The Batfish Boys
Encyclopedia
The Batfish Boys were a gothic rock
/garage rock
/rockabilly
band from York
and Leeds
, England
, active between 1984 and 1990, releasing three albums.
The band was formed by former March Violet
Simon Detroit (b. Simon Denbigh)(vocals), and ex-Skeletal Family
drummer Martin Pink, along with Johey Elliott (guitar), and T.G. Ashton (bass). Their goth-rock tendencies soon gave way to a more Stooges
-influenced garage rock sound, with "Swamp Liquor" their first release on their own Batfish Inc. label in 1985, followed soon after by debut album The Gods Hate Kansas, prompting comparisons to the likes of The Cramps
and The Gun Club. In 1986, Zero Rek (Martin Herbert) was added on guitar, the band's second album, Head, also appearing that year, now with psychedelic blues overtones. With the band's sound getting progressively heavier, and with a new rhythm section, they were signed by Motörhead's label GWR
in 1987, shortening their name to Batfish, the first release on the label being 1988's "Purple Dust" single. 1989 saw the release of the band's third album, Batfish Brew, followed by a 12-inch picture-disc single, a mash-up cover of Queen
's "Another One Bites The Dust" and "Purple Haze". The band split shortly afterwards. Simon Denbigh was declared Cult Hero No 36 by Classic Rock Magazine in 2010.
Gothic rock
Gothic rock is a musical subgenre of post-punk and alternative rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes...
/garage rock
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
/rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
band from York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
and Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, active between 1984 and 1990, releasing three albums.
The band was formed by former March Violet
March Violets
March Violets is a detective novel and the first written by Philip Kerr featuring detective Bernhard Gunther. Gunther investigates the murder of the daughter of a wealthy industrialist in Berlin as the 1936 Summer Olympics play out in the city...
Simon Detroit (b. Simon Denbigh)(vocals), and ex-Skeletal Family
Skeletal Family
Skeletal Family were an English gothic rock band which formed in Keighley, West Yorkshire, England in December 1982. The band formed from the remaining membership of an earlier group, called The Elements, and took their name from the title of the song "Chant of the Ever Circling Skeletal Family"...
drummer Martin Pink, along with Johey Elliott (guitar), and T.G. Ashton (bass). Their goth-rock tendencies soon gave way to a more Stooges
The Stooges
The Stooges are an American rock band from Ann Arbor, Michigan first active from 1967 to 1974, and later reformed in 2003...
-influenced garage rock sound, with "Swamp Liquor" their first release on their own Batfish Inc. label in 1985, followed soon after by debut album The Gods Hate Kansas, prompting comparisons to the likes of The Cramps
The Cramps
The Cramps were an American rock band, formed in 1976 and active until 2009. The band split after the death of lead singer Lux Interior. Their line-up rotated much over their existence, with the husband and wife duo of Interior and lead guitarist Poison Ivy the only permanent members...
and The Gun Club. In 1986, Zero Rek (Martin Herbert) was added on guitar, the band's second album, Head, also appearing that year, now with psychedelic blues overtones. With the band's sound getting progressively heavier, and with a new rhythm section, they were signed by Motörhead's label GWR
GWR Records
GWR Records was a record label active in the UK from 1986 through to 1991.By 1984, Gerry Bron's Bronze Records were in financial difficulty leading to a hiatus in recording activity for Motörhead...
in 1987, shortening their name to Batfish, the first release on the label being 1988's "Purple Dust" single. 1989 saw the release of the band's third album, Batfish Brew, followed by a 12-inch picture-disc single, a mash-up cover of Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
's "Another One Bites The Dust" and "Purple Haze". The band split shortly afterwards. Simon Denbigh was declared Cult Hero No 36 by Classic Rock Magazine in 2010.
Singles
- "Swamp Liquor" (1985) Batfish Inc. (#22)
- Crocodile Tears EP (1986) Batfish Inc.
- "Justine" (1986) Batfish Inc. (#16)
- "The Bomb Song" (1987) Batfish Inc. (#18)
- "Purple Dust" (1988) G.W.R.
Albums
- The Gods Hate Kansas (1985) Batfish Inc.
- Head (1986) Batfish Inc. (#16)
- Batfish Brew (1989) G.W.R.
- Lurve: Some Kind Of Flashback (1985)