Blitzkid

Blitzkid
Argyle Goolsby at the Summer Breeze Open Air festival in Germany, August 2007
Background information
Origin	Bluefield, West Virginia, United States
Genres	Punk rock, horror punk
Years active	1997–2012
Labels	EMI,Century Media, Antidote Records, Fiendforce Records, People Like You Records
Associated acts	Gorgeous Frankenstein The Undead The Misfits Vagora Children of October Mister Monster A Gathering of None The Roving Midnight
Website	www.blitzkid.com
Past members	Argyle Goolsby TB Monstrosity Ricko Mortis Del Shannon JV Bastard Billy Bones Stuart Stone Evil Rhea M Andrew "Jesco Devilanse" a.k.a. "stripes" Winter Paul Lifeless Nathan Bane Dr. Chud

Blitzkid was a horror punk band from Bluefield, West Virginia, USA. One of the leading exponents of the horror punk scene, the band was led by singer/guitarist TB Monstrosity and bassist/singer Argyle Goolsby. Active from 1997 until 2012 Blitzkid released five studio albums, appeared on numerous compilations, and toured both nationally and internationally.

Goolsby, who credits his late mother for giving him the "dedication" to be successful in music, and Monstrosity, who admits to having had the ambition to make Blitzkid a "huge" band, began playing as Blitzkid in early 1997. Initially the duo were motivated by escaping boredom and creating a soundtrack for skating, but over time developed an interest in expressing thoughts about "universal understanding of the world and yourself and your place in it" by embedding metaphors within the dark imagery of their lyrics.

Artist, children's author, and film maker Gris Grimly approached Blitzkid to compose the title track to his 2006 film Cannibal Flesh Riot. The band did this, and also received Grimly artwork to use for a Blitzkid T-shirt design.

Blitzkid played 260 live dates in 2006. In August 2007, the band played the heavy metal-oriented Summer Breeze Open Air festival in Germany in front of 40,000 concert goers. Another notable live gig the band played that summer was supporting The Damned in Prague. The Damned are an important influence to the band and to horror punk generally, and are one of the original UK punk bands.

Blitzkid were back in Germany one year later, this time taking the main stage at the gothic rock themed M'era Luna Festival, playing before an audience of between 20,000 and 25,000.

In July 2010, during their tenth tour of Europe, Blitzkid were one of 34 bands to play the alternative rock Amphi Festival in Cologne, for as many as 50,000 attendees.

In 2011 Blitzkid were third on the bill of a North American tour with Face to Face, Strung Out, and the Darlings. This tour helped raise the band's profile in the wider punk community. A reviewer for the Dallas Observer found the band's "speedy pop-punk with a tinge of metal and classic Misfits" to be "worthy" and "polished", while a reviewer of the Houston show opined that Blitzkid's fusion of "horror punk, ’50s rock, and hardcore elements... kicked quite a bit of ass". On the other hand, the advance coverage of the event in Nashville Scene, while praising the two headliners, dismissed Blitzkid as "gothy-looking mall rockers". Following this tour Blitzkid again played Germany's Summer Breeze Open Air festival in August 2011.