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The Quakes

The Quakes (1988)
Nervous

Reviewer Rating:

Contributed by: usapsychos
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on June 19th 2007

Before there were psychobilly bands such as Tiger Army, Koffin Kats, and the Slanderin in the United States, there was a band called the Quakes from Buffalo, New York. They formed in 1986 and are one of the first American psychobilly bands, if not the first, to ever play that style of music in America.

The Quakes relocated to England in 1987 after not being able to find an audience who accepted their style of music and they were quickly signed to Nervous Records, who released this, their debut self-titled album, in 1988. The album artwork completely rips off the Stray Cats' first album cover, only instead of a band with greasy pompadours you get a band sporting greasy quiffs and with a more evil look to them. Unlike the UK psychobilly bands at the time, the Quakes played really fast and had a more thrashier sound to their music and the speed that they play at is astonishing for a band who played the style.

The album opens up with "Pack Our Bags and Go" and Paul Roman's Gretsch just squeals throughout the whole song and will remain screeching throughout the album. Rob's slapping of the upright bass is insane and only a snare drum and a cymbal is used throughout the recording. The album just blasts through one song after the other at a blazing speed. Some of the standout tracks on the album are "Where Did It Go," "You're Dead," "Where Did It Go," "Psycho Attack," "Psychobilly Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" and "1,000 Kats."

This is just a classic psychobilly release and if it wasn't for the Quakes, who knows if the U.S. would have had its own psychobilly scene. This album is considered a must-have for any true psychobilly fans. The band is still going strong today, so definitely catch them live when they come to a town near you.

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Anonymous (June 21, 2007)

Are there really two songs titled "Where Did It Go" on this album?

GlassPipeMurder (June 21, 2007)

Agreed, the Cramps even coined the term psychobilly.

Score is for the Cramps.

lushj (June 20, 2007)

Cool review, but "first US psychobilly band"? Heck, you could make a really strong case that The Cramps were psychobilly 10 years earlier, or maybe some of the bands on Rollin' Rock Records or those Blasters-related bands...

Cthulhu (June 20, 2007)

Quake II is cool

Anonymous (June 19, 2007)

score is for the debate over guile

Enemy_Will (June 19, 2007)

Different strokes for different folks. It will help your blood pressure.

elephantdwarf (June 19, 2007)

"p.s. who the fuck wakes up one day and is like... "man, i wish my hair looked like guile's hair from fucking street fighter"? seriously

Probably not anyone in 1988 since Guile wasn't in the original Street Fighter."

I wasn't talking about this band in particular. just psychobilly (hair) fashion in general. kids who listen to psychobilly these days still look like assholes.

inanechild (June 19, 2007)

Wow, I honestly never thought I'd see a Quakes review on a site like this. This is a fantastic album.

inagreendase (June 19, 2007)

p.s. who the fuck wakes up one day and is like... "man, i wish my hair looked like guile's hair from fucking street fighter"? seriously

Probably not anyone in 1988 since Guile wasn't in the original Street Fighter.

ozmanx (June 19, 2007)

Score is for the Quakes best album "Voice of America"

elephantdwarf (June 19, 2007)

p.s. who the fuck wakes up one day and is like... "man, i wish my hair looked like guile's hair from fucking street fighter"? seriously... psychobilly fashion is worse than fucking nu-emo fashion.

elephantdwarf (June 19, 2007)

score is for psychobilly and anything closely fucking related.

ozmanx (June 19, 2007)

Never thought I'd read a Quakes review on here, props.

holy_hack_ben (June 19, 2007)

Good review. Saw these guys last year on their 20th anniversary tour. They are still pretty kick ass.