Psychobilly facts for kids
Psychobilly is a fun and energetic style of rock music. It mixes exciting parts of punk rock and rockabilly music. Sometimes, psychobilly songs even have sounds from thrash metal or country music.
Most psychobilly bands play with just a few instruments. You'll usually hear a guitar, a bass, drums, and vocals. Many bands have only three members! Often, the guitarist or bassist is also the main singer.
The very first psychobilly band was called The Meteors. They started in London, UK. Psychobilly band members and fans often have unique hairstyles, like shaving part of their heads.
Contents
What is Psychobilly Music Like?
Psychobilly music is known for being fast and lively. It often has a strong beat that makes you want to dance. The songs usually tell stories about monsters, horror movies, or science fiction. This is why the "psycho" part of the name comes from "psychotic" or "psycho killer" themes. The "billy" part comes from "rockabilly," an older style of rock and roll.
The Sound of Psychobilly
The instruments in psychobilly create a special sound. The guitar often plays quick, sharp riffs. The bass is usually an upright bass, which is a big string instrument. Players often slap the strings of the upright bass to make a unique, thumping sound. This slapping adds a lot of energy to the music. The drums keep a fast, steady rhythm. The vocals can be powerful and sometimes sound a bit wild, fitting the spooky themes.
The Look and Style
Psychobilly isn't just about the music; it's also about the look! Many fans and band members have cool, unique styles. You might see people with tall, slicked-back hair called a "pompadour." Some also shave the sides of their heads, which is called a "crop cut." Clothes often include leather jackets, band t-shirts, and vintage-inspired outfits. The style often mixes punk attitude with 1950s rock and roll fashion. Bands sometimes use stage makeup or costumes that look like monsters or characters from old horror films. This makes their live shows even more exciting!
History of Psychobilly
Psychobilly started in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It grew out of the punk rock and rockabilly scenes. People wanted a new kind of music that was even more wild and energetic.
Early Bands
As mentioned, The Meteors from London are known as the first psychobilly band. They helped create the sound and style. Other early bands also helped shape the genre. They combined the raw energy of punk with the cool sounds of 1950s rockabilly. This mix created something new and exciting for music fans.
Famous Psychobilly Bands
Over the years, many bands have become popular in the psychobilly world.
- The Cramps are often seen as very important to psychobilly, even before the term was widely used. They had a spooky, rock and roll sound.
- Mad Sin is an influential band from Germany. They are known for their powerful live shows.
- The Reverend Horton Heat is a well-known American band. They play a style sometimes called "psychobilly swing" or "surfabilly."
- The Creepshow is a popular band from Canada. They often have female lead singers and a strong horror theme.
- HorrorPops is another band known for their energetic performances and the use of an elaborately decorated upright bass.
These bands, and many others, have helped psychobilly become a unique and fun part of the rock music world.
Images for kids
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The Cramps are considered progenitors of psychobilly.
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Demented Are Go's singer's stage blood make-up is an example of the horror-film schtick some psychobilly bands adopted.
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Mad Sin - Ilosaarirock 2008.jpg
The influential German band Mad Sin in 2008. From a psychobilly fashion perspective, note the bassist's red-dyed pompadour and the guitarist on the right's crop cut sides.
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Reverend Horton Heat playing in 2010
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Canadian psychobilly band The Creepshow playing in Manchester in 2012
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The Bloodsucking Zombies from Outer Space show the use of horror-film stage costumes and the decoration of the upright bass.
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HorrorPops frontwoman Patricia Day plays an elaborately decorated double bass, a common instrument in psychobilly.
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The Living End demonstrate psychobilly stage antics; in this photo, the guitarist is standing on top of the upright bass.
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Psychobilly guitarists often play 1950s-style hollowbody guitars.
See also
In Spanish: Psychobilly para niños
