Frantic Flintstones - 20th Anniversary Album

Eclectic UK psychobilly retrospective

The psychobilly scene has thrown up many odd, even disturbed, characters over the years, but few as unashamedly deranged as Chuck Harvey. According to Alan Wilson’s sleevenotes, young Gavin (as his mother knew him) discovered alcohol aged 10, after which it was downhill all the way: collecting dead animals and blood samples; treatment by child psychologists; drugs; football violence and various other criminal activities. An ideal candidate, then, to front one of our finest and most enduring psychobilly bands. But, given all that, this is a bit more mellow than you might think. Chuck was always drawn more to the ’billy rather than the psycho side of the equation, and he’s equally at home penning swing number Havin’ Me A Smoke, or tackling some diverse covers (ranging from a suitably smutty rewrite of Blue Christmas, to a perky take on The Specials’ Enjoy Yourself). It’s all good stuff and, with Wilson’s notes bolstered by quotes from Harvey himself, this is a cool way to check out a cool band.

Anagram | CDM PSYCHO 52

Reviewed by Shane Baldwin
<< Back to Issue 333