Psychobilly

Psychobilly -- a mixture of Rockabilly twang and Punk energy -- was pioneered in the 1970s by B movie rockers the Cramps. But even as the Rockabilly revival of the early '80s flowered -- fueled by the Stray Cats and Dave Alvin's Blasters -- its Psychobilly cousin remained deeply buried in the American underground, led by edgy acts like Buck Naked and the Bare-Bottomed Boys. In the early '90s, Psychobilly found its own retro niche, powered by the crazed rhythms and Carl Perkins-on-crank riffs of Texas' the Reverend Horton Heat. Many identify the Rev as the leader of the Psychobilly movement, but other artists like Rhode Island's Amazing Royal Crowns and the outrageous Nashville Pussy keep the freak flag flying.