 2006 marks
a new chapter in the history of Australia’s premier zydeco band.
Through the years Psycho Zydeco have released several albums, toured
internationally, performed at festivals big and small, and generally
helped spread the beauty of the zydeco sound. The band
has just released their fourth album, “Get On Board”- a 16 track Psycho
Zydeco time capsule spanning the evolution of this music from its
rockin’ bluesy beginnings right through to the funkier style of zydeco
nouveaux. For the first time the band is performing with a new member
on the electric bass which has freed Stefan from his extraordinary role
as the accordion/bass player in Psycho Zydeco and ushers in a funky new
groove in the band’s sound. A new album and an additional member
means
the Psychos (as their fans affectionately dub them) are excited about
getting back out there and playing the music they love.
On Get on Board we’ve recorded a bunch of original tunes as well as
select arrangements of material that helps us tell the story of zydeco
music. The new Psycho material shows the different sides that the
band
has developed over time. While songs like Zydeco Nights have an upbeat
and happy Cajun groove, others such as the rollicking Surf Cowboy are a
little wild and downright fun! Psycho Zydeco is proud of this new
record and is anxiously waiting to see how their fans take to the new
tunes.
If you haven’t seen the band live, this recording is pretty indicative
of a Psycho Zydeco gig, capturing the band in full flight. The love of
playing the music shines through when the zydeco machine gets up a full
head of steam. So remember when Psycho Zydeco play it’s best to crank
up the volume, jump on the dance floor, and get on board!
Psycho Zydeco was formed In 1991 when accordionist Stefan Sernek and
guitarist Gregg Hatton discovered the Louisiana
based styles of cajun and zydeco music. They assembled custom made
instruments necessary for the zydeco sound, such as washboards and
various triangles, and combined them with the 'Squeezebox' and R+B
style guitar. Later joined by saxophonist Chris Wilson and drummer Gene
Gill, the band started exploring the many permutations of zydeco and
cajun. The group began performing In the Sydney area and slowly started
to form a reputation as purveyors of a new and exciting foreign sound.
The
band released its debut CD, SwampBox, in 1995 and had by then
began
to make regular appearances at folk, jazz, and blues festivals
throughout
the eastern seaboard of Australia. Although Psycho Zydeco displayed a
leaning
towards the rhythm and blues style of Clifton Chenier, Buckwheat, and
Rockin'
Dopsie, the group has shown a desire to also perform the more folk and
cajun styles complete with creole French lyrics and ringing giant
triangle.
Despite their fascination with these American styles, the band believe
the Psycho Zydeco sound has an undeniably Australian quality that is
their
own.
In 1996 Psycho Zydeco received an Invitation to perform at
the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, an extremely exciting
prospect. After a great deal of organization and hard work a small tour
of the UK was organized and embarked upon. A total of 17 shows were
performed in 12 days in Edinburgh, London, and at the Brecon jazz
Festival in Wales. The tour was proudly deemed by the band a financial
and creative success.
Energized
and inspired from the tour the band began rehearsals to write their
second
album. It was the group's desire to spend more time on this new project
than was possible when recording Swamp Box. Recording began in late
April
1997 and three studios and three months later the CD was complete. The
intention of this project was to fully explore the possibilities of
cajun
and zydeco based styles. The resulting recording Sell Your Soul (To
Zydeco) thus delves into cajun style folk ('Barragoot', Bogged in
the
Bayou', Boozoo's Yea Yea'), blues ('Sweet Little Angel, 'Evening
Train')
and high energy zydeco grooves ('Amazon Annie','Hot Tamale', 'Don't
Dance').
The album was completed just In time for the band to debut on their 27
date tour of the UK and Europe which took place during August 1997.
This
tour was enormously successful taking In the Edinburgh Fringe,
jazz&Blues
Festivals as well as a performance for the Internationally syndicated
BBC
Radio program "The Usual Suspects". Festival performances In Belgium,
Wales
and Lancashire England comprised the remainder of the tour.
On
returning to Australia the group then concentrated on the promotion of
their new CD through media appearances and interstate touring. They
were
guests on Nine's 'Midday Show', as well as Triple J's 'World Music
Show,
while the Sell Your Soul Tour has taken in Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney
and
Melbourne.
At
the end of 2000 Psycho Zydeco proudly announced the release of their
third
full length CD, titled Zydeco Factory. The band was finally
able
to emerge from their factory studio where they had written, rehearsed
and
recorded the long awaited successor to the groups previous two
albums.
Zydeco
Factory explores a wide range of rhythms and grooves and is a
potent
brew of Australian style blues tinged zydeco. From cajun instrumentals
to steaming country grunge and rollicking zydeco funk, this album is an
eclectic, spicy gumbo of all original songs.
The Zydeco Factory Tour, supported by radio
nationally on JJJ and the ABC, saw the band undertake an extensive tour
of Australia. This included most major cities and many regional centres
and featured concert performances sharing the bill with artists such as
Paul Kelly and blues-meister Damon Davies. The band finished the 25
date tour with a rousing finale in front of thousands of fans onstage
new years' eve at the Woodford Folk Festival bringing the year to a
grand and well timed conclusion.
Picture this. The sun sets on a humid night in April 2000 and a band of
four musicians are deep in the throes of a churning set of zydeco blues
before a hyped crowd of two or three thousand music fans. It's the East
Coast Blues and Roots Festival and Psycho Zydeco are once again brewing
up a storm. Stefan's squeezebox is living up to its name as the big man
draws forth licks and lines from all directions while Gene pounds the
skins with a relentless groove. Gregg and Chris swap washboards for
guitars or saxophones and the show is gathering the momentum that marks
a special gig. Terence Simien, the American zydeco star, is in town
with his Mallet Playboys and he watches from side of stage nodding and
laughing. Soon Terence joins the boys on stage and from there the music
intensifies, reaching
even higher…
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