THE DEVIL´S RHYTHM by Mark Roberson Book.

Synopsis

In The Devil’s Rhythm – Birth of British Psychobilly, Mark Robertson recounts the birth of the UK psychobilly movement from the insider’s perspective of The Meteors’ original drummer. The book focuses on the 1980–81 period, capturing how neo‑rockabilly and punk fused at venues like Dingwalls, Hammersmith’s Clarendon and even the Blitz Club. Robertson offers candid memories of playing raucous gigs, being booed offstage at The Cavern for having coloured hair, and then attracting devoted fans as the scene coalesced. He supplements the narrative with band history, gig lists from 1980 through December 1981 and other memorabilia to recreate the raw energy and DIY ethos of early psychobilly.

About the Author

Mark Robertson is best known as a founding member and drummer of the pioneering psychobilly band The Meteors. He started drumming at age 14 after being inspired by Santana’s Mike Shrieve and later developed a punk‑infused style influenced by drummers like John Bonham, Marky Ramone and Rat Scabies. Before joining The Meteors in 1980, he played in the punk band The Models; he left The Meteors briefly in 1981 to join Theatre of Hate and later re‑joined bassist Nigel Lewis in The Escalators. Robertson’s insider knowledge and lifelong passion for psychobilly make his memoir a primary document of the scene’s formative years.