The Radiacs

The Radiacs were a psychobilly/rockabilly band from Sheffield, UK, who came together in the mid-to-late 1980s, around 1986. Sheffield wasn’t exactly known as a rockabilly hotspot at the time, which made the band stand out even more in the UK underground scene. The original lineup featured Dale Williams on vocals, Billy Oxley on guitar, Paul Oxley on slap bass, and Shaun Williams on drums. 

 
Before settling on the name The Radiacs, the band briefly went by The Epileptic Hillbillys, but dropped it early on due to obvious controversy. The name “Radiacs” itself was very Sheffield-specific, taken from a radiac steel-cutting machine used in the city’s steel industry -one that Dale Williams actually worked with. That industrial background fit nicely with their gritty, no-nonsense sound.

 
Musically, The Radiacs blended classic rockabilly with punk aggression and psychobilly energy. They became known for fast tempos, driving upright bass, raw guitar tones, and lively stage shows. During the late ’80s and early ’90s they were often described as Sheffield’s only true psychobilly band, regularly sharing stages with bigger names on the UK and European psychobilly circuit. 

 
Their debut album, 'Hellraiser', was released in 1989 on Link Records and quickly became their best-known release. It captured their raw early sound and helped establish them within the scene. This was followed by 'Live & Rockin’' in 1990, which showed just how energetic they were on stage, especially at hometown shows. In 1993 they released their second studio album, 'Going Strong', on Tombstone Records, which featured a slightly tighter and more polished sound. 

 
Around this period there were some lineup changes, most notably on bass, but the band continued touring across the UK and Europe, building a solid reputation, particularly in Germany and France where psychobilly had a strong following. By the mid-1990s, around 1994 or 1995, The Radiacs quietly called it a day without any big breakup drama, and the members moved on to other projects. 

 
Interest in the band never completely faded, though, and in the late 2000s they reunited for new recordings and occasional performances. This led to 'The Return of the Radiacs', released around 2010–2011 on Raucous Records, which included new tracks along with material that long-time fans were happy to hear again. 

 
Today, The Radiacs are remembered as a solid and authentic part of the original UK psychobilly wave — not a flashy band, but one with strong songs, real scene credibility, and a loyal cult following among fans of old-school psychobilly and rockabilly punk crossover.

 

Skitzo

Skitzo were a British psychobilly band from London, active mainly during the mid to late 1980s, and they’re remembered as one of the rawer, more punk-leaning bands in the UK psychobilly scene. They shouldn’t be confused with other bands called Skitzo from different countries or genres -this Skitzo were firmly rooted in the underground psychobilly movement that grew out of punk and rockabilly in Britain. 

 

The band formed in early 1985 and originally went by the name The Electros. The core members included vocalist Phil Connor and drummer Rod Connor, later joined by Tony Bronham on bass and Anthony McVey on guitar. After some early gigs and a lineup change -Rod was replaced by drummer Steve Tomlinson following an accident- the band changed their name to Skitzo and began to gain attention on the London psychobilly circuit. 

Musically, Skitzo stood out because they leaned harder into punk aggression than many of their peers. While they still used classic psychobilly ingredients like upright bass and rockabilly rhythms, their sound was rougher, faster, and less cartoonish, with shouted vocals and a gritty garage-punk feel. This made them especially popular with fans who preferred the tougher, less polished side of psychobilly.

 
Their debut album, 'Skitzo Mania', was released in 1987 on Nervous Records and quickly became a cult favorite. The record captured their wild energy and included both original songs and twisted covers. A year later, they released 'Terminal Damage', which pushed their sound even further into punk territory with heavier guitars and a more aggressive overall feel. Around this time, they were also known for intense live shows, including appearances at legendary venues like the Klub Foot. 

By around 1990, Skitzo broke up, largely because Phil Connor developed vocal problems after years of extreme screaming. The band briefly reunited in the mid-1990s and released more material, including the album 'Vertigo' in 1997 and the single 'The Glove', before splitting up again. While they never became mainstream, their recordings continued to circulate through reissues and live albums, keeping their name alive in the scene. 

Today, Skitzo are remembered as a no-frills, hard-hitting psychobilly band with a strong punk attitude. They’re often mentioned alongside other classic UK psychobilly acts of the era, and 'Skitzo Mania' in particular is still considered an essential record for anyone digging into the darker, louder side of psychobilly. 

Tall Boys

The Tall Boys were a British psychobilly band that came out of London in the early 1980s. They were formed by Nigel Lewis and Mark Robertson, both of whom had previously been involved with The Meteors, one of the most important bands in shaping the psychobilly scene. Because of that connection, the Tall Boys were right at the heart of the genre’s early development. Their music mixed punk’s speed and attitude with rockabilly twang and a bit of gritty garage rock, giving them a raw, energetic sound that fit perfectly with the UK underground at the time. 

They started releasing records in the early ’80s, and one of their most well-known releases is the mini-album 'Wednesday Addams’ Boyfriend' from 1984. That record did surprisingly well for an underground psychobilly band, reaching the UK indie charts and helping them build a strong cult following. Over the next couple of years they put out singles and EPs like 'Final Kick' and 'Brand New Gun', which showed a more aggressive, punk-leaning side and even caused a bit of controversy due to their lyrics. 

Although the Tall Boys never reached the wider fame of bands like The Meteors or Guana Batz, they earned a lot of respect within the psychobilly scene. Songs such as “Ride This Torpedo” became fan favorites, and their live shows were known for being loud, fast, and intense. Recordings from gigs at legendary venues like the Klub Foot helped cement their reputation as a great live band. 

After their original run in the mid-1980s, their music continued to circulate through compilations and reissues, especially the 'Funtime' CD, which pulled together most of their classic material. The band even returned with later releases, including a full album in 2013, showing that there was still interest in their sound decades later. Today, the Tall Boys are remembered as an important cult band from psychobilly’s formative years -maybe not the biggest name, but definitely one that helped define the style and attitude of the genre.

 

The Termites

The Termites were a Scottish psychobilly band from Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, who first came together in the mid-1980s. They became part of the early UK psychobilly underground, mixing punk aggression with rockabilly rhythms and a loud, chaotic live energy that quickly earned them a cult following. 

The band formed around 1985, with members who had grown up together in the New Farm Loch area of Kilmarnock. That shared background gave them a tight, almost gang-like feel, which really showed in their shows. The original lineup included Kenny “The Duke” Mitchell on vocals, Scott Ballantyne on guitar, Ewin Murray on drums and Gerry Doyle on bass. From the start, they stood out for being rough, fast and unapologetically raw. 

Their first recordings appeared in the late 1980s, including the track “Devil Call” on the Fury Records compilation 'Gypsy Girl' in 1987. Not long after, they released a four-track EP on Raucous Records, which helped spread their name further within the psychobilly scene. In 1989 they released their debut album, 'Overload', on Link Records as part of the "Chuck Flintstone Presents" series. The album captured their no-frills sound perfectly and has since become a cult favourite among psychobilly fans.

 
Like many bands from the scene, The Termites had a turbulent run. Line-up changes and internal problems eventually took their toll, and after their final gig in 1991 the band split up, with Kenny Mitchell being the only remaining original member by the end. 

The story didn’t end there, though. In 2005, The Termites reunited with Mitchell, Ballantyne and Murray back on board. They added an upright bass player, Matt Black, and later fiddle player Johnny “Johnny Fiddles” Grant, giving the band a slightly broader sound while keeping their edge. In 2008 they released the album 'Kicked in the Teeth' on the German label Crazy Love Records, marking a solid comeback and reintroducing them to a new generation of fans. 

In later years the band remained active off and on, with reissues, new recordings and occasional live appearances. Sadly, original bassist Gerry Doyle passed away in January 2021 due to COVID-19. Despite that loss, The Termites’ influence on the Scottish psychobilly scene remains strong, and they’re still remembered for their fierce energy, rough-and-ready sound and their place in the early UK psychobilly movement. 

Sugar Puff Demons

Sugar Puff Demons were a UK rock/psychobilly band that came out of the underground scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They were part of the same wave of British psychobilly and garage-rock bands that included groups like The Meteors and Guana Batz. Their music mixed fast, punchy rock ’n’ roll with punk attitude and classic psychobilly elements like driving rhythms and dark, tongue-in-cheek themes. 

Their most well-known release is the album 'Falling From Grace', which originally came out in 1989 on Link Records and was later reissued on CD in the 2000s. The album has built a bit of a cult reputation over the years, especially among fans of old-school psychobilly and garage rock. Songs like “Family in a Suitcase,” “Burn the Church,” “Phantom of the Fog,” and “Nice Day for a Homicide” give a good idea of their raw sound and sense of humor. 

The band was based in the North East of England, around the Newcastle area. The lineup that recorded 'Falling From Grace' featured Andy Hall Summers on guitar and vocals, Drew Bartley on bass, and Mark Coppin on drums, with backing vocals shared among the members. Like many bands from that scene, they didn’t last a long time but left a strong impression with a single solid release. 

Musically, Sugar Puff Demons sat right at the crossroads of psychobilly, punk, and gritty rock ’n’ roll. They never became a mainstream act, but they’re still remembered by collectors and fans of the genre. If you’re into raw late-80s UK psychobilly with a rough edge, they’re definitely worth checking out. 

The Batfinks

The Batfinks were a British psychobilly band that came out of the underground UK scene in the 1980s, right when psychobilly was really starting to carve out its own identity. They weren’t one of the big mainstream names, but among fans and collectors they’ve always had a bit of cult status. Like a lot of bands from that era, they leaned hard into the spooky, campy horror vibe that psychobilly is known for, mixing it with fast, raw punk energy. 

Musically, they sat squarely in that classic psychobilly lane: slap bass thumping away, quick rockabilly-style rhythms pushed through a punk filter, gritty guitars, and vocals that sounded like they’d crawled straight out of a B-movie. Their songs often played with dark humor and horror themes, which was pretty much the badge of honor for UK psychobilly bands at the time. 

Their best-known release is 'Long Lost Psychobilly Volume 1' from 1989, which pulled together a bunch of their tracks and ended up becoming the main record people associate with them. They also popped up on a few live and compilation releases over the years, including titles like 'Live And Rockin’' and 'Wazzed ’n’ Blasted'. Most of their material was tied to the UK indie psychobilly world, especially labels like Link Records that specialized in that wild, upright-bass-driven sound. 

Even though they never reached the level of fame of bigger psychobilly acts, The Batfinks are remembered as one of those gritty scene bands that helped shape the early UK side of the genre. Their records still float around in collector circles, and for fans digging into old-school psychobilly, they’re one of those cool hidden gems worth checking out. 

Batmobile

Batmobile is a legendary psychobilly band from the Netherlands, originally formed in 1983. Although often linked to Rotterdam, the band’s roots are actually split between Rotterdam and Breda. Over the years, Batmobile became one of the most important psychobilly acts outside the UK, helping push the genre across Europe and beyond. 

The band consists of Jeroen Haamers on vocals and guitar, Eric Haamers on upright bass, and Johnny Zuidhof on drums. What’s pretty rare is that this lineup has stayed the same since the beginning, which definitely helped shape their tight, recognizable sound. They took their name from Batman’s famous car, which fits well with their love for comic-style imagery, horror themes, and over-the-top rock ’n’ roll attitude. 

In the early days, Batmobile mainly played 1950s rockabilly and rock ’n’ roll covers, drawing inspiration from artists like Elvis Presley, Gene Vincent, and Chuck Berry. Not long after, they started writing their own songs and mixing that classic sound with the speed and aggression of punk. By the mid-1980s, they had fully locked into psychobilly and released their first recordings, quickly gaining attention in the underground scene. 

Their self-titled mini-album from 1985 opened a lot of doors, and Batmobile soon made history by becoming the first non-British band to headline at Klub Foot in London, one of the most important psychobilly venues at the time. From there, they toured relentlessly across Europe, Japan, and the United States, building a strong international following and proving that psychobilly wasn’t just a UK thing.

 
Musically, Batmobile is known for fast, punchy rockabilly riffs, heavy slap bass, driving drums, and lyrics that often reference horror movies, dark humor, and B-movie culture. They sometimes describe their style as “B-music,” a nod to low-budget horror films and trash culture. While they’ve experimented a bit over the years, their sound has always stayed raw, energetic, and unmistakably Batmobile.

 
Their discography spans several decades, with classic albums like 'Bambooland', 'Bail Was Set at $6,000,000', 'Amazons from Outer Space', and 'Sex Starved'. After a quieter period in the early 2000s, the band returned to live shows and new releases, including 'Brand for Impact' in 2023, which celebrated their 40th anniversary. 

Today, Batmobile is seen as one of the cornerstones of European psychobilly. They’ve influenced countless bands, inspired tribute albums, and earned a reputation for explosive live performances. Even after all these years, they remain a respected and active name in the scene, proving that loud, fast, and slightly unhinged rock ’n’ roll never really goes out of style.

 

The Tailgators

The Tailgators were a UK band connected to the psychobilly and rockabilly underground scene that was active mainly in the late 1980s and very early 1990s. Like many bands from that era, they never really broke into the mainstream and stayed firmly underground, which is why information about them is pretty scarce today. Most of what we know comes from record collectors, old vinyl listings, and niche music databases rather than interviews or official band histories.

 
They released a self-titled album, 'The Tailgators', around 1990. It originally came out on vinyl in the UK and later saw a CD reissue years after the band had disappeared. The record fits right into that late-80s British psychobilly sound: fast, raw rock & roll mixed with punk energy and a strong rockabilly backbone. It’s not as aggressive or horror-obsessed as some psychobilly bands, but it still has that rough, underground attitude.

 
Musically, The Tailgators sat somewhere between classic 1950s rockabilly and the harder UK psychobilly scene that bands like The Meteors helped define. You can expect twangy guitars, driving rhythms, and that straight-ahead rock & roll feel, rather than heavy distortion or extreme imagery. Because of this, they sometimes appeal just as much to rockabilly fans as to psychobilly diehards.

 
There isn’t much solid information about the band members, where exactly they were based, or how much they toured. Like a lot of small UK bands from that time, they seem to have released their album, played some gigs, and then quietly faded away. Still, their record has stuck around and gained a bit of cult status over the years.

 
Today, original vinyl pressings of 'The Tailgators' album are fairly collectible among psychobilly and rockabilly fans, especially those into late-80s UK releases. While they’re far from a household name, The Tailgators are one of those bands that pop up when you start digging deep into the scene -a reminder of just how many solid, lesser-known acts were active during psychobilly’s peak years.

 

Scared Stiff

Scared Stiff were a psychobilly/rockabilly band from Ireland that were active mainly in the late 1980s and very early 1990s. They were part of the underground psychobilly scene, mixing classic rockabilly sounds with punk energy and a darker, rougher edge. Like a lot of bands in that scene, they never became mainstream, but they built a cult reputation among fans of the genre. 

The band formed after the breakup of another Irish psychobilly group called Shark Bait. Their sound fit right in with the European psychobilly movement at the time -fast, raw, and high-energy, with driving rhythms and a slightly gritty feel. They played both original material and covers, and their music leaned heavily into that stripped-down, no-frills style that psychobilly fans love. 

Their most well-known release is an album called 'Dark Streets', which came out in 1989. It’s basically their defining record and the main reason they’re still remembered today. One of the tracks on the album is also titled “Scared Stiff,” and the record has become something of a collector’s item over the years. If you’re into old-school psychobilly, it’s one of those albums people recommend digging up. 

The band didn’t last very long and faded out in the early ’90s. One interesting side note is that frontman Dave Finnegan later became much more widely known as an actor, especially for his role in "The Commitments". Because of that, Scared Stiff sometimes gets rediscovered by people who stumble across his music background. 

These days, Scared Stiff are mostly remembered as a cult band rather than a major name. Their music still pops up on streaming platforms and psychobilly websites, and every so often there’s talk online about reunions or renewed interest, but nothing major has really come of it. Still, for fans of old-school psychobilly, they’re a solid and underrated part of the scene.

 

Coffin Nails

The Coffin Nails are a classic UK psychobilly band that came out of Reading, England in 1985. They’re part of that second wave of British psychobilly bands that followed the early scene set by groups like The Meteors, mixing punk aggression with rockabilly rhythms and a strong dose of dark humor and horror themes. From early on, they built a reputation for being loud, energetic, and not taking themselves too seriously.

 
The band’s early lineup included Tony Szajer on vocals, Steve “Humungus” Clarke on guitar, Gra Farr on bass, and Toby “Juggy” Griffin on drums. They quickly started playing shows and supporting other psychobilly acts, which helped them get noticed around the UK scene. Juggy later went on to play with The Meteors, which also helped cement Coffin Nails’ place in psychobilly history.

 
Their debut album, 'Ein Bier Bitte', came out in 1987 on Nervous Records and is often seen as a cornerstone of their early sound. It’s raw, fast, and full of that tongue-in-cheek psychobilly attitude. Not long after, Steve “Humungus” Clarke took over lead vocals, and the band released 'A Fistful of Burgers' in 1988 on Link Records, pushing their sound in a heavier, more guitar-driven direction.

 
Through the late ’80s and ’90s, Coffin Nails released several albums and live recordings, including 'Who’s He?', 'Live & Rockin’', and 'Wreckers Yard'. Like many long-running psychobilly bands, their lineup changed over the years, especially on drums and bass, but the core sound stayed the same. They continued playing clubs and festivals across the UK and Europe, becoming regulars on the psychobilly festival circuit. 

 
In the 2000s, they were still very much active, releasing albums like 'Out For The Weekend', 'Hard As Nails', and later 'The Dead Don’t Get Older', which came out on their own Greystone Records label. That record showed they could still deliver gritty, high-energy psychobilly without losing the feel that made them popular in the first place.

 
Overall, Coffin Nails are remembered as one of those dependable, no-nonsense psychobilly bands that kept the genre alive beyond its early years. They never chased trends, stuck to what they did best, and earned a loyal following by doing exactly what psychobilly is supposed to do: sound fast, rough, and fun. If you’re into classic UK psychobilly, they’re definitely a band worth knowing.