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The Reverend Horton Heat are undoubtedly one of the most popular rockabilly and psycobilly bands, helping to popularise the genre after The Cramps first brought it into the fore. His wild showmanship, wicked sense of humor and tales of debauchery and excess make Jim Heath and his band exciting and entertaining, helping to explain their loyal and enthusiastic fan base.
Having worked as a sound engineer around Dallas and Austin, Jim Heath became inspired by the growing punk and roots rock scene. Having made an impromptu performance of "Folsom Prison Blues" at one of Dallas' clubs, Heath decided to commit to music and form a band. Naming themselves Reverend Horton Heat, an ode to Johnny Horton, the band began playing music at various venues around the Southwest, especially in Oklahoma City, in 1985. Building a loyal following and creating hype after selling out venues across the midwest and west coast, the band were soon at the centre of a bidding war in 1989, with Sub Pop becoming the chosen record label. By this time, the band had solidified their lineup to include bassist Jimmy Wallace and drummer Patrick "Taz" Bentley.
The band became an underground hit through their Sub Pop releases, with 1991's "Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em" and 1993's "The Full Custom Gospel Sounds of the Reverend Horton Heat" building an enthusiastic fan base. The band then drew the attention of major label, Interscope, beginning with 1994's "Liquor in the Front." Their next two records, 1996's "It's Martini Time" and 1998's "Space Heater," were highly profitable for the label. Although the band soon left Interscope for independents, maintaining a huge following on the live circuit. The band continued to release records regularly, achieving their highest chart position with 2014's "REV," which peaked at 111 in the US Billboard 200 and number two on the US Heat chart.
Like Marilyn Manson, the moniker ‘Reverend Horton Heat’ both refers to the individual - in this case, Jim Heath of Corpus Christi, Texas, a man once described as “the godfather of modern rockabilly and psychobilly - and to the group that he fronts, a trio that have been going by the moniker since the mid-eighties. Unlike similar, more general genres of unmistakably American music that have failed to prove themselves a genuine success outside of the States, though, the punk stylings of Reverend Horton Heat’s sound - not to mention the raw energy of their live shows - have made them cult favourites across the globe. With eleven full-length records now nestling firmly under their belts, the Heat have continued to hit the studio and the road with equal levels of vigour - their latest album, REV, was released in January of this year. They continue to tour tirelessly across the United States, playing increasingly eccentric sets that showcase the instrumental diversity of their music, but have been missing in action from the UK live scene for quite a while, at this point; fans will hope that the release of REV will mean a slew of dates in support of it on these shores shouldn’t be too far away.
Joeg_67
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