Guana Batz

Formed in 1982 in Feltham, Greater London, Guana Batz belong to the first wave of British psychobilly, blending punk’s drive with a rockabilly foundation and a darker, nervier, and ironic aesthetic. Fronted by Pip Hancox on vocals and Stuart Osborne on guitar, the quartet quickly made a name for itself on the London scene through regular appearances at Klub Foot, a central club for the movement in the early 1980s. Guana Batz’s sound is built on fast tempos, taut guitar work, vocals with a rock’n’roll phrasing, and—by the mid‑1980s—the return of an upright bass that reinforced their psychobilly roots. This trajectory is evident on Held Down to Vinyl... At Last (1985), Loan Sharks (1986), the live record Live Over London (1987), Rough Edges (1988) and Electra Glide in Blue (1990). After splitting in 1990, Guana Batz reformed in 1996 and have continued performing since, using different line‑ups for tours in the UK, Europe and North America. They also released Burning Up in 2017 and Back to the Jungle in 2018.