The Quakes

Combine the grandeur and rockabilly twang of Texas with the attitude and speed of punk, and the result is a bastard child known as psychobilly. Perhaps now the Quakes have come across a new hybrid of "-billy," mixing Eighties and rockabilly. Retrobilly? Okay, not really, but the group has done its share of covers by the likes of Echo and the Bunnymen and Depeche Mode. Aside from the nostalgia, the Quakes' signature sound — a hint of surf, slap bass, and lightning-fast drums — has remained steadfast since the band's birth in 1986. Too bad the same can't be said for the lineup, which seems to change with every tour the group embarks on. As with most things underground in the United States, psychobilly enjoys a larger following in Europe. This explains the bandmates' beginnings as squatters in London performing at psycho shows in Belgium and Germany. Despite the lull in activity for the past few years, the band has recently put together a new album, Psyops; makes an appearance on the Psycho Mania DVD; and tours extensively in America, Japan, and Europe.