Imagine Motorhead got a job backing up John Lee Hooker.

That's how Gordie Johnson describes his gritty, country-metal band, Grady.

The Austin, Texas-based trio is more punk rock than the music Johnson performed as front man for the reggae-guitar-rock band Big Sugar.

"I wanted to go away and start from scratch and see if I still had the stamina and the enthusiasm for it," Johnson said.

He sure did.

Grady -- with Big Ben Richardson on bass and the recent addition of drummer Nina Singh -- has been going strong almost five years.

"It's more punk rock than Big Sugar was ever going to be."

Grady performs at the Capital Music Hall tomorrow at 9 p.m. with Reverend Horton Heat and Nashville Pussy.

"We've done the punk rock circuit, now we'll do the stoner rock circuit. That's the way Grady is, we can navigate all those waters pretty easily," Johnson says over the phone from Toronto.

The band has gathered some eclectic fans. Johnson was tickled to see Metallica vocalist James Hetfield at a recent show in Austin.

"He was rocking out and bought a T-shirt," Johnson said.

Grady's first record, Y U So Shady, will be re-released this summer by famous punk label Alternative Tentacles after owner Jello Biafra -- former lead singer of the Dead Kennedys -- heard them at the Continental Club in Austin.

Biafra described the band as the "missing link between Junior Brown and Black Flag."

"These are pretty significant endorsements to get from people who have a reputation for loving their music," Johnson said.

When he's not touring and recording, Johnson is producing for The Trews and Joel Plaskett Emergency.

"It's a little break for me, being in the studio for a month, sleeping in the same bed every night," he said.

He says he raised The Trews "from puppies."

"They had the talent and the drive, they wanted it so bad, we just took the obstacles out of their path."

The platinum-selling producer worked with Joel Plaskett on his multi-award winning album Ashtray Rock.

"I was always a big fan of his music, from his Thrush Hermit days, I was always intrigued by what he was doing," Johnson said.

The pair met in Halifax a couple of weeks ago to start plotting Plaskett's next record, which should be released in the fall.

Tomorrow's show will feature tunes from Grady's new album A Cup of Cold Poison, which was recorded at Willie Nelson's famed Pedernales studio in Austin. It features an audio recording of Nelson telling a joke.

"It's the first time he's ever been recorded telling one of his jokes, which he's quite notorious for," Johnson said.

Originally from Manitoba, Johnson now lives in Austin where he spends his time ranching and recording.

"It's a fantastic environment to make music in, the locals are so supportive of people in their own city," he said.

"I haven't mellowed with age ... just watch me."