# Rockabilly: Which CDs Do I Need? What About Psychobilly? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 25, 2006, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockabilly-which-cds-do-i-need-what-about-psychobilly/362059 "2006-06-25T06:08:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2006, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockabilly-which-cds-do-i-need-what-about-psychobilly/362059/1 "2006-06-25T06:08:58Z")
I just bought a Charlie Feathers CD (His Complete King Recordings) and I’m officially hooked on rockabilly. Since I’m already a punk fan (Ramones, The Clash, Minor Threat, NOFX, et cetera, et cetera) I’m also thinking of buying my first psychobilly CD. [brag]I already have a pretty good place to buy them: Ear Candy in Missoula has a whole section (OK, two racks) devoted to rockabilly and psychobilly. They also sell Oblio Joes CDs, and an Oblio Joes bandmember works there. (Yep, they’re a damn fine Missoula band.)[/brag] So, which _CDs_ should I buy? I’m very much aware that rockabilly came and went prior to the Era of the Album, and that I’m going to get a lot of compilations and ‘Best Of’ and so on. Psychobilly sounds interesting and more modern, and I would greatly appreciate some help there as well. ---
**Author:** ![Lazlo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lazlo/32/9678_2.png) [@Lazlo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lazlo)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2006, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockabilly-which-cds-do-i-need-what-about-psychobilly/362059/2 "2006-06-25T07:15:05Z")
My suggestion would be [Social Distortion](http://www.socialdistortion.com/music.html). Their older stuff is more punkish while the new(er) stuff is more of a rockabilly style. I love their version of _Ring of Fire_ and _Story of My Life_ is one of my all time favorite songs. If I had to choose only one album, I would probably pick their title album. The page I linked has some samples in Quicktime, including the two I mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2006, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockabilly-which-cds-do-i-need-what-about-psychobilly/362059/3 "2006-06-25T10:11:23Z")
Much thanks. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2006, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockabilly-which-cds-do-i-need-what-about-psychobilly/362059/4 "2006-06-25T11:16:45Z")
[Dead Rock West](http://www.myspace.com/deadrockwest) (I think they expect to have the album available in August) Maybe not “pure” Rockabilly, but if you’re only interested in “pure” Rockabilly you’ll just load up on albums that sound exactly like one another- such is the nature of the genre. _Definitely_ check out [The Knitters](http://www.theknitters.net/?id=bio7417.php), a Rockabilly / Blue Grass project featuring essentially the same line-up as Punk Rock stars **X**. ---
**Author:** ![seosamh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@seosamh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seosamh)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2006, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockabilly-which-cds-do-i-need-what-about-psychobilly/362059/5 "2006-06-25T11:20:28Z")
Old Brit band [The Meteors](http://www.wreckingpit.com/psycho/bands/themeteors.php3) were excellent. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2006, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockabilly-which-cds-do-i-need-what-about-psychobilly/362059/6 "2006-06-25T11:38:10Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > if you’re only interested in “pure” Rockabilly you’ll just load up on albums that sound exactly like one another- such is the nature of the genre Such is the nature of all genres. Thanks for the information from everyone so far. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2006, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockabilly-which-cds-do-i-need-what-about-psychobilly/362059/7 "2006-06-25T11:48:05Z")
Johnny Burdett and the Rock n Roll Trio for authentic rockabilly. Reverend Horton Heat should have something good in the Psychobilly range, but not sure what CD. Cramps of course for what was probably the original Psychobilly. any of their early albumns. The one with The Crusher on it probably is as good as any to start with. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2006, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockabilly-which-cds-do-i-need-what-about-psychobilly/362059/8 "2006-06-25T12:15:45Z")
Link Wray is, of course, quite good. Though his style tends to be to just find a groove and stick with it rather than filling out a full song (but really nice grooves!) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2006, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockabilly-which-cds-do-i-need-what-about-psychobilly/362059/9 "2006-06-25T15:34:14Z")
For what it’s worth—and I’m not familiar enough with the genre to be able to say how much it is worth— [here’s](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE67B16DD4DAF7520F7863053CCA660C129DF4CF6C01D2F4749DFB63F4E81096AB713A7DCD2B3FA75B235AEFE24A65E05D3CFFE2781&sql=77:2932~T2) The All-Music Guide’s list of Rockabilly Revival albums (the “1st, 2nd, 3rd” refer to “1st tier” etc.) > [@](#): > > 1st Stray Cats Built for Speed 1982 Rock > 1st Southern Culture on the Skids Dirt Track Date 1996 Rock > 1st Ray Condo & the Ricoshets Door to Door Maniac 1997 Country > 1st Stray Cats Greatest Hits [2000] 2000 Rock > 1st Reverend Horton Heat Holy Roller 1999 Rock > 1st Kim Lenz & the Jaguars Kim Lenz & Her Jaguars 1998 Rock > 1st Tav Falco’s Panther Burns Life Sentence 1991 Rock > 1st The Cramps Psychedelic Jungle/Gravest Hits 1989 Rock > 1st Stray Cats Rant N’ Rave With the Stray Cats 1983 Rock > 1st Robert Gordon Red Hot 1977-1981 1995 Rock > 2nd The Cramps A Date With Elvis [Bonus Tracks] 2001 Rock > 2nd The Cramps Bad Music for Bad People 1984 Rock > 2nd The Cramps Date with Elvis 1986 Rock > 2nd Ray Campi & Rockabilly Rebels Gone, Gone, Gone! 1986 Rock > 2nd The Gibson Bros. Memphis Sol Today! 1993 Rock > 2nd Robert Gordon Robert Gordon with Link Wray/Fresh Fish Specials 1997 Rock > 2nd Jackie Lee Cochran Rockabilly Music 1997 Rock > 2nd The Cramps Songs the Lord Taught Us 1980 Rock > 2nd Tav Falco’s Panther Burns Sugar Ditch Revisited 1985 Rock > 2nd Johnny Carroll Texabilly 1980 Rock > 2nd Reverend Horton Heat The Full Custom Gospel Sounds 1993 Rock > 3rd The Meteors Bastard Sons of a Rock & Roll Devil 1997 Rock > 3rd Evan Johns & His H-Bombs Evan Johns & The H-Bombs 1986 Rock > 3rd Guana Batz Guana Batz 1985-90 1994 Rock > 3rd Stray Cats Rock Therapy 1986 Rock And [here’s](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE67B16DD4DAF7520F7863053CCA660C129DF4CF6C01D2F4749DFB63F4E81096AB713A7DCD2B3FA75B235AEFE24A75A05D1CDFE2781&sql=77:4407~T2) their Psychobilly list: > [@](#): > > 1st Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper Bo-Day-Shus!!! 1987 Rock > 1st The Gibson Bros. Dedicated Fool 1989 Rock > 1st Southern Culture on the Skids Dirt Track Date 1996 Rock > 1st Gun Club Fire of Love 1981 Rock > 1st Reverend Horton Heat Holy Roller 1999 Rock > 1st The Cramps Songs the Lord Taught Us/Psychedelic Jungle/Off The Bone 2000 Rock > 1st The Blue Moon Boys Sticks And Stones 1999 Rock > 2nd The Cramps A Date With Elvis [Bonus Tracks] 2001 Rock > 2nd The Cramps Date with Elvis 1986 Rock > 2nd Nashville Pussy Let Them Eat Pussy 1998 Rock > 2nd The Gibson Bros. Memphis Sol Today! 1993 Rock > 2nd Gun Club Miami 1982 Rock > 2nd The Cramps Psychedelic Jungle 1981 Rock > 2nd Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper Root Hog or Die 1989 Rock > 2nd The Cramps Songs the Lord Taught Us 1980 Rock > 2nd Reverend Horton Heat The Full Custom Gospel Sounds 1993 Rock > 3rd Simon & the Bar Sinisters Look at Me I’m Cool! 1995 Rock > 3rd The Legendary Stardust Cowboy Retro Rocket Back to Earth 199? Rock > 3rd The Gibson Bros. The Man Who Loved Couch Dancing 1991 Rock (I don’t know whether my links will work, or whether you have to be registered with the AMG site.) ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2006, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockabilly-which-cds-do-i-need-what-about-psychobilly/362059/10 "2006-06-25T16:07:58Z")
- get a best of Eddie Cochran (Summertime Blues, C’mon Everybody, 20 flight Rock, etc. - get a best of Gene Vincent (Be Bop a Lula, Race with the Devil, Say Mama) - Get The Humbler by Danny Gatton and Robert Gordon - Get the Brian Setzer album where he covers the old Sun records stuff - Rockabilly something or other Volume 1 - starts with My Gal is Red Hot - get the Sun Records 50th Anniversary 2-disc best of collection - amazing stuff… - Get a best of Jerry Lee Lewis - but only if it has Drinkin’ Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee on it… You’ll be all set. As for newer stuff - agree with Social D and Rev Horton Heat… ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2006, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockabilly-which-cds-do-i-need-what-about-psychobilly/362059/11 "2006-06-25T16:38:27Z")
Rhino has a box set coming out: [Rockin’ Bones: 50’s Punk & Rockabilly](http://www.rhino.com/store/ProductDetail.lasso?Number=73346). Looks awesome if you can afford it. I have a few of their other box sets, and they’re great. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2006, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockabilly-which-cds-do-i-need-what-about-psychobilly/362059/12 "2006-06-25T17:15:00Z")
I can’t recommend Reverend Horton Heat highly enough to a new rockabilly/psychobilly fan. You might as well start with their greatest hits album, _Holy Roller_: [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000IAG2/sr=8-2/qid=1151255237/ref=pd\_bbs\_2/102-4821795-9383348?ie=UTF8](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000IAG2/sr=8-2/qid=1151255237/ref=pd_bbs_2/102-4821795-9383348?ie=UTF8) (They are also possibly the best live band I’ve ever seen, alongside Less Than Jake and Ben Folds.) Brian Setzer’s seminal '80s rockabilly revival trio, the Stray Cats, are a necessity. My favorite of the multiple compilations, if only for the amount of songs on a single CD, is _Runaway Boys_: [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000002UHJ/qid=1151255311/sr=1-5/ref=sr\_1\_5/102-4821795-9383348?s=music&v=glance&n=5174](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000002UHJ/qid=1151255311/sr=1-5/ref=sr_1_5/102-4821795-9383348?s=music&v=glance&n=5174) If you’re the least bit interested in the Brian Setzer Orchestra (as you should be, for he is awesome in all he does), my favorite album by them is their second, _Guitar Slinger_: [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000001Y1F/qid=1151255480/sr=2-1/ref=pd\_bbs\_b\_2\_1/102-4821795-9383348?s=music&v=glance&n=5174](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000001Y1F/qid=1151255480/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-4821795-9383348?s=music&v=glance&n=5174) His vocals go back and forth between ultra-cool lounge crooner and snarling rockabilly badass, and his reverby Gretsch guitar sound melds perfectly with that tight, fat horn section. I agree with the previous poster who cited Social Distortion, for their perfect rootsy punk/rockabilly hybrid sound. I should also recommend frontman Mike Ness’ solo album _Cheating At Solitaire_, one of my favorite albums of all time, which perfectly captures the rockabilly rebel/outlaw spirit and sound: [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000IFV9/qid=1151255424/sr=2-1/ref=pd\_bbs\_b\_2\_1/102-4821795-9383348?s=music&v=glance&n=5174](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000IFV9/qid=1151255424/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-4821795-9383348?s=music&v=glance&n=5174) Luckily, [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) allows you to listen to audio samples from most of the CDs they sell. In that case, I recommend you check out some tracks by the Hillbilly Hellcats to see if you like them ( [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/102-4821795-9383348?\_encoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=music&field-keywords=hillbilly%20hellcats](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/102-4821795-9383348?%5Fencoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=music&field-keywords=hillbilly%20hellcats) ), and also the Cramps ( [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/102-4821795-9383348?url=index%3Dmusic&search-type=quick-search&field-keywords=cramps](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/102-4821795-9383348?url=index%3Dmusic&search-type=quick-search&field-keywords=cramps) ) and the Horrorpops ( [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/102-4821795-9383348?url=index%3Dmusic&search-type=quick-search&field-keywords=horrorpops](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/102-4821795-9383348?url=index%3Dmusic&search-type=quick-search&field-keywords=horrorpops) ), a Danish psychobilly band with a sexy female singer/bassist. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2006, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockabilly-which-cds-do-i-need-what-about-psychobilly/362059/13 "2006-06-25T17:18:45Z")
On the Psychobilly front, you can also try Nekromantix and maybe also HorrorPops. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2006, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockabilly-which-cds-do-i-need-what-about-psychobilly/362059/14 "2006-06-25T18:02:26Z")
No psychobilly collection would be complete without a little something from Elvis Hitler. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2006, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockabilly-which-cds-do-i-need-what-about-psychobilly/362059/15 "2006-06-26T02:31:49Z")
Check out the Blasters. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2006, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockabilly-which-cds-do-i-need-what-about-psychobilly/362059/16 "2006-06-26T05:40:29Z")
Wow. There is a lot of wonderful information in this thread so far. Thanks a lot. I’ll definitely make a special rockabilly/psychobilly trip to Ear Candy the next time I’m in Missoula, and I’ll have scribbled notes from this thread in hand. ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2006, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockabilly-which-cds-do-i-need-what-about-psychobilly/362059/17 "2006-06-26T05:54:05Z")
[QUOTE=China Guy] Cramps of course for what was probably the original Psychobilly. [QUOTE] Thank you! I can’t believe it took 7 posts to get to them. I remember the last time I saw Lux Interior…naked except for stockings and his high heeled shoes held over his genitals. God I love that man. Oh yeah, their CD’s are good too 😃 . ---
**Author:** ![Kyrie\_Eleison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kyrie_eleison/32/7682_2.png) [@Kyrie\_Eleison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyrie_Eleison)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2006, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockabilly-which-cds-do-i-need-what-about-psychobilly/362059/18 "2006-06-26T07:07:20Z")
A psychobilly thread without love for the Supersuckers? Can’t be allowed to happen. “The Smoke of Hell” is my personal favorite. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2006, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockabilly-which-cds-do-i-need-what-about-psychobilly/362059/19 "2006-06-26T13:20:15Z")
Well, since many of the basics have been mentioned, may I suggest **Jason and the Scorchers** with a chaser of **Goober and the Peas**? _“I’m a funky funky cowby…”_ ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2006, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockabilly-which-cds-do-i-need-what-about-psychobilly/362059/20 "2006-06-27T04:45:32Z")
Even more suggestions. If nothing else, there are some cool band names in this thread. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rockabilly-which-cds-do-i-need-what-about-psychobilly/362059.md?page=2)