Until HARDY came along, nü metal and country were still relative ... do that/That shirt, this hat/Don’t forget to smile/Kiss the ring once in a while/Don’t say, those words/Put down your ...

Michael Hardy wanders into the bar at the Troubadour on a recent morning — last night was a long one, so he’s wearing mirrored shades beneath his camo-print trucker hat — and catches sight ...