Psychobilly

Psychobilly is a genre of music generally described as a mix between late-1970s punk rock and 1950s American rockabilly. It is often characterized by lyrical references to horror and exploitation films, violence, lurid sexuality, and other topics generally considered taboo, though often presented in a comedic or tongue-in-cheek fashion. Psychobilly music is often played with an upright double bass instead of the electric bass more common in modern rock music.

Origins

The term psychobilly was first used by Wayne Kemp when he penned the Johnny Cash song "One Piece at a Time", a Top 10 hit in 1976. Although the song is not musically categorized as psychobilly, the lyrics refer to a "psychobilly Cadillac." The term came into use as a music genre a few years later, when The Cramps described their music as "psychobilly" and "rockabilly voodoo" on flyers advertising their concerts. Although The Cramps rejected the idea of being a part of a psychobilly subculture they, along with artists such as Screamin' Jay Hawkins and the Stray Cats, are considered important precursors to psychobilly. The Cramps had deep rockabilly roots and were fascinated by the genre's sound and attitude, recording numerous covers of songs from the Sun Records catalogue. The Cramps' style of psychobilly also had antecedents in the American garage rock genre of the 1960s and the UK pub rock movement of the 1970s. The Meteors, who formed in South London in 1980, are considered the first verifiable psychobilly band. One member was part of the rockabilly subculture, another the punk subculture, and the third a horror movie fan. Their musical and lyrical ideas overlapped to help create psychobilly as it is known today. The Meteors are often credited with advancing the idea that psychobilly should be apolitical by encouraging their concerts to be "politics-free" zones to avoid the disputes among fans which were common at punk rock concerts of the time.

The Meteors' second LP, Wreckin' Crew, is considered an influential psychobilly album.

International prevalence

In 1982 the Klubfoot nightclub opened at the Clarendon Hotel in Hammersmith, West London, creating a center for the emerging psychobilly movment in the UK. At the time the genre had not yet gained national exposure and most concerts were organized as "weekenders" in which several bands were featured on one bill. Within a few years the genre spread to mainland Europe, eventually gaining popularity in Germany, Sweden, Italy, Greece, Spain, Denmark, Finland, and elsewhere. By the mid- to late-1990s psychobilly movements had begun to gain momentum in Canada, the United States and Australia, and by the early 2000s had also appeared in Japan and other Asian countries.

Fashion

Psychobilly musicians and fans often dress in styles that borrow equally from 1950s rock and roll and 1970s punk fashions. For men this often includes cuffed jeans, worker's boots, and coiffed hair. Many style their hair in a high "wedge"-shaped pompadour reminiscent of a mohawk, sometimes known as a quiff, though traditional pompadours are equally prevalent. Women often dress in updated 1950s fashions inspired by classic pinup models, such as full crinoline skirts and bold colors including blacks, reds, and pinks. Common patterns include horizontal stripes, gingham, and animal prints. Women's hair is often worn with pompadour-style bangs and bandannas used as headbands.

See also

• List of psychobilly bands