Psychobilly Freakout
The Reverend Horton Heat, 1990. Solo by Jim Heath.
Heath plays rockabilly guitar at punk speed with manic hollow-body soloing.
Psychobilly Freakout does exactly what its title promises: Jim Heath takes rockabilly guitar and plays it at punk-rock speed and volume. On his Gretsch 6120, he rips through fast, frantic runs, twangy bends and wild bursts of hollow-body feedback, all with a manic energy that feels close to chaos. Yet underneath the madness, his playing is rooted in classic rockabilly licks and the chicken-picking tradition. The track became a signature for the psychobilly scene, showing how older styles could be pushed into new, louder territory. Listen for the way Heath switches between fast single-note runs and crashing chords, and notice how he keeps the swing feel even at breakneck tempos.
Psychobilly Freakout by The Reverend Horton Heat is featured in our Rockabilly (#22) list. The solo is played by Jim Heath and the song was released in 1990.
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Who played the guitar solo on Psychobilly Freakout?
Jim Heath played the solo on The Reverend Horton Heat's Psychobilly Freakout (1990).
What guitar was used on the Psychobilly Freakout solo?
A gretsch 6120, according to widely reported accounts.