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. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide