It takes massive stones to bill yourself as "the scariest band in the world" — that is unless your tongue is lodged firmly in your cheek, which is probably how it is with San Diego's veteran surf-music miscreants Deadbolt. Fueled by Pabst Blue Ribbon and shots of vile liquors, Deadbolt brought its creepy, noir-ish vibe and hilariously macabre lyrics to Madison for the band's first Midwest show in eight years a couple weeks ago. On hand were guitarist and lead vocalist Harley Davidson, bassist and vocalist 3rd Degree Burns and — arriving late, about halfway through the show — drummer Badtime Charlie, and they rumbled and roared through classics like "Voodoo Trucker" and "Truck Driving S.O.B." A metal-shop grinder threw off a shower of sparks to start the Madison show, and by the end of it, you were transfixed, or drunk. Either way, it was a good time, and the opening band, Knuckle Dragerz, wearing monster masks and wild wigs, played high-octane surf instrumentals with just a touch of heavy metal that had its hometown crowd in hysterics. Chances are, most of you have never heard Deadbolt, and frankly, it's your loss. A mix of rockabilly, ghostly surf guitar and Misfits-style goth, Deadbolt unearths the remains of Link Wray and does unspeakable things to his body of work. Go get yourself the greatest-hits LP Haight Street Hippie Massacre, and succumb to its evil. In a nutshell, here's what I love about Deadbolt. I love that the guys drink Pabst Blue Ribbon. I love song titles like "Down in the Lab," "Who The Hell Is Mrs. Valdez?" "Hit Gone Wrong," "Zulu Death Mask" and "Last Time I Saw Cole." I love that if you were blitzed out of your gourd and met them in a dark alley, they'd just as soon roll you for beer money as give you a helping hand. And I just love their overall voodoo. It may be schtick, but it's fun schtick, and it's as cool as a '50s biker film. To learn more about Deadbolt, go to www.downinthelab.com PS: I apologize for the scant blogs of late. Technical problems and family health concerns put a spanner in the works.