A Rockin' Good Read...Or Not? - Part 4

Before Scotsman Craig Brackenridge published his book on Psychobilly(Hell's Bent On Rockin') he gave the world 'Let's Wreck' and 'Vinyl Dementia: The Psychobilly & Trash Record Guide. Part 1: 1981-87'.

'Let's Wreck' is a fast read. It covers the author's relationship with Psychobilly from 1983 till around 2003 but as he was drunk and/or stoned most of the times when he was in the company of other Psychos he doesn't remember much and so doesn't really has a lot of interesting things to say. But he sure has a way with words which makes the book a good read nevertheless. There are even a few interesting insights the book has to offer, like the connection between Psychobilly and the Scooter scene, as that was something we didn't have going on in Germany but were aware was happening in the UK. Brackenridge comes from a place in Scotland no one has ever heard of, I am sure, and played in some small bands. So he tells about the early days of Psychobilly in Scotland and about his bands, the Rednecks(EP on Fury Records) being the most 'popular' one. These bits are partly interesting too but I could do without his chapter on important records of the 80s. First because the way he did it it doesn't fit into the concept of the book and second because there are mistakes that shouldn't be published in a book. What ever happened to proof reading and research? He says the Guana Batz had only the 'The Cave' 45 out before their debut LP was released. We all know that's not true.  

For 'Vinyl Dementia' Brackenridge states that he included the 20 records released between 1981 and 1987 that 'infected' him the most. That must be the reason why really important non-island releases are missing. And with island I don't mean the record label. Seriously, you include 'Hell's Bent On Rockin' but can't be bothered to mention 'Psycho Attack Over Europe'? Yes, 'Hell's Bent' is a great album but 'Psycho Attack' was much more important. 'Vinyl Dementia' has about 30 A5 pages and I don't really know who benefits from it beside the author's ego. Many parts from VD were used in 'Let's Wreck' or vice versa, but at least he corrected his mistake about the Guana Batz 45s available before the band's debut LP. But therefor VD has other mistakes to offer. He writes 'Ghost Train' was on the Sharks debut album and seems to think that 'Migraine' and 'Witchcraft' from the Ricochets were part of their 'Made In The Shade' album and not bonus tracks on the CD release. Boy oh boy...how can something like that happen? It makes the author look as if he never owned the LPs he claims were so important to him.

I believe that Brackenridge really enjoyed his teens as Psychobilly and loved and loves the music but why he wrote these two pieces is beyond my understanding. Unless the motivation was a minor midlife-crisis. Getting bald, having a family, not much excitement going on anymore, all new bands suck. What better to do than recall the times when you were crazy and wild. I do that sometimes, too. Glorify the 80s and its music. And it's okay because Psychobilly just was better in the 80s. You don't get the same feeling from listening to the new Banane Metallic record that you got when listening to the Meteors for the first time as a teenager in the mid 80s. That opened the door to a new world. The Wannabilly bands of today make you wanna close that door, lock it and throw away the key.