Batfinks - Wazzed’n’Blasted

Shamefully overlooked 80s psychobilly outfit

This latest in Anagram’s exhaustive reissue series of Link’s genre-furthering psychobilly releases from the mid-to-late 80s continues with one of its more obscure acts, Batfinks.

Just where Link A&R man Chuck Harvey (of Frantic Flintstones fame) discovered the band is unknown. As Anagram’s ‘project coordinator’ Alan Wilson admits in his understandably brief sleevenotes: ‘exhaustive attempts to track them down have spectacularly failed’. What we do know is that this, their sole album for Link, was recorded at South Hill Park Studios in January 1989 and was produced by the erstwhile Chuck Harvey and Marc ‘Swordfish’ Hunt.

Listening today, it’s difficult to see why Batfinks have been so long overlooked. The hallmarks of great ’billy are there: slap bass, warbling vocals, and mock-horror lyrics, all infused with punk bite. In fact, the punk influence is perhaps more pronounced than in many of the other psychobilly acts of the time, especially in guitarist Fritz’s buzzsaw attack on tracks Kali’s Blood and Witch Hunt, while drummer Mick contributes a star turn on Dracula’s Castle. The two bonus live tracks only confirm Batfinks’ claim to more fame than they presently enjoy.

3 stars 3 stars 3 stars

Anagram | CDMPSYCHO 54

Reviewed by Shane Baldwin
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