Mad Heads
Encyclopedia
Mad Heads was a Ukrainian
psychobilly
band from Kiev
, Ukraine
well-known at Western Europe psychobilly scene.
band of Ukraine
. The style was completely unknown there, so the guys felt like aliens with their quiffs, semi-acoustic guitar, double bass and stand up drum set. They were the aliens on a mission, and the mission was to spread new sound across their country and to bring it back to where it had come from, but with their own vision.
It took time and a few line up changes before Mad Heads became a band able to succeed with such a hard task, but since they were ready there was nothing to stop them. Their debut album “Psycholula
” was out in 1996 on Crazy Love Records in Germany
, while in Ukraine
they were already a well known band: seen on TV, heard on radio, talked about in major press. They filmed a video to support their album, and it was actually rotated on the channel of national importance.
Soon after, Mad Heads started to tour abroad. They appeared 4 times at Rock’n’Roll Jamboree in Finland
, 3 times at Calella Psychobilly Meeting in Spain
, they rocked the halls of many festivals and clubs in Russia
, Germany
, United Kingdom
, Netherlands
, Poland
and Italy
. They’ve been invited to the USA and only couldn’t make it because of some visa problems. They played the same stage with the most of their favorite bands of the scene while becoming the heroes for many younger acts.
The debut album was followed by “Mad In Ukraine
” in 1998 and “Naked Flame
” in 2002 (both out on Crazy Love Records) which brought the acknowledgment for Mad Heads of being #1 band of the scene in Eastern Europe and with no doubt an outstanding act of the 90s psychobilly generation. In Ukraine
, they simply become a rock’n’roll legend, so they decided to do even more for their local fans and in 2003 was released the album “Contact
'” with all the songs in the mother languages (the first 3 albums were in English). This record was out on local EMI licensee Comp Music.
In 2004 the guys felt that their mission was complete. Their music was changing throughout the years, and now they had to face the fact that it didn’t fit psychobilly scene anymore. So they took it even further, doubled the line up with 3-piece brass section and mixed up their older sounds with ska
punk
and some Ukrainian folk. The new project called Mad Heads XL
became a smashing success in Ukraine
, so it was decided to quit as a trio for an indeterminate period.
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
psychobilly
Psychobilly
Psychobilly is a fusion genre of rock music that mixes elements of punk rock, rockabilly, and other genres. It is one of several subgenres of rockabilly which also include thrashabilly, trashabilly, punkabilly, surfabilly and gothabilly...
band from Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
well-known at Western Europe psychobilly scene.
History
It was back in 1991 when Vadym Krasnooky started the first neo-rockabilly/psychobillyPsychobilly
Psychobilly is a fusion genre of rock music that mixes elements of punk rock, rockabilly, and other genres. It is one of several subgenres of rockabilly which also include thrashabilly, trashabilly, punkabilly, surfabilly and gothabilly...
band of Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. The style was completely unknown there, so the guys felt like aliens with their quiffs, semi-acoustic guitar, double bass and stand up drum set. They were the aliens on a mission, and the mission was to spread new sound across their country and to bring it back to where it had come from, but with their own vision.
It took time and a few line up changes before Mad Heads became a band able to succeed with such a hard task, but since they were ready there was nothing to stop them. Their debut album “Psycholula
Psycholula
Psycholula is the first album from the rockabilly band Mad Heads. It was released in Germany and was very successful. The most famous song from this album was "Mad Heads Boogie".This album has been released in the Germany and tn the Ukraine in...
” was out in 1996 on Crazy Love Records in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, while in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
they were already a well known band: seen on TV, heard on radio, talked about in major press. They filmed a video to support their album, and it was actually rotated on the channel of national importance.
Soon after, Mad Heads started to tour abroad. They appeared 4 times at Rock’n’Roll Jamboree in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, 3 times at Calella Psychobilly Meeting in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, they rocked the halls of many festivals and clubs in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. They’ve been invited to the USA and only couldn’t make it because of some visa problems. They played the same stage with the most of their favorite bands of the scene while becoming the heroes for many younger acts.
The debut album was followed by “Mad In Ukraine
Mad in Ukraine
Mad In Ukraine is the second album from the neo-rockabilly band Mad Heads. It was released in Ukraine and in Russia.The tracks, "Sharks", "Corrida", "Black Cat" and "Treat Me Bad" appeared on Ukraine-released compilation album Naykrascha Myt....
” in 1998 and “Naked Flame
Naked Flame
Naked Flame is the third album from the Ukrainian psychobilly band Mad Heads. It was released in Ukraine and in Germany.Song "Полетаем" written by A.Ukupnik and Zaluzhnaya ....
” in 2002 (both out on Crazy Love Records) which brought the acknowledgment for Mad Heads of being #1 band of the scene in Eastern Europe and with no doubt an outstanding act of the 90s psychobilly generation. In Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, they simply become a rock’n’roll legend, so they decided to do even more for their local fans and in 2003 was released the album “Contact
Contact (Mad Heads album)
Contact is the fourth album from the Ukrainian psychobilly band Mad Heads. It was released in Ukraine and in Germany and it was the first album consisting only of Ukrainian and Russian language songs....
'” with all the songs in the mother languages (the first 3 albums were in English). This record was out on local EMI licensee Comp Music.
In 2004 the guys felt that their mission was complete. Their music was changing throughout the years, and now they had to face the fact that it didn’t fit psychobilly scene anymore. So they took it even further, doubled the line up with 3-piece brass section and mixed up their older sounds with ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and some Ukrainian folk. The new project called Mad Heads XL
Mad Heads XL
- History :Band called Mad Heads was formed in Kiev, Ukraine by Vadym Krasnooky. In Ukraine they enjoyed the status of a rock legend for many years, with 4 studio albums, good press, frequent TV appearances and constant live touring...
became a smashing success in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, so it was decided to quit as a trio for an indeterminate period.
Current members
- Vadym Krasnooky – vocal, guitar - drums (1991–2003)
- Maksym Krasnooky – doublebass (1995–2003)
- Bohdan Ocheretyany – drums (1994–2003)
Albums
- 1996 - PsycholulaPsycholulaPsycholula is the first album from the rockabilly band Mad Heads. It was released in Germany and was very successful. The most famous song from this album was "Mad Heads Boogie".This album has been released in the Germany and tn the Ukraine in...
- 1998 - Mad In UkraineMad in UkraineMad In Ukraine is the second album from the neo-rockabilly band Mad Heads. It was released in Ukraine and in Russia.The tracks, "Sharks", "Corrida", "Black Cat" and "Treat Me Bad" appeared on Ukraine-released compilation album Naykrascha Myt....
- 2002 - Naked FlameNaked FlameNaked Flame is the third album from the Ukrainian psychobilly band Mad Heads. It was released in Ukraine and in Germany.Song "Полетаем" written by A.Ukupnik and Zaluzhnaya ....
- 2003 - ContactContact (Mad Heads album)Contact is the fourth album from the Ukrainian psychobilly band Mad Heads. It was released in Ukraine and in Germany and it was the first album consisting only of Ukrainian and Russian language songs....
(Контакт) - 2007 - Naykrascha MytNaykrascha MytNaykrascha Myt is the compilation album from the Ukrainian ska-punk band Mad Heads XL . This release was dedicated to 15 years history of Mad Heads and Mad Heads XL bands...
- compilation (Найкраща Мить/The Best Moment)
Former members
- Vadym Krasnooky – vocal, guitar - drums (1991–2003)
- Volodymyr "Stalik" Stalinskiy - doublebass
- Roman Sharkevych - drums