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Nekromantix (the)

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Nekromantix (the) – Curse Of The Coffin

Nervous Records – NERCD 063 [1991]
Devil Smile – Curse Of The Coffin – S/M – Motorpsycho – Alice In Psycholand – Way Down To Hell – Howlin At The Moon – New Born Son Of Satan – Save My Grave – Survive Or Die – Part2 – Drugshock – Rockin’Reptile – Mama Don’t Allow

Nekromantix curse of the coffin

The Nekromantix formed in the late eighties. They quickly gained a considerable reputation with their psychobilly-meets metal with a touch of Goth. This reputation reached another level with the release of their debut album on Tombstone Records. The next step was signing with Roy Williams and Nervous Records. The result was one of those albums that changed the face of Psychobilly. Superbly produced by Micky Mutant, aka Pete Gage (who worked with the Meteors, Demented Are Go and Restless), Curse of the Coffin redefined the word Psychobilly (for better and for worse) at the dawn of the nineties.
With Kim Nekroman(real name Kim Gaarde) at the helm, slapping his coffin bass at a supersonic pace, Peter Sandorff playing a mean guitar that owed more to speed-metal shredders than Cliff Gallup or Paul Burlison, and Peek giving the beat, the Nekromantix unleashed a wild beast upon the Psychobilly world.Albeit fast, even ultra-fast, their brand of Psychobilly always remained tuneful and melodic. That aspect resides in the special treatment given to the vocals, with interactions in the form of questions and answers between Kim Nekroman and the band, the latter being an essential part of the singing. The songs are very well-written and don’t seem to have been heard trillions of times.
After the pioneers (Meteors, Ricochets, Sharks…) and the second wave of Psychobilly that still had its two feet firmly anchored in the Rockabilly idiom, the Nekromantix personified the new wave of bands that included more and more metal elements with only the slap bass to echo their Rockabilly roots.

Nekromantix

Ricochets (the)

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Ricochets (the) – Made In the Shade

Nervous Records NERD 005
Hey, Girl – Yomping – I’m A Loser – Crazy Dream – King Rocker – Black Magic Baby – Runnin’ Wild – Hit Man – Worried ‘Bout You Baby – Brand New Cadillac – Night Ship – Everybody’s Rockin’ (Live)

the ricochets

This album is a landmark in the history of Psychobilly in more than one title. Not only is it one of the very first albums to define Psychobilly, but it also inspired many young musicians to form their own combos. In addition, the Ricochets also had Sam Sardi, who later joined the Guana Batz, and Ginger Meadham, who drummed for the Meteors and later the Highliners, in their ranks.
The Ricochets first started under the name Pink and Black and played a more traditional style of Rockabilly. The original line-up featured Sam Sardi (double bass), Steve Sardi (guitar), Ginger Meadham (drums) and Dave (Sam and Steve’s cousin) on vocals. But by the time of the recording, he was deeply involved in his day job, and Lester Jones replaced him. The legend says that Roy Williams went to hear them rehearse and was far from convinced until the band – not knowing that the label owner was still listening to them – started messing with more modern and adventurous stuff. A deal was quickly signed, resulting in a noticeable appearance on the compilation album Hep Cat Hop, followed by an album.
Being pioneers, the Ricochets invented the style while they were playing it. Hence, the band didn’t feel contrived by rules and definitions. The Ricochets were playing the kind of music they liked, the way they felt and wanted to. The result is a fantastic album, built around a Rockabilly structure, featuring a frantic slap bass, with dark lyrics, and permanent anguish, elements of Punk (they cover Gen X’s King Rocker), some garage with a Psychedelia flair influences (the magnificent Night Ship). Even a bit of Glam can be heard in their instrumental Yompin (they also covered Slade’s Don’t Blame Me for the compilation album Stack-A-Records, later reissued on the CD version of Made In The Shade). Even what could be pointed as a potential negative point (Jones isn’t the most tuneful singer ever) turned to the band’s advantage. His singing brings a strange and uneasy yet addictive feel to the songs, comparable in a certain way to what Nigel Lewis brought to the Meteors.
Shortly after the release of Made In the Shade, Ginger joined the Meteors and appeared on two of their legendary albums (Live I and Wreckin’ Crew); Sam teamed up with the Guana Batz for a string of classic albums. In the late eighties, the original line-up of the Ricochets was reformed with Dave Sardi on vocals and released On Target for Count Orlock records.

The Surfin’ Wombatz

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Surfin' Wombatz

The Surfin’ Wombatz – Lager Loutz

Nervous Records – NERD 045 [1989]
Take the Money and Run – Bad Company Blues – Down the Line – Manhunt – The Sound – I Hear the Pounding of My Heart – Dick Turpin – Welcome to the Nightmare – Trapped in My Bottle of Beer – Norman – Moving Down the Street – No More – Wild Man – Make Your Name Count

the Surfin' Wombatz

The Surfin Wombatz were formed around 1987. In 1988, they appeared on the Zorch Factor 3 compilation with the excellent I Hear The Pounding Of My Heart. They can also be heard on the compilation I Ain’t Lonely No More (Fury Records) with Wild Man, another good track.
In February 1989, the group recorded their first album for Nervous Records titled ”Lager Loutz”. The band’s name and the album’s title say it all: the Surfin’ Wombatz are a pleasant group, here for having some fun and probably the beer.
They play a traditional Psychobilly, that is to say, with a light guitar (even a little under-mixed at times) and a very present rhythm section. They clearly don’t have the ambition to revolutionize the genre, and their Psychobilly, tinged with skiffle at times thanks to the presence of a washboard, is rather enjoyable… up to a certain point. Over the length of the album (fourteen tracks!), the group shows its limits. The singer’s voice using always the same mannerisms ends up getting boring, and the compositions lack originality, and all sound a bit similar. The presence of Trapped In My Bottle Of Beer, sung by the guitarist, offers a welcome variation in an album that is a bit monotonous over the long haul. In the end, the Surfin’ Wombatz are more of a compilation group, or perhaps they should have, like many bands of this era, released a mini-album more focused on their qualities.

The Radioactive Kid

Various Artists – Live At The Big Rumble

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Various Artists – Live At The Big Rumble

Nervous Records – NERCD 066 [1991]
Atomics: I do declare – Restless: New Orleans – Restless: Shake Your Moneymaker – Lost Souls: Devil in Disguise – Lost Souls: Prisonner of Love – Mad Sin: Moonlight Shadows – Mad Sin: Walltown Kid – Razorbacks: Hot rod man – Boozy: Boozy – Los Renegados: Soy un renegado – Cyclone: Bates motel – Cyclone: Cyclone Shock – Nekromantix: Alice in Psycholand – Nekromantix: Motor Psycho – Numbskulls: Psychophobia – Demented Are Go: Anal Wonderland – Dypsomaniaxe: Bad Habit – Coffin Nails: Loose Woman – Skitzo: Empty Room – Spellbound: Legend of the Past

Live at the Big Rumble

Live At The Big Rumble presents some bands recorded live at the 2nd Big Rumble in October 1990. The whole thing is uneven. Nevertheless, it offers some interesting moments.
The Atomics is an American band playing energetic Neo-rockabilly. Although convincing on their albums, their live performance here is quite messy.
The Razorbacks, another group from the United States, play a supercharged cover of Tex Rubinowitz’s classic Hot Rod Man.
Los Renegados mix their Neo-Rockabilly with a touch of Hillbilly for a fairly average result.
Boozy came from Belgium and was one of many bands that seemed more interested in partying than working on songs and recording albums. This is felt in their performance, which is confused and musically poor.
Restless lives up to its reputation. Always professional and at the top musically, the group, then with Steve Whitehouse of Frenzy on double bass, played two perfect versions of New Orleans and Shake Your Money Maker. Faced with such a performance, one can just regret the absence of Long Black Shiny Car or Ice Cold.
The Psychobilly from Lost Souls is fast and powerful. They’re one of the only bands on this compilation to sound better live than on the album.
This is unfortunately not the case with the Cyclone. Both songs are excellent, but the sound is confusing and can’t fully convey the album’s energy. On the contrary, Mad Sin, still a trio at the time, displays impressive energy. Even more impressive, Nekromantix perfectly reproduces the arrangements and the power of two songs from their second album. 
Dypsomaniaxe was formed by four colourful girls with impressive quiffs who played a fast, quite crazy, outrageous, exuberant, and fun Psychobilly. Everything to seduce! I would have easily exchanged half of this album for five or six more tracks of them. 
Much in better shape than on Link’s Live and Rockin’, the Coffin Nails launch into an epic five-minute version of Loose Woman, full of fun and humour.
If Skitzo’s performance is of interest, it is not musical but historical. It was the last concert given at the time by the group. It’s powerful, with a fairly marked Punk influence, although not as noisy as one might fear. However, the whole thing lacks a little accuracy and coherence.
Numbskulls play that brand of Psychobilly with a heavy Punk influence that I’m not too keen on. That said, they play it well.
Demented Are Go are in great shape, as demonstrated by the always very subtle Anal Wonderland. The pleasant surprise comes from Spellbound, whose version of Legend Of the Past is superior to the studio version.
Ultimately, this compilation is a strange catch-all between wild Psychobilly and Neo-Rockabilly, established groups and other more amateur ones, which makes us regret the absence of groups present during this edition (Quakes, Nitros, Polecats).

The Radioactive Kid

Radium Cats (the)

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Radium Cats (the) – Pink Hearse

Raucous Records Rauc 013T [1991]
Pink Hearse / Teenage Werewolf – Haunted By Your Love

Radium Cats

The Radium Cats, the Scottish Psychobillies with the crazy quiffs, released this three-song 12“ in 1991 on Raucous Records.
Brothers Lee and Paul Paterson are still respectively on double bass and guitar, but Mark Carr has replaced Johnny Maben on drums. Maben later joined the Kaisers. Lee takes the lead vocals on Pink Hearse and Haunted By Your Love, while Paul sings Teenage Werewolf.
Pink Hearse is wildly rocking, with a Gene Vincent feel to it. If the melody is somewhat traditional, the song is highlighted by a hot guitar solo in a superb Gallup meets Setzer vein. Teenage Werewolf is not the Cramps tune (all songs are originals) and sounds more like a slow from the Fifties, although it has a slight gothic and weird mood (well, it’s a werewolf-themed tune, what did you expect?). The last track, Haunted By Your Love, is a slow-paced threatening tune, sounding like the missing link between the Cramps and the early Guana Batz.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

radium Cats

Ronnie And The Jitters

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ronnie and the jitters

Ronnie And The Jitters – Roll Over

Nervous Records – NERD 014 [1984]
Roll Over Richard – Wild Weekend – Love Somebody New – She’s Not The Girl – Rock Away – Black Slax – Truck Stop Song – Can’t Fool A Woman – Take Me In Your Arms – Crazy Place

Ronnie and the Jitters

Ronnie and the Jitters were a band from New Jersey that appeared on the New York scene in the late 70s. The band consisted of Ronnie Decal on lead vocals and guitar, Warren Keller on saxophone, Steve Missal on drums and Dave Post on bass.

They first released a single in 1979, then an album titled Roll Over in 1983 on an American label. The following year, it was licensed to Nervous Records and included the tracks from the single.

Eddie Angel (Planet Rockers, Los Straitjackets) is also credited for some guitars on this album.

Roll Over Richard opens the set. It’s a no-brainer powerful rock with a blasting sax and a wild Rock’n’roll piano. It’s reminiscent of George Thorogood, but the drums sound typical of the 80s mars it. Next is a cover of the Rockin’ Rebels Wild Weekend. Originally an instrumental, their version features lyrics, probably written by Decal since he appears on the credits. It conjures the recklessness of the 50s, and the result is not far from what John Cafferty did for Eddie and the Cruisers.

Love Somebody New is more modern and inscribed in its time by its arrangement and style. She’s Not The Girl is a bouncing rockabilly that evolves into Rockaway, a mean instrumental, before briefly returning to the song.

B-side opens with an excellent cover of the Sparkletones’Black Slacks. Next is another cover, this time from Kristy McColl. Though titled Truck Stop Song on the records, its original title is There’s A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop, Swears He’s Elvis. In an attempt to conquer the American market, the label and McColl made a version named There’s A Guy Works Down The Truck Stop, Swears He’s Elvis. Anyway, the Jitters covered it, and it’s a great country rock in the vein of what Dave Edmunds had recorded. Can’t Fool A Woman is a ballad (every Rock’n’Roll album should have one) with the mandatory spoken part. Take Me In Your Arms is a modern rocker; think the Rockats (Make That Move era of the band) with a saxophone. It was a good idea to finish the set with a good rocker like Crazy Place; too bad that the band doesn’t seem to know how to conclude the tune, which could easily be one minute shorter. Roll Over is clearly not an album for the purists, but it tries, and often succeeds, to capture the spirit of a lost period but with a modern twist.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

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