & 70's Elvis power ballads proved good, hot and greasy enough viddles for inclusion in the Hanks roadhouse diner styled musical diet.
The group was clearly lacking direction, good taste, or sense of direction. Yet somehow managed to forge a sound of it's own and gain a loyal (and very mind altered) following among peeps who should have known better but were willing enough to have a night off from the otherwise often creative energies of Brisbane's inner-city original music scene.
Originally "The Hanks" was only ever meant to be a covers band for "fun" in between more "serious" original music projects however over a time a few originals managed to sneak their way into the mix and the Hanks evolved yet again.
Hanks performances have always tended to be sporadic with the band generally playing only every few months on and off over the years. The band rarely recorded and even more rarely released anything (one song ever - a cover of Elvis Presley's "Guitar Man" which appeared on a Elvis tribute album...something about "Bris-vegas"). The band has always been bloody minded in maintaining the "we're just in it for the fun" angle. Whenever the Hanks didn't play for an extended time rumours would abound that the band had broken up and hence there were many so called "re-union" gigs. However the Hanks maintain firmly that they have never "broken up"....they just have long breaks between gigs sometimes.
This time it's been about 7 years...
Hankie Lee Sinatra
