Interview with Steve Young of The Surfin' Wombatz
May 12, 2014
From early on, in London's burgeoning psychobilly scene surrounding the Klubfoot, The Surfin' WOmbatz have been playing their own beer and horror film inspired music and marching to the beat of their own... washboard? Steve Young took a few minutes to tell us about the release of the new wombatz album and took another minute to school me on the often overlooked history of psychobilly in the USA! Sometimes my background work can be a little sloppy and I may overlook some things from time to time, but we're lucky to have such knowledgeable musicians around to set the record straight!
Surfin' Wombatz have a long history in the European psychobilly scene. Would you tell us a little about how you guys got started?
Well,we have been around since '86....just had a little hiatus from gigging for about 20 years.......that was due to work and family and such real world intrusions.We originally started the band out of our love for going to The Klubfoot and thought we'd have a go at starting a band. Me and Tony tossed a coin to see who would be the front man. I won, so he had to buy a drumkit.We knew two actual musicians from going to rockabilly nights at various pubs and the band was born.....Tonys primitive drums were teamed with Sean on guitar and his brother Paul on bass. A lunatic drinking buddy and fellow horror fan Johnny joined us at our first gig playing a glass washboard and ......DR.SATHAN WAS BORN! We were rather well received for a first outing and some how we got asked to play in seedy pubs with another local band Thee Waltons. That got us on the bill at the Broadway bar, downstairs at the Clarendon Hotel....AkA The Klubfoot. One night it chanced that Roy Williams of Nervous Records saw us and, somewhat foolhardy, asked if we had a demo.....appearances on a couple of compilation albums followed. An opening slot at the Klubfoot didn't see us bottled off stage and Mr Roy gave us an album deal.....That's what started it all.....
How would you say the crowds that you play to these days measure up against the lads that used to attend early on?
In England its pretty much the same crowd !! Less quiff and more beer belly in evidence! Seriously, many of our early mates/ fans (HA HA) seem to have left the scene. Presumably they grew up sensible or something! When we started gigging again it was in pubs, mostly to mates from local car clubs etc. Then we played a headliner at a local psychobilly night in Croydon's Scream Lounge. The other two bands on the bill were Johnny and the Death Rays and Screaming Sugar Skulls, both bands no longer together.....their younger following seemed to take to us and we haven't looked back since.Crowds at bigger gigs such as Bedlam Breakout weekends and Pompey Rumble have enjoyed our show much more than in the old days.......The atmosphere at those shows is every bit as good as in the early days, if not better!
Everyone who was there has got a Klubfoot story from the old days that sticks out in their mind like deformed varukers... What's yours?
ERRRRM, turning up drunk to play a show the week before we were supposed too!!! Meeting people we considered REAL stars of the scene backstage and, oddly the most striking memory I have personally is jumping on stage to give ROCHEE SARNO a huge bouquet in recognition of his talent! We saw so many great shows there it's hard to pick one but I think the first time I saw Batmobile has to be a stand out memory too! That and the horrible watery '80s beer!
Surfin' Wombatz have a long history in the European psychobilly scene. Would you tell us a little about how you guys got started?
Well,we have been around since '86....just had a little hiatus from gigging for about 20 years.......that was due to work and family and such real world intrusions.We originally started the band out of our love for going to The Klubfoot and thought we'd have a go at starting a band. Me and Tony tossed a coin to see who would be the front man. I won, so he had to buy a drumkit.We knew two actual musicians from going to rockabilly nights at various pubs and the band was born.....Tonys primitive drums were teamed with Sean on guitar and his brother Paul on bass. A lunatic drinking buddy and fellow horror fan Johnny joined us at our first gig playing a glass washboard and ......DR.SATHAN WAS BORN! We were rather well received for a first outing and some how we got asked to play in seedy pubs with another local band Thee Waltons. That got us on the bill at the Broadway bar, downstairs at the Clarendon Hotel....AkA The Klubfoot. One night it chanced that Roy Williams of Nervous Records saw us and, somewhat foolhardy, asked if we had a demo.....appearances on a couple of compilation albums followed. An opening slot at the Klubfoot didn't see us bottled off stage and Mr Roy gave us an album deal.....That's what started it all.....
How would you say the crowds that you play to these days measure up against the lads that used to attend early on?
In England its pretty much the same crowd !! Less quiff and more beer belly in evidence! Seriously, many of our early mates/ fans (HA HA) seem to have left the scene. Presumably they grew up sensible or something! When we started gigging again it was in pubs, mostly to mates from local car clubs etc. Then we played a headliner at a local psychobilly night in Croydon's Scream Lounge. The other two bands on the bill were Johnny and the Death Rays and Screaming Sugar Skulls, both bands no longer together.....their younger following seemed to take to us and we haven't looked back since.Crowds at bigger gigs such as Bedlam Breakout weekends and Pompey Rumble have enjoyed our show much more than in the old days.......The atmosphere at those shows is every bit as good as in the early days, if not better!
Everyone who was there has got a Klubfoot story from the old days that sticks out in their mind like deformed varukers... What's yours?
ERRRRM, turning up drunk to play a show the week before we were supposed too!!! Meeting people we considered REAL stars of the scene backstage and, oddly the most striking memory I have personally is jumping on stage to give ROCHEE SARNO a huge bouquet in recognition of his talent! We saw so many great shows there it's hard to pick one but I think the first time I saw Batmobile has to be a stand out memory too! That and the horrible watery '80s beer!
Who have been the biggest inspirations for you guys musically?
This is where we are supposed to say Cramps and Meteors eh? Well, most definitely them, but with us all having an interest in original rockabilly and r'n'b we are just as much inspired by the likes of Johnny Burnette, Gene Maltais, Johnny Cash, B.B.King, Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Wynonie Harris and of course Screamin Jay Hawkins and Screaming Lord Sutch!! These giants along with a bit of punk like the Clash and British pub rock like Dr.Feelgood and neo billy bands like Restless and Polecats are in the mix too!
You have said that your music is influenced by horror movies just the same as other musicians. What are some of your favorite horror films?
Here we have eclectic tastes......Dr Sathan is a fan of all things sick and nasty.....Italian zombie films being a big favourite. Obviously Romero's films, classics such as Psycho and American Werewolf, Nosferatu takes some beating too! We are also fans of British horror like Quatermass and the Pit and of course anything Hammer Horror with Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Ingrid Pitt! However some may say the film we are most influenced by is Carry on Screaming! - and they wouldn't be far wrong....
Do you have a single favorite venue or festival to play?
We have a real soft spot for Bedlam Breakout.....and, along with Pompey Rumble it's THE show to get on in the UK. We loved the Euro crowd at Psychobilly Earthquake but our next ambition is to play Long Beach Psyclone in California, having had so much fun doing our recent gig in LA for Brando Von Badsville!
This is where we are supposed to say Cramps and Meteors eh? Well, most definitely them, but with us all having an interest in original rockabilly and r'n'b we are just as much inspired by the likes of Johnny Burnette, Gene Maltais, Johnny Cash, B.B.King, Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Wynonie Harris and of course Screamin Jay Hawkins and Screaming Lord Sutch!! These giants along with a bit of punk like the Clash and British pub rock like Dr.Feelgood and neo billy bands like Restless and Polecats are in the mix too!
You have said that your music is influenced by horror movies just the same as other musicians. What are some of your favorite horror films?
Here we have eclectic tastes......Dr Sathan is a fan of all things sick and nasty.....Italian zombie films being a big favourite. Obviously Romero's films, classics such as Psycho and American Werewolf, Nosferatu takes some beating too! We are also fans of British horror like Quatermass and the Pit and of course anything Hammer Horror with Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Ingrid Pitt! However some may say the film we are most influenced by is Carry on Screaming! - and they wouldn't be far wrong....
Do you have a single favorite venue or festival to play?
We have a real soft spot for Bedlam Breakout.....and, along with Pompey Rumble it's THE show to get on in the UK. We loved the Euro crowd at Psychobilly Earthquake but our next ambition is to play Long Beach Psyclone in California, having had so much fun doing our recent gig in LA for Brando Von Badsville!
You have one full-length album, 'Lager Louts', and an EP under your belts. How is the work on your next album coming along?
Our long awaited second album 'DR. SATHANS HOUSE OF TERROR' was released at Bedlam Breakout in March this year !! Buy it today!!!!
Can we expect a roadtrip to accompany the release of your new work?
We did a little tour in the early part of the year, culminating in headlining the opening night of Bedlam in March and playing the gig out in LA, which was an awesome experience! Plenty more gigs coming up in the UK, France just before Christmas and hopefully returning to the States next year!
Psychobilly is really still in its infancy in the states, or its teens at most ~ how would you say American psychobilly fares when compared to the weathered standards from across the sea?
I'm not so sure about that.....we had the Quakes way back! Long before that you had Hasil Adkins, all those mad rockabilly death discs and sci fi songs like 'rockin in the grave yard', 'flying saucers rock n roll', 'the cat' etc, Screamin Jay Hawkins, the Sonics, even 'purple people eater'!! Then of course you've got The Cramps, so U.S. psychobilly has been around a loooong time. As for modern bands, loads of great acts are around at the moment.The Quaranteds tore the place up at the last Bedlam Breakout, they are great guys too. On our little trip to LA we saw and played with some great bands such as the Spoofs, Radarmen, the Daffys, Quaranteds and the Cigaratz who are all great modern psycho billy bands with oldschool style sounds. We also caught Cannibal Mad Men who are definitely not old school but amazingly powerful to listen to!
In fact,one of my personal favourite bands ever are from the States, the absolutely awesome 'Thee Merry Widows', all girl horror based melodic psychobilly. Only saw em live once at Viva Las Vegas weekend and I don't think they are playing anymore, a real shame!..........so, all in all, you could say we are big fans of the U.S. scene!
Our long awaited second album 'DR. SATHANS HOUSE OF TERROR' was released at Bedlam Breakout in March this year !! Buy it today!!!!
Can we expect a roadtrip to accompany the release of your new work?
We did a little tour in the early part of the year, culminating in headlining the opening night of Bedlam in March and playing the gig out in LA, which was an awesome experience! Plenty more gigs coming up in the UK, France just before Christmas and hopefully returning to the States next year!
Psychobilly is really still in its infancy in the states, or its teens at most ~ how would you say American psychobilly fares when compared to the weathered standards from across the sea?
I'm not so sure about that.....we had the Quakes way back! Long before that you had Hasil Adkins, all those mad rockabilly death discs and sci fi songs like 'rockin in the grave yard', 'flying saucers rock n roll', 'the cat' etc, Screamin Jay Hawkins, the Sonics, even 'purple people eater'!! Then of course you've got The Cramps, so U.S. psychobilly has been around a loooong time. As for modern bands, loads of great acts are around at the moment.The Quaranteds tore the place up at the last Bedlam Breakout, they are great guys too. On our little trip to LA we saw and played with some great bands such as the Spoofs, Radarmen, the Daffys, Quaranteds and the Cigaratz who are all great modern psycho billy bands with oldschool style sounds. We also caught Cannibal Mad Men who are definitely not old school but amazingly powerful to listen to!
In fact,one of my personal favourite bands ever are from the States, the absolutely awesome 'Thee Merry Widows', all girl horror based melodic psychobilly. Only saw em live once at Viva Las Vegas weekend and I don't think they are playing anymore, a real shame!..........so, all in all, you could say we are big fans of the U.S. scene!
Are there any groups out
there who you haven't shared a set with who you're dying to play with?
Back to the States again for this one too.......who wouldn't want to play a show with Reverend Horton Heat? As for British bands then its got to be Nigel Lewis ,in either zorchmen or tall boys form!! Deltas would be awesome, and personally I would love to share a stage with my rock n roll idol Lord Herbert Sarongster.......of ROCHEE AND THE SARNOS!!
If the opportunity arose to sell your souls to the Dark Lord, what would be your going price?
Only joking. He's booked full-up right now. Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for us, and we hope to see you on the road some day!
Mate, that ship has long sailed......I was trying to unlock an old old rusty padlock at work once and said to my mate "I'd sell my soul to the Devil to open this"......it opened in my hand! Frankly old Nick got a bargain that day!!
Thanks for talking with us, Steve, And we look forward to hearing more from The Surfin' Wombatz!
Back to the States again for this one too.......who wouldn't want to play a show with Reverend Horton Heat? As for British bands then its got to be Nigel Lewis ,in either zorchmen or tall boys form!! Deltas would be awesome, and personally I would love to share a stage with my rock n roll idol Lord Herbert Sarongster.......of ROCHEE AND THE SARNOS!!
If the opportunity arose to sell your souls to the Dark Lord, what would be your going price?
Only joking. He's booked full-up right now. Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for us, and we hope to see you on the road some day!
Mate, that ship has long sailed......I was trying to unlock an old old rusty padlock at work once and said to my mate "I'd sell my soul to the Devil to open this"......it opened in my hand! Frankly old Nick got a bargain that day!!
Thanks for talking with us, Steve, And we look forward to hearing more from The Surfin' Wombatz!