Scott H. Biram

Lots of artists get touted for being raw and uncompromising, but Texan hellraiser Scott H. Biram truly is. Put in perspective, Biram didn't "compromise" when he was hit head-on by an 18-wheeler truck and took to the stage in a wheelchair a month later with two broken legs and an IV stuck in his arm! It's no small wonder that the fiery abrasion of his performance didn't finish him off for good. It's also unfortunate that in music (not to mention in life), having a strong personality is all you need to have people falling over themselves to kiss your ass. If you're unfamiliar with Biram's one-man growler act, however, don't be fooled: This man has way more up his sleeve than cheap personality-cult appeal. Biram uses his guitar and voice as if he's trying to scrape the last remaining bits of dead flesh off an animal carcass. (Meanwhile, he keeps simple time on a kickdrum pedal with his left foot.) His raucous blend of psychobilly, blues, country, metal, and rock suggests an inner starvation for true expression and honesty that, frankly, should lead you to question the conviction of everyone you've ever seen set foot on a stage. At the end of the day, though, the songs themselves have a compelling, catchy power. Rough as he is, Biram is no ham-fisted brute when it comes to songwriting.