Dirty Country

Larry Pierce, a 53-year-old Hoosier, may not be the only factory worker who sings country music on the side, but he probably warbles the most explicit lyrics. In the seriocomic documentary Dirty Country, co-directors Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher profile this ordinary guy with the extraordinary mouth, as well as a few other performers who throw decorum and commercial airplay out the window in favor of some profane fun. The film features songwriters, radio personalities, record store owners, and psychologists, who discuss bawdy humor and the popularity of the “party record” (formerly stored behind the counter). Like Doug Clark & His Hot Nuts and the late Clarence Reid, better known as Blowfly, Pierce carries on that tradition. Working at a “boring and monotonous” day job as a molder, Pierce finds solace in his 24-year marriage and the 14 garage-recorded CDs and cassettes he sells at truck stops (through the Laughing Hyena label)…at least until his employer forces him into early retirement. Longtime fans of Pierce—the rowdy rock band “-itis” (pronounced “eye-tis”), known for their twisted humor and lewd onstage antics—show up just in time to boost the artist's flagging spirits, after which Pierce and the group start playing gigs together. Pierce's story ends two years later with him embarking on a trip to New York to appear on The Howard Stern Show. DVD extras include audio commentaries with Pierce and the filmmakers, interviews, extended concert footage, and more. Not for the prudish, this is still recommended. Aud: P. (K. Fennessy)