Rock 'n' Roll - Rockabilly - Psychobilly chart February 2020

1 : Matchbox : The Albums 1979-'82
65 track 4 CD box set rounding up all four of the Rockabilly Revival band's albums and singled for Magnet Records between 1979 and 1982.
2 : Tami Neilson : Chicka Boom!
New album from an artist with real range and a powerful voice that can take on big ballads, golden-age country, soul-infused R&B, rockabilly and rock 'n' roll.
3 : Rocky Burnette : Rock Solid
The son of Johnny Burnette returns with a 2-disc set featuring a brand new studio album plus a previously unreleased live concert from New York back in 1981.
4 : Surfin' Dead : Dead-A-Rama + Powertwang
The two albums of P Paul Fenech's psycho-surf-instrumental side project together as a double CD release. First time on CD for Dead-A-Rama.
5 : John Lewis : 33 Years Stage By Stage
Double disc set celebrating his first 33 years - featuring The Rimshots, Johnny Bach, John Lewis Trio, Solo, session work and more.
6 : P Paul Fenech : Happy Halloween
All four of Fenech's sold-out limited edition Halloween 45s, A & B sides, together with two new creepy tracks, making up a great set of stompin' psychobilly from Rock 'n' Roll's darkest depths.
7 : The Blackjacks - Elvis Presley Posters
The debut album from The Blackjacks, one of the most exciting new talents on the ‘roots’ music scene today with their superb blend of Rockabilly, Rock 'n' Roll, Country and Skiffle.
8 : Country Side Of Harmonica Sam : Broken Bottle Broken Heart
The latest collection of Honky-Tonk masterpieces by perhaps this generation's finest practitioners of the genre.
9 : Bobby Charles : Alligators Sprockets and Bended Knees
Writer of See You Later Alligator, Bobby Charles enjoyed a recording career with Chess and Imperial Records. This double disc set anthologises his recordings between 1955-62.
10 : v.a. / More Long Lost Honkers and Twangers
24 wonderful imstrumentals of the rock 'n' roll era - 10 great rarities plus a whopping 14 previously unissued gems by The Ventures, The Ramrods, The Velvetones, The Mus-Twangs and others.
11 : Robert Gordon & Chris Spedding : Tear Up The House
Double CD with 30 great performances spanning over 40 years - from 1978, 1980, 1985 and 2015 - recorded in Boston, New York and Los Angeles. Gordon and Spedding together was an unstoppable combination.
12 : The Meteors : When Guitars Attack - Mental Instrumentals #2
Long awaited second all-instrumental album - a lethal overdose of Paul Fenech's spine-bending Psychobilly guitar backed by The Meteors' pulsating Voodoo-Billy beat.
13 : Wild Wax Combo : Flat Out
Sizzling 1950s style Bop by the Wild Wax Combo, the long-standing rockabilly trio from Copenhagen, Demark,
14 : v.a. : Strut My Stuff
A round-up of enigmatic hectic hillbilly boppers featuring Slim Redman, Bobby Rutledge, Weldon Rogers, Lou Millet, Chuck Stacey, Luke Gordon, Jimmie King, Jimmie Lawson, Chuck Rogers and many others.
15 : v.a. : Spook Show Spectacular A-Go-Go
A crypt full of classic Spook Show promos fiendishly rare Surf and Garage instrumentals from the likes of The Rockin' Continentals, Oscar & The Majestics, The Executioners, Pat and The Wildcats, The Mysterions and others.
16 : Supersonics : 69 Automobile
Second studio album of all original songs Dutch based the Rock 'n' Roll 'n' Roots band featuring ex-members of The Taildraggers, Texarkana Trio and Powershake.
17 : Mel Peekaboo : It's Her!
Debut album from a great female vocalist featuring all original songs recorded in the traditional style with vintage equipment at Lightning Recorders in Berlin.
18 : Ernest Tubb : Half A Mind
30 track collection concentrating on the period from 1955 to 1958, gathering the A & B sides – in chronological order – of all 15 of his 45s from those years.
19 : Stonewall Jackson : That’s Why I’m Walkin’
The first unsigned artist to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry, this collection presents the A & B sides of his first 16 singles.
20 : Gus Jenkins : Too Tough
West Coast Blues and R&B recorded between 1953 and 1962, this double disc set features 47 original recordings from the amazing and prolific blues singer.
21 : Chubby Checker : Twistin' USA
There can only be one King Of The Twist, and this new 30 track collection brings you all of his US and UK A & B sides from 1959 to 1962 – his peak years as a chart maker.
22 : The Cramps : M-M-M-Mad Mad Daddies LP (vinyl)
Limited edition vinyl release capturing the live recording of the Cramps's legendary performance at Napa State hospital.
23 : Smokey Hogg : Who's Heah? CD
One of the most prolific and best-selling Blues artists of his era, this superb collection gathers 30 of his greatest recordings including the hits that made him famous such as Good Morning Little School Girl and Long Tall Mama.
24 : Osborne Brothers : Are You Mad At Your Man?
One of the most beloved of Bluegrass and Country Music’s many Brother acts, this collection focuses on their first six years of success bringing together the A & B sides of every single they released between 1956 and 1962.
25 : Josh White : Josh White Stories Volumes 1&2 CD
Supremely talented Blues singer, guitarist and songwriter recorded these two albums in New York for ABC Records, in 1956 and 1957. Neither has previously ever appeared on CD.

One of the most successful bands of the late 1970s/early '80s rockabilly revival was Matchbox.  Formed in 1971 and already very popular on the Rock 'n' Roll circuit, the recruiment of new frontman Graham Fenton towards the end of the decade enhanced their commercial appeal.  When the big record companies realised the momentum of the burgeoning Rock 'n' Roll and Rockabilly scene, Matchbox were one of the obvious targets and were signed to Magnet Records where between 1979 and 1982 they released four albums which are gathered here, each with additional tracks including singles, B-sides and rarities from this period.
Matchbox's popularity peaked during the first two years of this period and the first two of these albums, "Matchbox" and "Midnite Dynamos", made an impact on the national charts.  They also notched up a strong run on the singles charts, not only in the UK, but around Europe and as far away as Australia and New Zealand.  Their UK singles chart entries were "Rockabilly Rebel" (#18/1979), "Buzz Buzz A Diddle It" (#22/1980), "Midnite Dynamos" (#18/1980), "When You Ask About Love" (#4/1980), "Over The Rainbow" (#15/1980), "Babe's In The Wood" (#46/1981), "Love's Made A Fool Of You" (#63/1981) and "One More Saturday Night" (#63/1982).

Tami Neilson is a Canadian born New Zealand based singer with a powerful voice that can take on big ballads, vintage style country, Gospel, soul-infused Rhythm & Blues, Western Swing, and perfectly capable of belting our a rockabilly blaster.  She is visibly striking too, stylishly dressed in retro attire and a stacked-high beehive.
Tami grew up performing across North America with the Neilson Family Band, working alongside greats such as Johnny Cash, Tanya Tucker, and Kitty Wells.  Subsequently, Tami fell in love with a New Zealander, relocated and began a solo career there.
Her early records saw her gathering awards in New Zealand: Best Female Artist, Best Country Album, Best Country Song, an APRA Silver Scroll for songwriting and Album of the Year nominations.  Word spread further afield and her "Dynamite!" album of 2014 picked up rave reviews in the UK, with The Guardian naming it a Top 10 Best Country Music Album.
Three albums on and the road has led to Chickaboom!, which is something different again, and more personal.  Her brother Jay flew to Auckland, New Zealand from Toronto to record harmonies on a selection of new songs that have unmistakable sibling magic. "Chicka Boom" is another superb album from an outstanding performer.