1)Shock Therapy were an electropunk band from Detroit, Michigan, USA. They were founded in 1982 by Gregory John McCormick, aka Itchy Wiggle Christ, and Eric Keith Jackson, Itchy being the only constant fixture and driving force in the band’s lineup in its history. They released 16 albums in their career, “Hate Is Just A 4-Letter Word”, released on Fundamental Records in 1985, being the most popular, especially in Germany which McCormick called his home for some time. Itchy was arrested for arson in 2000 and until his release in June 2007 all band activity rested. A newly formed Shock Therapy, now recruiting new band members from Germany where the band had now achieved cult status, started recording a new album called “The Moon & The Sun”, which was released in 2008. Gregory John “Itchy” McCormick died of an alcohol overdose on the 5th of November 2008, ending Shock Therapy. 2) Shock Therapy were a Neo-Rockabilly band from Norfolk, England. This is an extract by Wayne from the bands old website|The band have only been around a few months but are receiving very enthusiastic feedback from many places. It was earlier this year (2001) that I was first asked to drum for ÒShock TherapyÓ. Neil and Mark had been busy writing and rehearsing material at a local hall and had decided to record some demos on Marks multi-track. They also asked Clive Perchard, who plays Slap Bass, if he could come down too. We had all known each other some years and been involved in the rockabilly scene, one way or another, for a long time too. We recorded numerous tracks off-the-cuff which Mark mixed down and added to other recordings they had done which Mark played the drums on. Next thing I know they want to book a pro studio and asked if Clive and me would be up for doing the best stuff off the demo properly. After some encouraging feedback they had received from the demo, we got in touch with Alan Wilson at Western Star Studios who specialise in ‘billy’ styles of music and booked up. We travelled from The East Coast of Norfolk to the studio in Somerset (via Bristol, thanks Neil) and arrived on Alan’s doorstep at half past midnight on Friday, 20th July after arranging to arrive at 10pm! We unloaded our two overloaded vehicles and moved everything into the studio, including my ‘home-made’ drum kit with only one well shredded cymbal (courtesy of my younger bro. Brendan). After a weekend of very little sleep (not because we worked so hard but ask Neil’s wife, Sandra, about Neil’s snoring, bless him, even in the soundproof studio room we could hear him), a dose of real cider from a Somerset pub (lovely) and several meals at the local Tesco store we had finished and signed the guest book…and Mandy (thanks for all the help) managed to paint Alan’s garden fence (bonus!). It was so refreshing to record in a studio where the sound engineer/producer has so much enthusiasm and understanding of what you do. I have been involved with Alan on other projects before but he’s probably best known as the guitarist with ‘The Sharks’ in the 80’s so I think he knew exactly what we wanted sound-wise. That said, I think Clive and me managed to squeeze in some of our own influences ranging from Merle Travis to NOFX! The album took a couple of days solid to record and within 4 weeks we had a deal, thanks to Steve Hooker and Guido at Crazy Love. Also tracks planned for compilations in the near future. Check Out ‘Western Star vol. 1’ CD for us and other tracks recorded by Alan. As for the band, well somebody had to do it… Neil spent his crazy haircut days with the Norwich crowd in the late 70’s/early 80’s with the likes of Mark Kelf and the Fireball XL5 bunch. He used to mess around on Slap Bass but hasn’t seriously been part of a band until Shock Therapy started, although he has made several guest appearances at other gigs with his powerful (almost bear like) vocals which are somewhere between Dave Vanian and Robert Gordon! Mark and me have known each other since we were kids. This bloke lives for rock ‘n’ roll. His guitaring is somewhere between Teddy Boy stuff and Psychobilly but he’ll have a go at anything as long as it’s wild! I have so many stories I could tell you about this bloke, it’s a wonder he’s still alive. We’ve been in and out of bands together for so many years now but there’s always something happening and I’m pleased that through all of it he has stuck with his guitar and his dreams to wind up here. Clive Perchard (that’s French you know) could well be the meanest slap bassist I’ve ever heard. He’s well known to anyone who was frequenting the scene in the 80’s as the frontman for Stage Frite with guitarist Dave Rounce from ‘The Roswell Invaders’. He also was one of the long line of ‘Frantic Flintstones’ bass players. He’s one of them blokes who is a dream to be in a band with, always enthusiastic, always delivering 110% and good for a laugh. Clive and me spent many years together in ‘Dawg House’ and now front our new venture; ‘The Ugly Dog Skiffle Combo’. He looks a right hard B*stard although has a thing for Boy George (apparently). I don’t know whether Diane knows that! I haven’t played the drums since we recorded ‘Saturday night in the Dawg House’ with Baz and Dale in ‘Dawg House’ in ‘97 but drums are where I started with ‘The Zodiacs’ in ‘86 playing alongside Chris Finn (now on guitar with ‘Hot Rockin’). In my early days I played drums with ‘The Streamlines’ with my brother on guitar and Paul Briggs (‘The Ukranians’) on bass. Since then it’s been guitar mostly with ‘Dawg House’. This album walks a fine line between rockabilly and psychobilly and is our homage to all those great albums in the 80’s by The Polecats, The Deltas, The Frantic Flintstones, The Caravans, Restless, Demented are go, The Krewmen, The Sharks, Guana Batz, King Kurt, Frenzy, The Meteors, Fireball XL5, Surf Rats, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc…| |
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