What Plastic Bomb, the Wahrschauer, or Ox is for punk rockers, the PSYCHOMANIA fanzine is for all psychobillies and rockabillies. There is probably no fanzine in Germany that deals as comprehensively and with such expertise with the Billy scene.
Issues 5 and 6 have already been reviewed by me on ramtatta.de.
For further reading, Number 5
http://www.ramtatta.de/reviews,id-709,go-psychomania+vol+5+fanzine.html
Number 6
We skipped Number 7, I don't know why, but as it is with the special number 7, it has its effects and no one knows why.
However, Number 8 is now available again and I read it with enthusiasm.
The creators have not been idle, and the fanzine has now grown into a substantial A4-sized magazine and is now bilingual. This means that the band articles are in both German and English, thus catering to the international market as well. This also reflects the significance that the PSYCHOMANIA fanzine has now achieved. It is published in an edition of 4000 copies, which is a respectable number. The graphics are still handled by Norman Winter, who, alongside various graphic works, is also the singer of the Potsdam band Thee Flanders. So, there is visually stunning content to enjoy.
In addition to the graphics, there are again high-profile band interviews in the magazine, with, for example, Guana Batz, Skitzo, Nervous Breakdown, Bonsai Kitten, The Space Cadets, and Tom Toxic & the Hollstein Rockets. The interviews are all very interesting, although quite scene-related, so newcomers might feel overwhelmed. On the other hand, it also shows how closely connected and networked the Billy scene is despite its diverse music and different styles.
Besides the band interviews, there is also a label interview, a very interesting article about the psychobilly scene in Hungary, and a special feature on the split CD “Clash of the Monsters” by Thee Flanders and Bloodsucking Zombies from outer Space. Of course, selected reviews of current recordings are also included.
The soundtrack for this reading material is the accompanying CD with 26 (!) tracks, featuring illustrious bands such as Luna Vegas, Lunatics, P. Paul Fenech, Sir Psyko and his Monsters, Tony Montanas, and The Baboons.
The eighth issue again provides a great overview of the scene and what is currently happening, with psychobilly not being as strongly represented this time, while rockabilly is more prominent. The magazine contains interesting articles for every Billy, and the accompanying CD perfectly rounds off the whole package.
The magazine is also notable as the initiator of the Psychomania Festival, which always takes place at Pentecost in Lindenpark in Potsdam, this year as well! A report from the second festival day in 2010 can also be read on our site, at:
http://www.ramtatta.de/konzertberichte,id-73.html
There is also an article about the 2010 festival in the magazine.
The PSYCHOMANIA + CD costs €7.00 and is available at every train station bookstore as well as in selected scene shops.
