{"id":3438,"date":"2012-01-13T12:28:12","date_gmt":"2012-01-13T16:28:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/punkoutlaw.com\/po09\/?p=3438"},"modified":"2012-01-13T12:28:12","modified_gmt":"2012-01-13T16:28:12","slug":"viva-la-rockabilly-psychobilly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/punkoutlawblog.com\/2012\/01\/viva-la-rockabilly-psychobilly\/","title":{"rendered":"Viva La Rockabilly & Psychobilly"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our good friends at Remezcla<\/strong><\/em><\/a> published this article we wrote a couple weeks back, but in case you missed it, here it is for your enjoyment. So, uh, enjoy and let me know what you think.<\/p>\n

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By Robert G. Rose @PunkOutlaw<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

VIVA LA ROCKABILLY Y PSYCHOBILLY!<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the U.S, the flag for the indisputable HQ for rockabilly and psychobilly music is firmly planted on the West Coast, where there also happens to be a whole bunch of young Latinos. Coincidental? Maybe, but the more I explore these sister subcultures, the more I think there is a direct cause and effect at work.<\/p>\n

But first, for the non-initiated, what the heck is rockabilly & psychobilly? A few definitions are in order. Yes, we just love putting people into little boxes.<\/p>\n

WHAT IS ROCKABILLY?<\/strong><\/p>\n

First Rockabilly, and I quote, almost word from word from \u201cWikipedia\u201d (so you know it must be right).<\/p>\n

\u201cRockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll<\/a> music, dating to the early 1950s. The term “rockabilly” is a portmanteau<\/a> of “rock” (from “rock ‘n’ roll”) and “hillbilly<\/a>“, the latter a reference to the country music<\/a> (often called “hillbilly music” in the 1940s and 1950s) that contributed strongly to the style’s development. Other important influences on rockabilly include western swing<\/a>, boogie woogie<\/a>, and rhythm and blues<\/a>. While there are notable exceptions, its origins lie primarily in the Southern United States<\/a>. The influence and popularity of the style waned in the 1960s, but during the late 1970s and early 1980s, rockabilly enjoyed a major revival of popularity that has endured to the present, often within a rockabilly subculture<\/a>.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Since I would never use the term \u201cportmanteau\u201d you know I didn\u2019t make the preceding stuff up. But that\u2019s mere definition of the music. \u00a0What about said rockabilly subculture?<\/p>\n

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Latino Rockabilly Act "Big Sandy" @ Hootenanny<\/p><\/div>\n

If you live in California you\u2019ve most likely witnessed the rockabilly subculture in action, though at the time, you may have thought someone was headed to a retro costume party. But it\u2019s no costume, for many across the globe it\u2019s a way of life.<\/p>\n

The girls often dress like \u201cI Love Lucy\u201d or pin up icons \u201cMarilyn Monroe\u201d or the infamous cheesecake \u201cBetty Page\u201d. Many throw in a retro tattoo\u2026 or two\u2026 or fifty.<\/p>\n

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Rockabilly Girls from "Viva Las Vegas"<\/p><\/div>\n

The guys may sport 60\u2019s styled sideburns, a pompadour hairstyle with rolled up jeans\u2026 maybe white socks with loafers and\/or maybe a black leather jacket in an effort to emulate James Dean, Elvis or just a bad-ass \u201cgreaser\u201d. They often drive hooked up hot rods from the 50s and 60s, ones they\u2019ve usually restored themselves.<\/p>\n

Experiencing rockabilly\u2019s subculture can feel like you\u2019re taking a trip back to 1950s Americana but it\u2019s not always the wholesome image that may come to mind. While bad boys and girls have been with us since Adam and Eve, in the 50s there was an explosion of teenage car culture and the rebellious nature of rock-n-roll was the personification of that bad boy or bad girl image. Perhaps this rang true especially in California where recent immigrants from nearby Mexico and Central America were soaking up this culture, perhaps in an effort to acculturate.<\/p>\n

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Smooth Retro Rockabilly Cat<\/p><\/div>\n

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WHAT THE HELL IS PSYCHBILLY?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Then there is rockabilly\u2019s even slightly darker cousin, \u201cPsychobilly\u201d. Now you may be less familiar with Psychobilly but for the music side of things, think Punk Rock mixed with Rockabilly and a big old stand up double bass thrown in. Its origins are up for fierce debate but most people agree psychobilly began in the 1980s in Europe and landed stateside sometime later.<\/p>\n

Psychobilly girls may dress a little bolder and dare I say rougher around the edges with possibly more tattoos and a more contemporary style of dress that can incorporate things like S&M, Goth or Horror. The guys often combine the punk and rockabilly look and may sport a crazy wedge, extreme pompadour or some other over the top hairstyle along with creeper shoes, combat boots or loafers.<\/p>\n

There are a lot of variations on the Psychobilly look so it\u2019s really hard to describe in a general manner. You may notice a subtext of Horror and Goth moving through much of the culture and some people can look a bit cartoonish and personally I think quiet entertaining, which makes sense when you consider many in the scene are artists.<\/p>\n

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Psycho Mad Batz<\/p><\/div>\n

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As for the music, there are a lot of songs about death, but in a fun way (i.e. Nekromantix \u2013 \u201cWho Killed the Cheerleader?\u201d or Meteors – \u201cSlow Down You Grave Robbing Bastard\u201d). Yes kiddies, death can be fun! It\u2019s Halloween every weekend for those who enjoy \u201cwrecking\u201d the pit (sort of a mix between moshing and fighting).<\/p>\n

There are some notable exceptions to this cartoon imagery and mortal fixation. The legendary U.S. band The Quakes come to mind. They keep it straight (some say pure) with songs like \u201cA**hole in the Express Lane\u201d. \u00a0But like rockabilly it\u2019s complicated. Soooo\u2026 once again, let\u2019s turn to our friends at Wikipedia.<\/p>\n

Psychobilly is often characterized by lyrical references to science fiction<\/a>, horror<\/a> and exploitation films<\/a>, violence<\/a>, lurid sexuality<\/a>, and other topics generally considered taboo<\/a>, though often presented in a comedic or tongue-in-cheek<\/a> fashion. It is often played with an upright double bass<\/a> instead of the electric bass<\/a> more common in modern rock music. Psychobilly gained underground popularity in Europe<\/a> beginning in the early 1980s, but remained largely unknown in the United States until the late 1990s. <\/em><\/p>\n

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Burlesque Performer<\/p><\/div>\n

So that\u2019s the quick version for all of you not in the know, but trust me when I say (bracing for a deluge of emails here) there is MUCH more to the rockabilly and psychobilly subcultures. There are purest on each side and subcultures within subcultures. Sometimes they get combined and fused to points unrecognizable and to those who like their music and subcultures with checklists in little boxes this can be confounding. No worries, I\u2019ve been around both scenes for years and still have a tough time explaining them (what\u2019s that you say? \u201cAs clearly demonstrated by this article? Very funny).<\/p>\n

THE LATINO INFLUENCE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Both Rockabilly and Psychobilly are international. Rockabilly is big in Japan, (not a clich\u00e9, it really is) and also in Russia as I witnessed firsthand when I visited in 2010.<\/p>\n

Perhaps not surprisingly, Psychobilly follows a similar geographical pattern and is massive in places like England, Germany and the Netherlands.<\/p>\n

In Latin America both scenes are big, but in pockets. Way down south, Chile has a big psychobilly scene with the band \u201cVoodoo Zombie\u201d headlining big shows. When I visited Santiago and Valparaiso in 2010 I saw kids wearing \u201cTiger Army\u201d and \u201cDemented Are Go\u201d band t-shirts and sporting wedge cuts.<\/p>\n

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Nick 13 of Tiger Army<\/p><\/div>\n

Who can forget the big Psychobilly Carnival in Curticuba, Brazil every year? Mexico City? Hell yeah! LA based \u201cCalavera\u201d who helped establish the scene in both Mexico and the U.S. comes to mind, but there are many more. Even in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean you\u2019ll find a psychobilly scene with bands like the \u201cHellboat Gamblers\u201d.<\/p>\n

Rockabilly has a surprising presence in Argentina. If you ever visit Buenos Aires hit up the bar \u201cMundo Bizarro\u201d and hear the band \u201cLos Primitivos\u201d. Just next door in Montevideo, Uruguay is a hell of a rollicking band called \u201cRudos Wild\u201d that plays a genre of music sometimes called punkabilly, a sound \u00a0\u00a0pioneered in the U.S. by bands like Social Distortion and The Cramps.<\/p>\n

In places like Bogota, Colombia where classic rock, punk and metal are kings there is an emerging Psychobilly scene. In nearby Medellin, a band called \u201cDorados Rockabilly Trio\u201d is starting to make headway and turning the locals on to the joys of rockabilly.<\/p>\n

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In the U.S. the scenes are bigger but also spotty. It\u2019s fledgling on the East Coast in NYC with promoters like \u201cRebel Angel\u201d and \u201cAmylulita\u201d (a Latina) and psychobilly bands like the \u201cMemphis Morticians\u201d and rockabilly bands like \u201cSusquehanna Tool & Die Company\u201d helping to keep things alive at numerous venues in Brooklyn and at places like Otto\u2019s Shrunken Head in downtown Manhattan.<\/p>\n

And while you will find an odd smattering of Latinos on the scene here and there in NYC, the Midwest and Texas, if you head West where the scene is much more prevalent and I think you\u2019ll notice that\u2026 without Latinos in the rockabilly and psychobilly scenes, there essentially would be no scenes. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Latinos on the west coast are a young, powerful and loyal bunch (just ask Morrissey). When I interviewed Nick 13, lead singer of Tiger Army<\/em><\/strong> a few years back at the Warped Tour, he point blank stated that young Latinos\u2019 loyalty to Morrissey and Tiger Army were key to their decision to lay down some Spanish tracks \u00a0on their \u201cMusic From The Regions Beyond\u201d CD.<\/p>\n

Yes, if you really want to experience Rockabilly and Psychobilly subcultures in their full glory, then it\u2019s the west coast and more specifically Los Angeles, California where pin up girls and burlesque is almost mainstream where hooked up hotrods and classic cars are ingrained in the culture and where bands like the afore mentioned Social Distortion play for sold out crowds in arenas in front of an impossibly diverse mix of kids too young to drive along side guys and gals approaching retirement age.<\/p>\n

The West Coast is where you\u2019ll find big events like \u201cViva Las Vegas\u201d, a huge weekend gathering every April where rockabilly and psychobilly fans the world over invade Las Vegas to attend car shows, concerts, burlesque contests, etc.<\/p>\n

There is the massive Hootenanny Festival down in Orange County that is, yes, a hoot! There is the big Ink & Iron tattoo and car show, the Mooneyes car show like the one I recently attended where thousands\u00a0 rockabilly and psychobilly enthusiast gather. Not to mention the dozens of big and small concerts and \u201csock hops\u201d every week.<\/p>\n

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Artist plying her wares<\/p><\/div>\n

At all of these events at any given time at least 50% of the crowd is Latino, yet no one seems to notice or care, it\u2019s so ingrained in the scene and the culture out here, well it just simply\u2026 IS.\u00a0 Similar to how rockabilly and psychobilly, which are very distinct and separate musical genres, can also blend together seamlessly to create one awesomely spectacular, colorful event.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s that Latino rockabilly powerhouses \u201cBig Sandy\u201d and \u201cOmar and the Stringboppers\u201d as well as dozens of psychobilly bands, like the \u201cThe Psycho Madbatz\u201d or \u201cThe Grims\u201d fronted by Latinas or Latinos. There are retro \u201cswingbilly\u201d bands like \u201cPachuco Jose\u201d or the \u201cdrunkabilly\u201d band the \u201cMoonlight Cruisers\u201d who are 100% Latino but have followings of all colors and stripes. (Yes, there are a lot of billies involved, all suggesting it might finally be cool to be a hillbilly, so long as your being ironic I suppose). Many burlesque, pinups queens and just plain fans are Latina (check out Facebook and you\u2019ll see user names like \u201cCholobilly\u201d and \u201cLa Cholita\u201d), and car clubs have names like \u201cPeligrosa\u201d.<\/p>\n

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Courtesy: Wonder Woman Photography<\/p><\/div>\n

I know some people will say \u201cwell that\u2019s just LA\u201d and that is partly true. I\u2019m a little rusty on this but young people in LA are disproportionately Latin (I think around 50%). But go to any other \u201cnon Latin\u201d music event in the west coast and show me a crowd that is so blatantly Latino influenced?\u00a0 Is it coincidental that the West Coast, land of Latino culture is also the land of Rockabilly and Psychobilly culture? <\/strong><\/p>\n

And more importantly, how did a largely black (rhythm & blues) and white (country), southern musical style (some might say redneck) from the 50s like rockabilly become so embraced by Latinos. \u00a0I\u2019ve interviewed dozens of people over the years working on my documentary \u201cPunktology\u2026 the Worldwide Influence of Punk\u201d which tries to branch off into this territory and many people don\u2019t even remember when they first got into the sub culture.<\/p>\n

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"Susquehena Tool & Die" band from NYC<\/p><\/div>\n

Many, on the west coast at least, were simply born into it. Their parents listened to this music and hit similar events. With the number of children in attendance at the Mooneyes Xmas festival I attended I believe it. Looking as young as 3 or 4, some already had mohawks or pompadours and were wearing leather jackets with cool sunglasses. Some arrived in \u201chooked up\u201d strollers ala hot rod style.<\/p>\n

So the old \u201crebellion against parents\u201d theory doesn\u2019t really hold water for most young Latinos in this instance. In many cases, it was the parents or an uncle or aunt, who perhaps themselves children of those searching for a better life in \u201cEl Norte\u201d, not only embraced the lifestyle but helped to create it. If anything, young Latinos seem to be following in their footsteps and being the largely loyal folks they are will probably pass the culture down to their kids, even as it changes and mutates over time.<\/p>\n

Despite all the interviews I\u2019ve conducted on this subject, I\u2019m still insatiably curious about the Latino influence on the rockabilly and psychobilly scenes. I\u2019m not sure I have all the answers, or even part of them just yet and maybe it doesn\u2019t really matter. All I really know is that I love Latin culture and I love rockabilly and psychobilly. So if you see non-tatted, out of place looking Gringo at an event with a camera, chances are it\u2019s me. Come up and say hello.<\/p>\n

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This and much more will be covered in more detail in the upcoming documentary "Punktology"<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Our good friends at Remezcla published this article we wrote a couple weeks back, but in case you missed it, here it is for your enjoyment. So, uh, enjoy and let me know what you think.   By Robert G. Rose @PunkOutlaw   VIVA LA ROCKABILLY Y PSYCHOBILLY! In the U.S, the flag for the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[381,1205,405,8,1165,396,1044,666,1204,1188,1187,49],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/punkoutlawblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3438"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/punkoutlawblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/punkoutlawblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/punkoutlawblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/punkoutlawblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3438"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/punkoutlawblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3438\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/punkoutlawblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3438"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/punkoutlawblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3438"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/punkoutlawblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3438"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}