Gothabilly
Music genre
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gothabilly (sometimes hellbilly[1]) is music genre influenced by rockabilly and the goth subculture. The name is a portmanteau word that combines gothic and rockabilly, first used by the Cramps in the late 1970s to describe their somber blend of rockabilly and punk rock.[1][2] Since then, the term has come to describe a fashion style influenced by gothic fashion, as seen in its use of black silks, satins, lace and velvet, corsets, top hats, antique jewellery, PVC and leather.[1]
| Gothabilly | |
|---|---|
The Cramps in 1982 | |
| Other names | Hellbilly |
| Stylistic origins | |
| Cultural origins | Late 1970s, United States |
| Regional scenes | |
| Mainly the United States and England but growing in popularity in many Scandinavian countries. | |
| Other topics | |
Characteristics
Gothabilly is distinctly different in sound from psychobilly. While psychobilly fuses 1950s rockabilly with 1970s punk rock in a faster, more aggressive sound, gothabilly fuses bluesy rockabilly with gothic piano and guitar, and is defined by having slower tempos and emphasizing mood over aggression.[1]
History
The Cramps have been credited with coining the term "gothabilly".[1] The term was not popularized until the release of a series of international gothabilly compilation albums released by Skully Records in the mid-1990s.[3][4]
Gothabilly is particularly active in the western portion of the United States, with many of today's bands originating in California.[5]