The P.O.X.

The P.O.X. is a German psychobilly band formed in 1982. P.O.X. stands for “Psychobilly Orchestra X”.

P.O.X.
The POX at the Psychomania Festival Potsdam
Background information
OriginHanover, Lower Saxony, Germany
GenresPsychobilly
Years active1982–present
Associated actsCelebrate the Nun
Websitehttp://www.the-pox.com/

Band history

The P.O.X. was founded 1982 in Hanover (Germany) by the singer and guitarist Beaker Pox (Mathias Böker) and the drummer Slin Pox (Nils Enghusen). It belongs to the first wave of psychobilly bands, and is the first band of the genre in Germany. In 1983 the guitarist and songwriter Carl Pox (Karl-Heinz "Kalle" Schmidt) completed the final band formation, and in 1984 the band struck a record deal with Wahnsinn Records (Hamburg), releasing the mini LP It's So Dark. International concerts followed, and their next album Voodoo Power was released on the Dutch label KIX4U.

In November 1986, the group disbanded after a European tour. In the following years, the P.O.X. still played at various international psychobilly festivals with the line up Beaker Pox, Carl Pox and Jake Pox, but in 1991 the band finally stopped playing live. In 2008, Beaker and Carl Pox revived the band to celebrate a comeback at the Psychomania Rumble Festival in Potsdam.

After P.O.X., Nils Enghusen became a member of Celebrate the Nun (as Slin Thompson).[1] He also leads the music school "Fit in Music" in Garbsen.[2]

Influences

The P.O.X. mostly played without the usual double bass and replaced the upright bass through electric bass or omitted the bass completely. With the introduction of a strongly distorted rhythm guitar, the P.O.X. brought in a further style element which was still uncommon in psychobilly in 1984. In connection with likewise atypically distorted singing resulted in the characteristic P.O.X. sound, which distinguished itself clearly from the traditional psychobilly sound of a slap bass dominated band. Starting from 1985, the P.O.X. used also MIDI and samples, which again represented an innovation in the scene. The P.O.X. produced the intro track for the Voodoo Power demo and studio production together with producer Yak Bondy.

P.O.X's arrangements differ from the predominant blues pattern of early psychobilly; the song “It's So Dark” is composed and arranged more in the style of new wave or early gothic rock in the style of Bauhaus, rather than being classical "old school" psychobilly. While modern psychobilly shows playful aspects in the song lyrics and stage shows, P.O.X. consider psychobilly to be a style of expression for the dark sides of human nature. The shows include visual elements of music and text using morbid references of animal blood or skeletons, as well as transvestite elements echoing The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

The P.O.X. were considered influential in introducing psychobilly to other music genres.

Concerts
  • 1985 1. International Psychobilly Festival in Hamburg, Fabrik, 19.01.1985. Bands playing (among other): Frenzy, Voodoo Dolls.
  • 1985 Bear Family festival in Bremen, Schlachthof, 25.05.1985. Bands playing (among other): Jack Scott, Ben Hewitt, Johnny And The Roccos.
  • 1985 2. International Psychobilly festival in Hamburg, Fabrik, 21.09.1985. Bands playing (among other): Demented Are Go, Batmobile, Rochee And The Sarnos
  • 1985 2. Internationally festival of Psychobillies in Rotterdam (NL), Arena, 02.10.1985. Bands playing (among other): Archie, Batmobile, Rochee And The Sarnos, Les Wampas.
  • 1990 international Psychobilly festival in Hamburg, Markthalle, 09.06.1990. Bands playing (among other): The Polecats, Deltas.
  • 1990 2nd Psycho all star Meeting in Anröchte, Bürgerhaus, 24.10.1990. Bands playing (among other): The Meteors, Mad Sin, Guana Batz, Restless, The Krewmen, Batmobile, Long Tall Texans, Coffin Nails.
  • 1991 4th and read Belgium Wreckin festival, Leuven (Belgium), Lido, 09.02.1991. Bands playing (among other): Torment, The Quakes, Demented Are Go.
  • 1991 Psychobilly Woodstock, Osnabrück, Halle Gartlage, 18.05.1991. Bands playing (among other): Ricochets, Nekromantix, Peacocks, Mad Sin.
  • 2008 Psychomania Rumble, Potsdam, Lindenpark, 09.05.2008. Co-headliner with P.Paul Fenech, The Meteors-Founder. Other Bands: Dead Kings, The Quakes, Mad Doc Cole, Frantic Flintstones, Klingonz, Astro Zombies, Thee Flanders.

Discography

Studio albums
  • It's So Dark (Wahnsinn Records, EP 12-001) – Rec. 1984, Rel. January 1985
  • Voodoo Power (KIX4U) – 1986
  • Voodoo Power & Demos (Maybe Crazy CD 010) – 1993
  • Insanity is No Disgrace – October 2012

Compilations
  • Bear Family 10 Years Anniversary Festival (Bear Family Records) – 1985
  • Psycho Attack over Europe! (Kix4U/Rockhouse Records 3335) – 1985
  • Psycho Attack over Europe! (Tonpress SX-T77) – 1986
  • 2nd Psycho Attack over Europe! (Kix4U/Rockhouse Records 3337) – 1986
  • 2nd Psycho Attack over Europe! (Tonpress SX-T101) – 1987
  • Crazy Crazy Crazy (Maybe Crazy Records) – 1990
  • Psycho Attack of over Europe! (Kix4U CD) – 1991
  • Revel without a Cause (Revel Yell Records Japan) – 2000
  • Psychomania Sampler (Halb 7 Records) – 2008

References
  1. Celebrate The Nun discography at Discogs
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2011-01-31.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) "Fit in Music", Garbsen music school
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