Make sure your groovin’ shoes are polished, you’ll need them for this week’s bottomrightcorner. Since we interviewed The Ratrod Cats, Th’ Damned Crows and The Vodun Haunts last week and posted a piece on CT’s ’50s revival scene, we decided to make it all about rockabilly, psychobilly, whatever-fuck-a-billy but most importantly move-a-bility! Including tunes from the ’50s until today, this selection will take you on a musical journey through time. A-one, a-two…a-one, two, three…let’s rock!
Bracey Everett – ‘The Lover’s Curse’
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Let’s start in the 1950s with some civilized boogie woogin’. ‘The Lover’s Curse’ is a 1958 one-hit-wonder and sure as hell makes those happy hormones bolt through ya body. Although the heartbroken lyrics suggest otherwise, the chirpy choon makes the list of ‘songs to play to suicidal kids’ because they’ll change their mind after going ‘Whoaha-ha-ha-ha’ to Everett’s rueful cheer. Come on, what could be worse than the lover’s curse?
The Cramps – ‘The Way I Walk’
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‘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. It wasn’t meant as a style of music,’ say The Cramps about appropriating the term from a Johnny Cash song. Be that as it may, many consider their music and lyrical subject matter a significant contribution to the forming of the ‘psycho’ sound. They were a firm part of the budding punk scene in New York City, b-movie sci-fi and horror iconography were their thang and their tunes were heavily influenced by 1950s rockabilly. How much more ‘psycho’ can you get? Here’s ‘The Way I Walk’ from their 1979 debut EP entitled Gravest Hits, which is said to be one of the first documentations of the rockabilly revival genre that brought its rowdy companion psychobilly with it. You be the judge!
The Meteors – ‘The Crazed’
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Unlike The Cramps, London-hailing band The Meteors were the first to self-identify as psychobilly and are honoured by many fans as being the genre’s only ‘pure’ band. After being treated as outcasts by the rockabilly scene, they took psychobilly to new levels by spitting chicken blood on stage or inventing ‘wrecking’, a mixture between dancing, fighting and punk rock’s moshing. Their fittingly titled single ‘The Crazed’ (1981) was their first from their album The Case Of The Meteors In Heaven, but also one of their last in their original constellation featuring P. Paul Fenech and Nigel Lewis. Hoarsely sung lyrics such as ‘Just close one eye when you’re asleep, choose well the company you keep’, render it appropriately spooky while its steady beat makes it ‘wreckable’. Here it is, don’t hurt yourself!
The MojoKings – ‘Whatever Happened to Rock ‘n’ Roll’
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‘I believe with all my heart that rock ’n’ roll is a contributing factor to our juvenile delinquency of today…and why I believe that is? Because I know how it feels when you sing it,’ said wise ass Rev. Jimmy Snow while Frank Sinatra calls it ‘the martial music of every sideburned delinquent on the face of the earth’. Sadly, they never grasped the sheer fun of feeling as disgracefully dirty as one does listening to tumultuous tunes such as these. There’s no such thing as passive protest here, sorry Sinatra, but we wanna get into trouble! Give this a listen but be sure about what your getting yourself into, The Mojokings sure do summon the riotous revolutionary in you. No refunds!
Hot Boogie Chillun – ‘Fuckin’ Sweet’
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Hot Boogie Chillun don’t mess about, this song’s straightforward steady slap-bass will have you tapping your feet in boogie-woogie wonderland in no time. ‘Blues, Rockabilly and trashy stuff with hooker beats, linkster guitars and sonic power,’ is how they describe their sound. Yet having been around for twelve years, they get offended if you call them ‘retro’ like any middle-aged lady would. We don’t care! Whether old or new, they know how to rock a party dirty hillbilly style! Fuckin’ sweeeeet…
Them Tornados – ‘Psycho’
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Playing shows for over ten years now, Cape Town’s oldest rockabilly act deserves a slot on this list. Dirty, dangerous and up for lots of shaking — these rock ‘n’ roll bastards will steal your innocent soul and convert it for the better. Welcome to the dark side, there’s no turning back after this track!
The Hillbilly Moon Explosion – ‘Live the Life’
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The Hillbilly Moon Explosion are European rock ‘n’ roll revivalists, who have established quite an established fan base through touring the continent extensively. Sometimes pop-ey, their full-blown groove and optimistic conduct will have your flirtatious instincts running high. Here’s ‘Live the Life’ from their album All Grown Up!
The Stray Cats – ‘Fishnet Stocking’
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Founded in 1980, The Stray Cats, whose sound is heavily based on 1950s Sun Records artists (a record label that signed the likes of Elvis Presley), can aptly be described as being part of the neo-rockabily movement. It’s not a surprise that this hyperactive tune is full of wild ‘wop bop a doo dops’ and ‘shoo wop a doo dops’. Let’s get rocking!
Peachy Keen – ‘I Shot a Man Down’
Image by Kian Eriksen
This selection being predominantly male, it has become about time to change this with the next to last song. Not only is Peachy Keen fronted by two powerful female vocalists, they are also a well-established South African rockabilly act. Apparently they are playing their last show at Shake Some Action on February 23rd, so CT rockabilly fans better be markin’ their calendars. Until then, this murderous tale of revenge is worth a couple of listens!
Demented Are Go – ‘Lucky Charm’
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Last but not least, we go back to the more aggressively riotous and disorderly. Formed in the 1980s, Demented Are Go are a must-listen in the psychobilly world and infamous for their the devil-may-care attitude as well as lead singer Sparky’s extensive consumption of LSD resulting in a deteriorating mental state. About thirty years later he is back on track and we can still listen to his deep croaky vocals that sound like it’s the devil himself singing. Here’s ‘Lucky Charm’ of the 2012 album Welcome Back to Insanity Hall . Make way for the ‘Demon Teds’ from hell!
If this has got you into the rock ‘n’ roll mood, click here to find out about Cape Town’s scene and budding bands.
