2006 marks a new chapter in the history of Australia’s premier zydeco band. Through the years Psycho Zydeco have released several albums, toured internationally, performed at festivals big and small, and generally helped spread the beauty of the zydeco sound. The band has just released their fourth album, “Get On Board”- a 16 track Psycho Zydeco time capsule spanning the evolution of this music from its rockin’ bluesy beginnings right through to the funkier style of zydeco nouveaux. For the first time the band is performing with a new member on the electric bass which has freed Stefan from his extraordinary role as the accordion/bass player in Psycho Zydeco and ushers in a funky new groove in the band’s sound. A new album and an additional member means the Psychos (as their fans affectionately dub them) are excited about getting back out there and playing the music they love.

On Get on Board we’ve recorded a bunch of original tunes as well as select arrangements of material that helps us tell the story of zydeco music. The new Psycho material shows the different sides that the band has developed over time. While songs like Zydeco Nights have an upbeat and happy Cajun groove, others such as the rollicking Surf Cowboy are a little wild and downright fun! Psycho Zydeco is proud of this new record and is anxiously waiting to see how their fans take to the new tunes.

If you haven’t seen the band live, this recording is pretty indicative of a Psycho Zydeco gig, capturing the band in full flight. The love of playing the music shines through when the zydeco machine gets up a full head of steam. So remember when Psycho Zydeco play it’s best to crank up the volume, jump on the dance floor, and get on board!

Psycho Zydeco was formed In 1991 when accordionist Stefan Sernek and guitarist Gregg Hatton discovered the Louisiana based styles of cajun and zydeco music. They assembled custom made instruments necessary for the zydeco sound, such as washboards and various triangles, and combined them with the 'Squeezebox' and R+B style guitar. Later joined by saxophonist Chris Wilson and drummer Gene Gill, the band started exploring the many permutations of zydeco and cajun. The group began performing In the Sydney area and slowly started to form a reputation as purveyors of a new and exciting foreign sound.

The band released its debut CD, SwampBox, in 1995 and had by then began to make regular appearances at folk, jazz, and blues festivals throughout the eastern seaboard of Australia. Although Psycho Zydeco displayed a leaning towards the rhythm and blues style of Clifton Chenier, Buckwheat, and Rockin' Dopsie, the group has shown a desire to also perform the more folk and cajun styles complete with creole French lyrics and ringing giant triangle. Despite their fascination with these American styles, the band believe the Psycho Zydeco sound has an undeniably Australian quality that is their own.

In 1996 Psycho Zydeco received an Invitation to perform at the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, an extremely exciting prospect. After a great deal of organization and hard work a small tour of the UK was organized and embarked upon. A total of 17 shows were performed in 12 days in Edinburgh, London, and at the Brecon jazz Festival in Wales. The tour was proudly deemed by the band a financial and creative success.

Energized and inspired from the tour the band began rehearsals to write their second album. It was the group's desire to spend more time on this new project than was possible when recording Swamp Box. Recording began in late April 1997 and three studios and three months later the CD was complete. The intention of this project was to fully explore the possibilities of cajun and zydeco based styles. The resulting recording Sell Your Soul (To Zydeco) thus delves into cajun style folk ('Barragoot', Bogged in the Bayou', Boozoo's Yea Yea'), blues ('Sweet Little Angel, 'Evening Train') and high energy zydeco grooves ('Amazon Annie','Hot Tamale', 'Don't Dance'). The album was completed just In time for the band to debut on their 27 date tour of the UK and Europe which took place during August 1997. This tour was enormously successful taking In the Edinburgh Fringe, jazz&Blues Festivals as well as a performance for the Internationally syndicated BBC Radio program "The Usual Suspects". Festival performances In Belgium, Wales and Lancashire England comprised the remainder of the tour.

On returning to Australia the group then concentrated on the promotion of their new CD through media appearances and interstate touring. They were guests on Nine's 'Midday Show', as well as Triple J's 'World Music Show, while the Sell Your Soul Tour has taken in Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne.

At the end of 2000 Psycho Zydeco proudly announced the release of their third full length CD, titled Zydeco Factory. The band was finally able to emerge from their factory studio where they had written, rehearsed and recorded the long awaited successor to the groups previous two albums.

Zydeco Factory explores a wide range of rhythms and grooves and is a potent brew of Australian style blues tinged zydeco. From cajun instrumentals to steaming country grunge and rollicking zydeco funk, this album is an eclectic, spicy gumbo of all original songs.

The Zydeco Factory Tour, supported by radio nationally on JJJ and the ABC, saw the band undertake an extensive tour of Australia. This included most major cities and many regional centres and featured concert performances sharing the bill with artists such as Paul Kelly and blues-meister Damon Davies. The band finished the 25 date tour with a rousing finale in front of thousands of fans onstage new years' eve at the Woodford Folk Festival bringing the year to a grand and well timed conclusion.

Picture this. The sun sets on a humid night in April 2000 and a band of four musicians are deep in the throes of a churning set of zydeco blues before a hyped crowd of two or three thousand music fans. It's the East Coast Blues and Roots Festival and Psycho Zydeco are once again brewing up a storm. Stefan's squeezebox is living up to its name as the big man draws forth licks and lines from all directions while Gene pounds the skins with a relentless groove. Gregg and Chris swap washboards for guitars or saxophones and the show is gathering the momentum that marks a special gig. Terence Simien, the American zydeco star, is in town with his Mallet Playboys and he watches from side of stage nodding and laughing. Soon Terence joins the boys on stage and from there the music intensifies, reaching
even higher…