Psychobilly is a genre of rock music that mixes elements of punk rock, rockabilly, and other genres. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe The United States of America —commonly referred to as the California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld This is a timeline of Alternative rock, from its beginnings in the 1960s to the present This is a list of notable Psychobilly bands Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of Rock and roll music and emerged in the early 1950s It is often characterized by lyrical references to science fiction, horror and exploitation films, violence, lurid sexuality, and other topics generally considered taboo, though often presented in a comedic or tongue-in-cheek fashion. Horror films are Movies that strive to elicit Fear, Horror and terror responses from viewers Exploitation film is a type of film that eschews the expense of quality productions in favor of making films inexpensively attracting viewers by exciting their more prurient interests Violence is the exertion of force so as to injure or abuse The word is used broadly to describe the destructive action of natural phenomena like Storms and Earthquakes Generally speaking human sexuality is how people experience and express themselves as sexual beings A taboo is a strong Social prohibition (or ban) against words objects actions or discussions that are considered undesirable or offensive by a group culture Tongue-in-cheek is a term used to refer to humor in which a statement or an entire fictional work is not meant to be taken seriously but its lack of seriousness is subtle Psychobilly music is often played with an upright double bass instead of the electric bass more common in modern rock music. The double bass is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed String instrument used in the modern symphony orchestra. The electric bass guitar (also called electric bass, or simply bass; ˈbeɪs as in "base" is a Stringed instrument played primarily with the Psychobilly gained underground popularity in Europe beginning in the early 1980s, but remained largely unknown in the United States until the late 1990s. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Since then the success of several notable psychobilly bands has led to its mainstream popularity and attracted international attention to the genre.

History

The evolution of psychobilly as a genre is often described as having occurred in waves. The first wave occurred in Britain in the early 1980s, the second wave took place at the end of that decade and spread through the rest of Europe, and the third crested in the late 1990s with the genre finding international popularity. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located ^[1]

Origins

The Cramps are considered progenitors of psychobilly. The Cramps are an American Punk rock band formed in 1976. Their line-up has rotated much over the years with lead singer Lux Interior and lead guitarist

In the mid- to late 1970s, as punk rock became popular, several rockabilly and garage rock bands appeared who would influence the development of psychobilly. Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of Rock and roll music and emerged in the early 1950s ^[1] The term "psychobilly" was first used in the lyrics to the country song "One Piece at a Time", written by Wayne Kemp for Johnny Cash, which was a Top 10 hit in the United States in 1976. Country music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. " One Piece at a Time " is a humorous Rockabilly song written by Wayne Kemp and recorded by Johnny Cash in 1976 Johnny Cash (born J R Cash; February 26 1932 - September 12 2003 was a Grammy Award -winning American country Singer-songwriter. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The lyrics describe the construction of a "psychobilly Cadillac. Cadillac is a Brand of Luxury vehicles owned by General Motors. "^[2] The rock band The Cramps, who formed in Sacramento, California in 1972 and relocated to New York in 1975 where they became part of the city's thriving punk movement, appropriated the term from the Cash song and described their music as "psychobilly" and "rockabilly voodoo" on flyers advertising their concerts. Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. The Cramps are an American Punk rock band formed in 1976. Their line-up has rotated much over the years with lead singer Lux Interior and lead guitarist The City of New York A flyer (also spelled flier or called handbill) is a single page leaflet Advertising a Nightclub, event, service, or other ^[2] The Cramps have since rejected the idea of being a part of a psychobilly subculture, noting that "We weren't even describing the music when we put 'psychobilly' on our old fliers; we were just using carny terms to drum up business. Carny or Carnie is a Slang term for a carnival ( Funfair) employee A carny is anyone who runs a "joint" (booth "grab joint" It wasn't meant as a style of music. "^[2] Nevertheless, The Cramps, along with artists such as Screamin' Jay Hawkins and the Stray Cats, are considered important precursors to psychobilly. Jalacy Hawkins, best known as Screamin' Jay Hawkins ( July 18, 1929 &ndash February 12, 2000) was an African-American singer The Stray Cats are a Rockabilly band formed in 1979 by guitarist/vocalist Brian Setzer (Bloodless Pharaohs/ Brian Setzer Orchestra) with ^[1][2] The Cramps' music was heavily informed by the sound and attitude of 1950s American rockabilly, and they recorded numerous covers of songs from the Sun Records catalog. Sun Records was a Record label based in Memphis, Tennessee, starting operations on March 27 1952. Their 1979 album Songs the Lord Taught Us is considered influential to the formation of the psychobilly genre. Songs the Lord Taught Us is an album by Psychobilly band The Cramps, released in 1979. ^[3]

First wave in Britain

The Meteors are considered the first verifiable psychobilly band. The Meteors are a Psychobilly band Originally from the United Kingdom, they are often credited with giving the genre its distinctive sound

The Meteors, formed in South London in 1979, are considered the first verifiable psychobilly band. The Meteors are a Psychobilly band Originally from the United Kingdom, they are often credited with giving the genre its distinctive sound South London is the southern part of London, England. The area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes Their albums In Heaven (1981) and Wreckin' Crew (1983) are recognized as landmarks of the early years of the genre. ^[1][3] The Meteors blended elements of punk rock, rockabilly, and horror film themes in their music. Horror films are Movies that strive to elicit Fear, Horror and terror responses from viewers They also articulated psychobilly's apolitical stance, a reaction to the right- and left-wing political attitudes which divided British youth cultures. Politics Politics is the process by which groups of people make decisions ^[1] Fans of The Meteors, known as "the Crazies", are often attributed with inventing the style of slam dancing known as "wrecking", which became synonymous with the psychobilly movement. Moshing or slamming refers to the activity in which audience members at live music performances aggressively push or slam into each other ^[2] The short-lived Sharks, formed in Bristol in 1980, followed closely behind The Meteors with their influential album Phantom Rockers. Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London ^[1][4] Another significant British band were the Guana Batz, formed in Feltham, Middlesex in 1983. The Guana Batz are an English Psychobilly band that was formed in 1982 in Feltham Middlesex. Feltham is a town in the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located about 13 miles (21 km west-southwest of central London at Charing Cross, 2 miles (3 Middlesex is one of the 39 historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. ^[4] Their first album, 1985's Held Down to Vinyl at Last, has been described by Tiger Army frontman Nick 13 as "the most important release since the Meteors' first two albums. Tiger Army is a Psychobilly band that was formed in 1995 in Berkeley California. Nick 13 (born Kearney Nick Jones 1975 in San Jose California) is the Guitarist Vocalist, and main songwriter of Psychobilly band "^[1]

The Klub Foot nightclub, opened in 1982 at the Clarendon Hotel in Hammersmith, served as a center for Britain's emerging psychobilly movement and hosted many bands associated with the style. The Klub Foot was a highly influential Nightclub in the Psychobilly scene of the early 80's A nightclub (or "night club" or "club" is a drinking, dancing, and entertainment venue which does its primary business after dark Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in West London, approximately 5 miles (8km west of Charing Cross on Johnny Bowler of the Guana Batz describes the club as "the focal point for the whole psychobilly scene. You'd get people from all over at those gigs. It built the scene. Record labels like Nervous were there, signing bands all the time. "^[1] A live compilation album entitled Stomping at the Klub Foot was released in 1984, documenting the club's scene and the bands who played there. A compilation album is an Album ( Music or Spoken-word) featuring tracks from one or multiple Recording artists, often culled from a variety of ^[1][3]

Second wave in Europe

The second wave of psychobilly is noted as having begun with the 1986 release of British band Demented Are Go's debut album In Sickness & In Health. Demented are Go (often abbreviated DAG are a Welsh Psychobilly band that was formed around 1982 in Cardiff. For the BBC sitcom see In Sickness and in Health In Sickness & In Health is the debut album of Welsh psychobilly band ^[2] The genre soon spread throughout Europe, inspiring a number of new acts such as Mad Sin (formed in Germany in 1987) and the Nekromantix (formed in Denmark in 1989), whose 1991 album Curse of the Coffin is also considered a landmark of this era. Mad Sin is a German Psychobilly group that began in 1987. History Founded 1987 by Köfte who had just dropped out of school punk and rockabilly Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Nekromantix are a Danish - American Psychobilly band formed in 1989 in Copenhagen Denmark and currently recording for Hellcat Records The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe Curse of the Coffin is the second album by the Danish Psychobilly band the Nekromantix, released in 1991 by Nervous Records. ^[3] The Quakes became the premier American psychobilly act after forming in Buffalo, New York in 1986, but had such difficulty building a following in their hometown that they moved to London the following year, where they released the influential album Voice of America in 1992. The Quakes are a Psychobilly band from Buffalo NY. They were formed in 1986, and were one of the very first American psychobilly bands Buffalo (ˈbʌfəloʊ is the second largest city in New York State. ^[1][2][3][4] Another significant release of this era was the compilation album Rockabilly Psychosis and the Garage Disease, which acknowledged the genre's roots in rockabilly and garage rock. ^[3]

The second-wave bands broadened the music's scope, with an "anything goes" attitude that included bringing new and diverse musical influences into the sound. ^[2] Record labels such as Nervous and Crazy Love helped the genre to expand, although it still remained largely unnoticed in the United States, where the albums were poorly distributed and most psychobilly bands preferred to play "weekenders" than to tour. ^[2] Nick 13 notes that, while other European trends such as scooter riding, the skinhead movement, and two-tone ska crossed over to America during the 1980s, psychobilly did not: "Why psychobilly is the only [import] that didn't come over here [back then], I really don't know. A skinhead is a member of a Subculture that originated among Working class youths in the United Kingdom in the 1960s and then spread to other parts of 2 Tone (or Two Tone) is a Music genre created in England in the late 1970s by fusing elements of Ska, Punk rock, Rocksteady Ska ( pronounced /ska/ or in Jamaican Patois /skja/ is a Music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and which was the precursor "^[2] One American act that did emulate the style, however, was The Reverend Horton Heat, formed in Dallas, Texas in 1985. Reverend Horton Heat is both a three-piece Psychobilly / Rockabilly band from Dallas Texas and the Stage name of its Singer / Their 1990 single "Psychobilly Freakout" helped introduce American audiences to the genre. " Psychobilly Freakout " is a 7" single by The Reverend Horton Heat. The band was heavily inspired by The Cramps, and original Cramps members Lux Interior and Poison Ivy have both identified The Reverend Horton Heat as the latter-day rockabilly/psychobilly band most closely resembling the style and tone of The Cramps. Erick Lee Purkhiser (born October 21, 1946) better known as Lux Interior, is an American Punk rock musician and a founding member of the band Kristy Wallace (b Kristy Marlana Wallace February 20, 1953, San Bernardino, California) better known as Poison Ivy, is a ^[5]

Third wave internationally

Tiger Army, shown here performing on the 2007 Warped Tour, are one of the most significant American psychobilly acts. Tiger Army is a Psychobilly band that was formed in 1995 in Berkeley California. The Warped Tour' is a touring music and Extreme sports festival

The third wave of psychobilly began in the mid-1990s and continued the genre's evolution, with many acts expanding their musical pallette by experimenting with influences such as hardcore punk, indie rock, heavy metal, new wave, goth rock, surf rock, country, and ska and adding them to psychobilly's punk/rockabilly mix. Hardcore punk (now usually referred to as simply hardcore) is a subgenre of Punk rock that originated in North America in the late 1970s Indie rock is genre of Alternative rock that primarily exists in the independent Underground music scene This article is about the musical style of gothic rock For the goth scene in general see Goth subculture. Surf rock is a style of music that originated in the USA that mixes elements of Surf music and Rock music, and partially due to the number of Mexican Country music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. Ska ( pronounced /ska/ or in Jamaican Patois /skja/ is a Music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and which was the precursor ^[2] It was during this era that psychobilly became popular in the United States, particularly in southern California, where punk rock had thrived and remained popular since the 1970s. The area's large Latin community, which revered early rock and roll icons, also played a part, as did the popularity of bands like the horror-influenced Misfits and country/rockabilly-inspired Social Distortion, as well as a celebration of hot rod and motorcycle culture. Rock and roll (also known as rock 'n' roll) is a form of Music that evolved in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s with roots in mostly African The Misfits are an American Social Distortion (sometimes referred to simply as Social D) is an American Punk rock band formed in 1978 Hot rods are typically American cars with large engines modified for linear speed MotorCycle is the title of a 1993 album by Rock band Daniel Amos, released on BAI Records. ^[2] Tiger Army, formed in San Francisco in 1995, became the dominant American psychobilly act following the release of their 1999 self-titled debut. Tiger Army is a Psychobilly band that was formed in 1995 in Berkeley California. The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city ^[2][3] Their touring in support of the album helped to establish a foothold for psychobilly across the United States. ^[1] Los Angeles-based Hellcat Records, run by Rancid's Tim Armstrong, became a home to many psychobilly acts including Tiger Army, Devil's Brigade, the Rezurex, and the Danish groups Nekromantix and HorrorPops, both of whom relocated to southern California in the early 2000s. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Hellcat Records is an independent Record label based in Los Angeles California. Rancid is a punk band formed in 1991 in Albany California, by Matt Freeman and Tim Armstrong. Timothy Lockwood Armstrong (born November 25, 1966) is an influential American musician and songwriter best known for his work with Punk rock Devil's Brigade is a Psychobilly band and side project formed by Matt Freeman of Rancid fame Rezurex is a Psychobilly band from Los Angeles California. The band was originally called Lobo Negro. HorrorPops are a Danish band that formed in 1996 The band's sound is rooted in new wave, Punk rock, Psychobilly, and Rockabilly. ^[2] Guana Batz members Pip Hancox and Johnny Bowler relocated there as well, moving to San Diego where they sometimes perform with Slim Jim Phantom of the Stray Cats under the name Guana Cats. ^[4] Other notable southern California psychobilly bands formed in the 1990s include the Rocketz and The Chop Tops. The Chop Tops are a revved-up Rockabilly band from Santa Cruz California consisting of Sinner ( vocals /standing Drums, Shelby (

The Living End share many of psychobilly's characteristics and have experienced international success. The Living End are an Australian rock band based in Melbourne, Victoria.

The genre remained vital in Europe, where new acts continued to appear. Asmodeus formed in Amsterdam in 1992, the same year the Kryptonix emerged in France, while the Godless Wicked Creeps formed in Denmark the following year. Amsterdam (pronounced) is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland in the west This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. ^[2][6] The Sharks also re-formed in Britain, releasing the album Recreational Killer. ^[4] Other psychobilly bands and scenes emerged in other countries, such as Battle of Ninjamanz in Japan (formed in 1994) and Os Catalepticos in Brazil (formed in 1996). For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld ^[6] Australian act The Living End formed in 1994 and scored a hit with the double single "Second Solution"/"Prisoner of Society" in 1998, which peaked for several weeks at #4 on the Australian charts and became the country's highest selling single of the decade. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The Living End are an Australian rock band based in Melbourne, Victoria. " Second Solution/Prisoner of Society " is the first radio single/ EP from The Living End, following after the group's second EP The Living End generally describe their style as "punkabilly" rather than psychobilly because they do not share the genre's fascination with horror imagery, though they do share the characteristic of blending punk rock and rockabilly at fast tempos with a double bass and share much the same fanbase. The double bass is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed String instrument used in the modern symphony orchestra.

Style

Music

Musically, psychobilly is rooted primarily in two genres: late 1970s punk rock and 1950s American rockabilly. Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of Rock and roll music and emerged in the early 1950s Tiger Army frontman Nick 13 has described how the style is based in rockabilly, yet distinct from it: "The number-one misconception people have is that psychobilly is the same thing as rockabilly. Rockabilly is on the family tree, but it's a totally different sound and attitude. "^[1] Psychobilly progenitors The Cramps acknowledge their music's deep roots in American blues, rhythm and blues, and traditional rock and roll. The Cramps are an American Punk rock band formed in 1976. Their line-up has rotated much over the years with lead singer Lux Interior and lead guitarist The Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of Music based on the use of the Blue notes It emerged as an accessible form of self-expression Rock and roll (also known as rock 'n' roll) is a form of Music that evolved in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s with roots in mostly African ^[2][5] Critics have noted that present-day psychobilly also draws from a number of other rock genres and subgenres. Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. Alternative Press writer Ryan Downey describes the sound as a mix of styles: "Driven by the rhythmic pounding of a stand-up bass, the music swings with the snarl of punk rock while sometimes thrashing alongside speed metal or crashing headlong into country icon Hank Williams. Alternative Press (or commonly referred to on the website and in the magazine as AP) is an American music magazine based in Cleveland Ohio which primarily The double bass is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed String instrument used in the modern symphony orchestra. Speed metal is a sub-genre of Heavy metal music originating in the late 1970s and early 1980s that was the direct musical progenitor of Thrash metal. Country music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. Hank Williams ( September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American Singer-songwriter and Musician who has "^[1] Downey also acknowledges that modern psychobilly's roots extend into two-tone ska, garage rock, and the punk subgenres hardcore punk, street punk, and oi!. 2 Tone (or Two Tone) is a Music genre created in England in the late 1970s by fusing elements of Ska, Punk rock, Rocksteady Ska ( pronounced /ska/ or in Jamaican Patois /skja/ is a Music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and which was the precursor Hardcore punk (now usually referred to as simply hardcore) is a subgenre of Punk rock that originated in North America in the late 1970s Street punk, also known as Streetpunk, is a Working class subgenre of Punk rock which took shape in the early 1980s partly as a rebellion against the increasingly Oi! is a Working class street-level subgenre of Punk rock that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s ^[1][2][6] Hilary Okun, publicist for Epitaph and Hellcat Records, notes that "The music appeals to fans of punk, indie, metal, new wave, goth, rockabilly, surf, [and] country. Epitaph Records is a Hollywood California based Record label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. Hellcat Records is an independent Record label based in Los Angeles California. Indie rock is genre of Alternative rock that primarily exists in the independent Underground music scene This article is about the musical style of gothic rock For the goth scene in general see Goth subculture. Surf rock is a style of music that originated in the USA that mixes elements of Surf music and Rock music, and partially due to the number of Mexican "^[2] The influence of heavy metal on the psychobilly style resulted in the Nekromantix's 1994 album Brought Back to Life being nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of "Best Heavy Metal Album. The Nekromantix are a Danish - American Psychobilly band formed in 1989 in Copenhagen Denmark and currently recording for Hellcat Records Brought Back to Life is the third album by the Danish Psychobilly band the Nekromantix, released in 1994 by Intermusic Records The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences "^[8]

HorrorPops frontwoman Patricia Day plays an elaborately decorated double bass, a common instrument in psychobilly. HorrorPops are a Danish band that formed in 1996 The band's sound is rooted in new wave, Punk rock, Psychobilly, and Rockabilly. Patricia Day is the bassist and lead Singer for the Danish Rockabilly band HorrorPops. The double bass is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed String instrument used in the modern symphony orchestra.

Psychobilly is commonly played with a simple guitar/bass/drum/vocal arrangement, with many bands consisting of only three members. The guitar is a Musical instrument with ancient roots that is used in a wide variety of musical styles The electric bass guitar (also called electric bass, or simply bass; ˈbeɪs as in "base" is a Stringed instrument played primarily with the A drum kit (also drum set or trap set) is a collection of Drums Cymbals and sometimes other Percussion instruments such as cowbells Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, which is often contrasted with Speech. Frequently the guitarist or bassist will serve simultaneously as vocalist, with few acts having a dedicated singer. A guitarist is a Musician who plays the Guitar. Guitarists may perform solo pieces or play with ensembles and bands of a wide variety of genres A bass player (bassist is a Musician who plays a Double bass, Bass guitar, keyboard bass or wind An upright double bass is frequently used instead of the electric bass more common in modern rock music, an influence drawn from 1950s rockabilly and rock and roll groups. The double bass is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed String instrument used in the modern symphony orchestra. The electric bass guitar (also called electric bass, or simply bass; ˈbeɪs as in "base" is a Stringed instrument played primarily with the The bass is often played in the "slap" style in which the player snaps the string by pulling it until it hits the fingerboard, or hits the strings against the fingerboard, adding a high-pitched percussive "clack" or "slap" sound to the low-pitched bass notes. The double bass is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed String instrument used in the modern symphony orchestra. Some acts have made the upright bass the centerpiece of their arrangements, constructing large and elaborately decorated bass guitars which draw the audience's eye or match the visual imagery of the band and music. An example of this is the "coffinbass" used by Nekromantix frontman Kim Nekroman, a double bass with a body in the shape of a coffin and a headstock in the shape of a cross. Kim Nekroman is the bassist and lead singer for the psychobilly band Nekromantix and the lead guitarist of HorrorPops. A coffin (also known as a casket in North American English) is a funerary Box used in the display and containment of deceased remains – either for The Christian cross is the best-known Religious symbol of Christianity. Nekroman created his original "coffinbass" from an actual child-sized coffin, and has since designed new models to achieve better acoustics and collapsibility for easier transportation. ^[9] Another notable act to use a coffin-shaped bass is the Brazilian psychobilly band Os Catalepticos. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld ^[6] HorrorPops frontwoman Patricia Day also uses an elaborately painted and decorated double bass which reflects the visual style of her band. HorrorPops are a Danish band that formed in 1996 The band's sound is rooted in new wave, Punk rock, Psychobilly, and Rockabilly. Patricia Day is the bassist and lead Singer for the Danish Rockabilly band HorrorPops. Not all groups use the upright bass, however. The Cramps performed without a bass player in their early career, using two guitars instead. They did not add a bass guitar to their arrangement until 1986, and have used an electric bass since that time. Cramps guitarist/bassist Poison Ivy sees this as one of the distinctions which separates the band from the psychobilly movement: "I think psychobilly has evolved into a gamut of things, but I don't think of what people think of, as psychobilly doesn't describe what we do. Kristy Wallace (b Kristy Marlana Wallace February 20, 1953, San Bernardino, California) better known as Poison Ivy, is a It seems to involve upright bass and playing songs extremely fast. That's certainly not what we do. "^[2]

Lyrically, psychobilly bands tend to favor topics and imagery drawn from horror and exploitation films, violence, lurid sexuality, and other taboo topics, usually presented in a comedic or tongue-in-cheek fashion reminiscent of the camp aesthetic. Horror films are Movies that strive to elicit Fear, Horror and terror responses from viewers Exploitation film is a type of film that eschews the expense of quality productions in favor of making films inexpensively attracting viewers by exciting their more prurient interests Violence is the exertion of force so as to injure or abuse The word is used broadly to describe the destructive action of natural phenomena like Storms and Earthquakes Generally speaking human sexuality is how people experience and express themselves as sexual beings A taboo is a strong Social prohibition (or ban) against words objects actions or discussions that are considered undesirable or offensive by a group culture Tongue-in-cheek is a term used to refer to humor in which a statement or an entire fictional work is not meant to be taken seriously but its lack of seriousness is subtle Most acts avoid "serious" subjects such as politics. Original psychobilly act The Meteors articulated a very apolitical stance to the scene, a reaction to the right- and left-wing political attitudes dividing British youth cultures of the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Meteors are a Psychobilly band Originally from the United Kingdom, they are often credited with giving the genre its distinctive sound Politics Politics is the process by which groups of people make decisions ^[1] This attitude has carried through later generations of psychobilly. Nekromantix frontman Kim Nekroman describes: "We are all different people and have different political views. The Nekromantix are a Danish - American Psychobilly band formed in 1989 in Copenhagen Denmark and currently recording for Hellcat Records Kim Nekroman is the bassist and lead singer for the psychobilly band Nekromantix and the lead guitarist of HorrorPops. Psychobilly is all about having fun. Politics is not fun and therefore has nothing to do with psychobilly!"^[2]

Fashion

Psychobilly musicians and fans often dress in styles that borrow equally from 1950s rock and roll and 1970s punk fashions as well as other influences. Rock and roll (also known as rock 'n' roll) is a form of Music that evolved in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s with roots in mostly African Punk fashion is the styles of Clothing, Hairstyles, Cosmetics, Jewelry, and Body modifications of the Punk subculture. Men often wear brothel creepers and Dr. Martens boots and shave their heads into high wedge-shaped pompadours or quiffs, military-style crops, or mohawks. Creepers or Brothel creepers are a type of shoe that gained popularity in the 1950s with the rise of Rockabilly and the Teddy Boy Youth For the ITV Comedy/Drama series click here Dr Martens is a Footwear, clothing and accessories brand and the footwear products are most often known Pompadour is a style of Haircut which takes its name from Madame de Pompadour. The quiff is a Hairstyle that combines the 1950s pompadour hairstyle the 50s Flattop, and sometimes a mohawk A military is an Organization authorized by its Nation to use force usually including use of Weapons in defending its Country (or by attacking The Mohawk (or mohican in British English) is a Hairstyle which consists of shaving both sides of the head leaving a strip of noticeably longer hair ^[1] The Sharks song "Take a Razor to Your Head" articulated the early psychobilly scene's code of dress, which was a reaction to the British Teddy Boy movement:^[1] "When your Mom says you look really nice / When you're dressed up like a Ted / It's time to follow this cat's advice / Take a razor to your head". The Sharks are a new wave band founded in Lancaster PA in 1979 by Doug Phillips (drums vocals Steve Zero (guitar Sam Lugar (guitar vocals and Dave Schaeffer The British Teddy Boy Subculture is typified by young men wearing clothes inspired by the styles of the Edwardian period, which Savile Row tailors ^[10] Women of the psychobilly movement frequently model their fashions after B-grade horror films and hot rod culture. A B movie is a motion picture made on a low or modest budget Originally the term was used for films intended for distribution as the less-publicized second half of a Double Horror films are Movies that strive to elicit Fear, Horror and terror responses from viewers Hot rods are typically American cars with large engines modified for linear speed ^[1] Tattoos are common among both sexes. A tattoo is a permanent marking made by inserting ink into the layers of Skin to change the pigment for decorative or other reasons ^[1] Overall, psychobilly fashion mixes aesthetics from the scooter boy, skinhead, punk, and rockabilly subcultures, though not all performers or fans choose to dress in these styles. A scooterboy is a member of a specific Subculture based around riding motor scooters. A skinhead is a member of a Subculture that originated among Working class youths in the United Kingdom in the 1960s and then spread to other parts of Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of Rock and roll music and emerged in the early 1950s For the term in biology see Subculture (biology. For the song by New Order see Sub-culture (song. ^[1]

See also

• Timeline of alternative rock
• List of psychobilly bands

References

General references

• Downey, Ryan J. This is a timeline of Alternative rock, from its beginnings in the 1960s to the present This is a list of notable Psychobilly bands "Psyched to Be Here. " Alternative Press, November 2004, 76–82.

Footnotes