The Creepshow

by Mark Deming Canada's reigning monarchs of psychobilly, the Creepshow are a four-piece band that fuses a fondness for classic horror flicks with a punk-flavored take on high-octane rockabilly, which has earned them a loyal fan following in the Great White North, as well as Europe and the United States. Hailing from Burlington, Ontario, the Creepshow were formed in 2005, with Hellcat (aka Jen Blackwood) on lead vocals and guitar, Sickboy (aka Sean McNabb) on upright bass, the Reverend McGinty (aka Kristian Rowles) on keyboards, and Matt Pomade (aka Matt Gee) on drums. The Creepshow wasted no time in building a reputation for their outrageous live shows and manic on-stage energy, and after appearing on the compilation album Zombie Night in Canada, Vol. 2, they signed with the Canadian punk label Stereo Dynamite Recordings, which released the group's first long-player, Sell Your Soul, in the spring of 2006. A few weeks later, Stereo Dynamite landed a distribution deal with the Canadian branch of EMI, and the Creepshow suddenly found themselves with major-label distribution for their no-quarter "hellbilly" music. Extensive touring followed, and before long the Creepshow were one of Canada's most talked-about new bands. In January 2007, Hellcat announced that she and her significant other (Hooch, frontman with likeminded Canadian psychobillies the Matadors) were expecting a baby, and she would be taking time off from touring with the group; her sister Sarah Blackwood agreed to step in as singer and guitarist while Jen was on "maternity leave," though Hellcat insists her departure from the group is temporary and she'll continue to write material for the Creepshow while off the road.