Band:

STRAY CATS

Biografie

Stray Cats, the band that put Rockabilly music back on the record charts in the early-'80s, scored several big hits on both sides of the Atlantic thanks to a striking visual 1950’s style brought “up to date” with exaggerated pompadours and colorful tattoos, as well as genuine musical chops that evoked the best players of rockabilly's original heyday. The music had a rhythm that was rock solid yet loose, the singer could croon or shout and the guitar playing demanded respect. It was elegant yet hard, jazzy yet completely rocking. Their music and style were like nothing happening in pop culture at that time. Formed by guitarist/vocalist Brian Setzer, upright bass player Lee Rocker and drummer Slim Jim Phantom in the Long Island town of Massapequa, NY, in 1979, the trio shared a love for Rockabilly music and after banging around New York and Philadelphia for a few months, in the summer of 1980, they were persuaded by a mutual friend to hop a plane to London where a rockabilly revival movement was just beginning to emerge.

They were popular right out of the box with the release of their self-titled album in 1981 that scored three straight hits with "Runaway Boys," "Rock This Town," and "Stray Cat Strut." Deciding to test their luck in America, they signed with EMI America and in 1982 released their U.S. debut, Built for Speed, which compiled the highlights from their two British LPs. Helped by extensive airplay on MTV at the height of the anything-goes new wave era, "Rock This Town" and "Stray Cat Strut" both hit the American Top Ten, over a year after their British chart peaks. As a result, Built for Speed was a smash, and the Stray Cats were seen as avatars of retro style. Their second American album, Rant n' Rave With the Stray Cats, appeared in 1983 and produced another Top Ten hit in "(She's) Sexy + 17," as well as a Top 40 entry in the doo wop-styled ballad "I Won't Stand in Your Way."

The Cats had clawed their way all over the globe from 1981 to 1984 when they decided to go their separate ways for a while. In mid-1988, the three felt the time was right to bring it back again and reunited until 1992 when they split a second time. A one-off reunion show in California in 2003 created such a good vibe between the three guys that they decided to mount a month-long summer tour of Europe to celebrate both the Rockabilly trio’s 25 year career and the 50th birthday of rock and roll in the cities where it all started for them. So much excitement was generated with the 17 show sold-out tour that is was decided that one performance would be documented and released as a live DVD and album. Rumble In Brixton was recorded at the sold out show in London at the legendary Brixton Academy where the atmosphere was electric, and the energy was vibrant, almost dangerous.

Quelle: https://www.facebook.com/Stray-Cats-1576129305971999/Discografie

1981 - Stray Cats

1981 - Gonna Ball

1982 - Built For Speed

1983 - Rant ´n´ Rave With The Stray Cats

1986 - Therapy

1989 - Blast Off!

1990 - Let´s Go Faster

1992 - Choo Choo Hot Fish

1993 - Original Cool

1993 - Stray Cats Unplugged

1997 - The Masters

2004 - Live From Europe

2004 - Rumble In Brixton (Live)

2019 - 40

2019 - Runaway Boys – The Anthology

2020 - Rocked This Town – From LA To London

www

Interviews

Stray Cats_1
Dienstag 20.07.2004
In den frühen 80ern belebten die STRAY CATS den Rockabilly der 50er wieder und feierten damit erst in Europa und dann auch in den USA große Erfolge, landeten in Europa und den USA mit drei Singles in den Top Ten und verkauften insgesamt über 7 Millionen Platten.

Reviews

Live At Montreux 1981 - Cover
Irgendwer scheint zur Zeit die Archive des Montreux Jazz Festivals zu plündern.
Live In Hamburg - Cover
Eine großartige Idee: Jedes der 17 Konzerte der diesjährigen Europa-Tournee der STRAY CATS wurde aufgenommen und anschließend in kleiner Auflage auf CD herausgebracht.
Rumble In Brixton - Cover
Was kann schöner sein, als Brian Setzer Gitarre spielen zu hören? Richtig: Ihn dabei auch noch zu sehen!