Since its beginning in the early eighties, the psychobilly scene has seen its peaks and troughs in the popularity stakes. Today it’s bigger than ever and it’s only in this recent boom that, in addition to new genres appearing within the medium, we’ve seen more and more ladies stepping up into the psychobilly spotlight. Traditionally a male dominated genre, in the last few years it’s become apparent that these madams of the macabre can rock harder than anyone with an X chromosome. So for now, as we hail the queens of the grave-rockin’ genres, lets say heave ho to the psychobillies and bring on those psychobellas!
1) POISON IVY
Along with her hubby the late Lux Interior, Poison Ivy led punk rock’s first invasion of the rockabilly genre back in the 70’s with her razor edge guitars and slapstick horror lyrics. An integral part of the original CBGB movement, THE CRAMPS were still a fully functioning band until February of this year when Lux unexpectedly passed away from heart troubles. While arguably never a true psychobilly band (although some argue they actually coined the term), The Cramps are a part of punk rock history and have served as a key influence to the many who would follow. For those reasons and more, Poison Ivy and her crew belong nowhere but the top of this list.
2) PATRICA DAY
Wife to a Nekroman and mother to one of Hellcat Record’s number one psychobilly bands, Day began her punk rock career with the now defunct Peanut Pump Gun before teaming up with the Nekromantix frontman to form HORRORPOPS. Exploding on to the punk rock scene with ‘Hell Yeah’ in 2004, the band were soon greeted with massive following; their surfer horrorbilly style introducing the genre to a new generation and showing that it’s okay to be both smokin’ hot and rock n’roll. Two albums later they’re still going strong and are one of the most popular bands on Tim Armstrong’s celebrated label.
3) SARAH SIN
Taking over vocal and guitar duties from her pregnant sister Hellcat back in 07, the beautiful blonde bombshell Sarah Sin soon became a permanent fixture of Ontario, Canada’s hellbilly bastions THE CREEPSHOW. Armed with a set of pipes that could charm a rampaging tiger and skin it in equal measure, Sarah quickly mastered the bone shakin’ tracks of ‘Sell Your Soul’ as if they were her own and has taken the band to new and terrifying places with last year’s follow up ‘Run For Your Life’. Catch them Vs Star Fucking Hipsters this August 6th at Camden Underworld’s Punk Marathon.
4) MAD MARGE
After raiding their Simpson’s collection for a name in 2004, the devilish Mad Marge and a group of likeminded Southern Californian musicians teamed together to banish their boredom and form a psychobilly collective known only as MAD MARGE & THE STONECUTTERS. With truly rockin’ tracks backed by sultry whip-crack vocals and double bass badunkadunks, The Stonecutters quickly found themselves gigging with veterans of the scene like Mad Sin and Demented Are Go before building up a cult underground following. A self-titled debut was destined to appear, followed by their ‘Liberated!’ sophomore in 2007 after a new deal with premier punk n’roll springboard People Like You Records.
5) MISS EVA VON SLUT
Part buxom burlesque queen, part punk rock super vixen: Miss Eva Von Slut heads America’s first all female psychobilly band THEE MERRY WIDOWS. Also fellow People Like You signers, these beautiful brawlers combine middle-finger salute punk rock, drawling oilslick rockabilly and Russ Meyer sex appeal in a tight little tattooed package. Rumbling onto the Cali scene with “Revenge Served Cold’ in 2006 and following up two years later with ‘The Devils Outlaws’, this year saw the band teaming up with our own psychobilly homeboys The Grit for a 7” split.
Tom Williams
