Biography
Hillbilly Frankenstein formed in Athens, GA in 1988 as a side, just-for-kicks project of Guadalcanal Diary. Initially a rockabilly and country cover band, the group quickly began writing originals spanning '60's garage, surf, big band, early jazz, gospel, and zydeco. Guitarist Jeff Walls/The Fleshhammer (now in The Woggles) wrote the bulk of the original songs, although most members contributed some material. Guadalcanal singer Murray Attaway and Austin's Alice Berry/Miss Formica Dinette (later with Clouseaux, then Robert Drasnin) handled most of the vocals in the original lineup, although all sang, including back-up vocalist Diana Crowe (Wall's sister-in-law).
Attaway quit to work fulltime on Guadalcanal's forthcoming album (Flip Flop, 1989), and after a short break and a few personnel changes, the band became a permanent band, minus Attaway. Walls, Berry, and other original members Pat Patterson (drums/Guadalcanal roadie) and Nick Gianaris (guitar) were joined by bassist Phyllis Bridges (now Phyllis Walls), replacing Jonathan Hawkins. They recorded "Hypnotica" for local label Zontar (labelmates included Southern Culture on the Skids, Man or Astroman?, and The Woggles), and the band spent life on the road, touring primarily the South, but reaching as far as NYC (for CMJ) and Texas (SXSW '92 & '93, and supporting Mojo Nixon on tour). Dressed as The Memphis Mariachis or The Immaculada Concepción, the band also backed LA's El Vez, The Mexican Elvis, on his tours through the South and SXSW.
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Berry quit in 1994, replaced by Lava Love's Esta Hill, who appeared on the Sleazefest soundtrack. Hill had a child and Hillbilly came to an end in 1995.
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.