Psycho (band)

Psycho was, and sometimes still is, a Boston-based punk band. The original lineup (Mick Keddy, Johnny X, Bill Normal, Denny Disorder) was formed in 1981 and stayed together for several years. Guitarist Johnny X is the only member to be in every lineup. Idol Threats, his previous band, got quite a bit of college radio airplay with their tape "Dance" in 1980. His brother-in-law, singer Keddy, had been in The Billionaires. Bassist Normal worked with X in a Cambridge vitamin factory. The three of them found drummer Disorder by placing an ad in the Boston Phoenix.

History

Psycho started as a punk band with pop overtones but were strongly influenced by the burgeoning hardcore scene and eventually became a strictly hardcore band. They were at their best during the transition, adding hardcore energy to their pop punk melodies. During this period, they released the first and best of their records, imaginatively called "8-Song EP." It was recorded at Radiobeat Studios and released in 1983 on their own Ax/ction Records.

"Kids Are For Trix," a song penned by Normal about a jaded pimp hustling child prostitutes, became a minor college radio hit. It earned the band a slot at WBCN's Rock and Roll Rumble in 1983. The winner that year was 'Til Tuesday.

Unhappy with the new direction, singer Mick Keddy left the band in early 1984 and was briefly replaced by Joe Glassman who was shortly thereafter replaced by Mega (full name, Wayne Megerdichian). At about the same time, drummer Denny Disorder left to make money playing traditional Irish music. He was replaced by Charlie Infection who also played in Cancerous Growth and the two bands often toured together. Psycho turned significantly more hardcore with this lineup and they put out "6-Song EP, Son of 8-Song EP" in 1985 and the full-length "Hosebags From Hell" LP in 1986. Neither record was produced as well as "8-Song EP." The guitar was too bright and louder than anything else, and the songwriting replaced melody with aggression, brutality and forced bravado. Still, all three records earned the band fans far from Boston.

When Mega quit in early 1987, X, Normal and Infection shared lead vocal duties rather than hire a new singer. Bassist Bill Normal left Psycho later that year and was replaced by Ed Lynch. Though Normal played on "Hosebags From Hell," Lynch's picture appears on the back cover.

A side project called Bulge started and went on to release some material of their own. This was mostly a joke band but they also backed up GG Allin on his Freaks, Faggots, Drunks and Junkies album. All members except X switched instruments. Normal was part of Bulge both prior to and after leaving Psycho.

With Normal's departure, X and Infection took over operations of Ax/ction Records. This new lineup of Psycho released You Love Us, You Hate Us in 1988. It suffers from the same production techniques as "Hosebags" and the songs are merely a blur of speed, distortion and shouting.

More releases followed, usually 7" splits with other bands. Lynch left the band in 1991 and was replaced by Mike Kelly, but Psycho eventually ground to a halt around 1994.

Keddy, X and Disorder reformed (with Marc God, formerly of Cancerous Growth and Ruby Lashes, on bass) in 2003 and played the early Psycho material at a few gigs but broke up shortly afterwards. Johnny X has reformed the hardcore version of the band with Ed Lynch and Charlie Infection and they are currently playing shows in and around Boston.

In 2006, Psycho re-formed with Johnny X guitar/vocals, Ed Lynch bass/vocals, and Charlie Infection drums. They regularly play huge set-lists of short songs around the Boston area.

Where They're At Now

Johnny X (né Wolfe) continues with his black metal Goat Thrower project and puts together a reconstituted version of Psycho every now and then.

Mick Keddy and his band [http://www.bostonblacklisted.biz/ Boston Blacklisted] released an EP in 2005.

Bill Normal (né Bois) eventually moved to Florida and started [http://www.XTakesTheSquare.com X Takes The Square] . This alt/pop/punk band released a CD called [http://www.bandvillage.com/XTAKECD0001 Goddess Of Cool] in 2002. Bois also fills in with many Tampa Bay area bands, including Crizzy & The Punx and Seasons Of The Wolf. He moved to Nashville in 2007 where he freelances as a studio player and tours with country singer [http://www.jcandersen.com J.C. Andersen] .

Denny Disorder (né Kennefick) plays with traditional Irish bands in and around Boston. He's taken up flying and has earned his pilot certificate.

Joe Glassmen moved home to Erie, PA and formed [http://www.iuma.com/IUMA/Bands/The_Assmen/ The Assmen] . They put out "Enema Nation," a collection of their old school punk songs.

Charlie Infection runs Fudgeworthy Records and has a noise and black metal band called Gonkulator. Their releases include "Satan's Burial Ground," put out in 1998, and 2000's "Second War In Heaven."

Mega - unknown.

Mike Kelly - unknown.

Marc God (né Tobio) is still active in the Boston scene.

Ax/ction Records continues putting out punk band albums and compilations. Most notable is the "Welcome To Ax/ction Island" 45, featuring Cancerous Growth, The Stupids, GG Allin, Psycho, Spastic Rats, PTL Klub and The Scam.

Partial discography

Releases

8-SONG E.P. (Ax/ction, 1983)

6-SONG E.P., SON OF 8 SONG E.P. (Ax/ction, 1985)

HOSEBAGS FROM HELL LP (Ax/ction, 1986)

YOU LOVE US, YOU HATE US (Ax/ction, 1988)

RICHES AND FAME 10" (Ax/ction, 1991)

PSYCHO/ANAL CUNT split 7" (Ax/ction, 1991)

PSYCHO/MEATSHITS split 7" (Ax/ction, 1991)

SHRUNKEN EP (Ax/ction, 1994)

PSYCHO/ROT split 7" (Ax/ction, 1995)

PSYCHO/NASUM split 7" (Ax/ction, 1996)

PSYCHO/BLOOD split 7" (Ax/ction, 1998)

Compilations

BIRTH DEFECT tape (1983)

I'M BUCK NAKED tape (BCT, 1984)

HIDEOUS FREAKS SEARCH FOR HAPPINESS tape (BCT, 1985)

1984 THE SECOND 2LP (New Wave, 1985)

WELCOME TO AX/CTION ISLAND 7" (Ax/ction, 1986) "Animal"

THERE'S A METHOD TO OUR MADNESS LP (Phantom, 1986) "Love Me"

QUEST FOR THE CORNGIRL tape (Ax/ction, 1986) "Master Race"

MYSTIC SAMPLER #3 LP (Mystic, 1986) "Hosebags From Hell"

WE CAN DO WHATEVER WE WANT LP (BCT, 1986)

I'VE GOT AN ATTITUDE PROBLEM 7" (BCT/Looney Tunes, 1987) "End of the World"

WE GOT POWER #3: WE GOT PARTY LP (Mystic, 1987) "Future Fools"

THERE'S A METHOD TO OUR MADNESS LP (We Bite, 1987)

OVERSEAS CONNECTION LP (Double A, 1987)

REVENGE OF THE KAMIKAZE STEGOSAURUS FROM OUTER SPACE LP (Ax/ction, 1988) "Waste", "Injustice"

SENSELESS DEATH 7" (Nuclear Blast, 1989)

SUBURBAN VOICE 15TH ANNIVERSARY COMPILATION CD (Suburban Voice, 1998)

External links

* [http://www.myspace.com/psychoboston Band Myspace]
* [http://www.returntothepit.com/band.php?band=psycho Current Psycho Photos]