Stray Cats 164007 221938648 2008-06-26T19:49:29Z 70.110.23.99 /* Albums */ {{articleissues|article=y|citations missing=January 2008|onesource=February 2008}} {{otheruses4|the band|the animal|Feral cat}} {{Infobox musical artist | Name = Stray Cats | Img = Stray_cats_-_live_in_gijon_a.jpg <!-- Put only the image name (e.g. Example.png) without the Image: prefix. --> | Img_capt = Stray Cats live in Gijón on [[July 24]], [[2004]] | Img_size = <!-- Only for images narrower than 220 pixels. Set the value as a number without "px". --> | Landscape = | Background = group_or_band | Alias = | Origin = [[Long Island]], [[New York]], [[USA]] | Genre = [[Rockabilly]] | Occupation = | Years_active = 1979—present | Label = [[Arista Records|Arista]], [[EMI America]] | Associated_acts = [[Brian Setzer Orchestra]] | URL = [http://straycats.com/ straycats.com] | Current_members = [[Brian Setzer]]<br />[[Lee Rocker]]<br />[[Slim Jim Phantom]] | Past_members = }} The ''' Stray Cats''' are a [[rockabilly]] band formed in [[1979 in music|1979]] by guitarist/vocalist [[Brian Setzer]] (Bloodless Pharaohs/[[Brian Setzer Orchestra]]) with school friends [[Lee Rocker]] (born Leon Drucker) and [[Slim Jim Phantom]] (born James McDonnell) in the [[Long Island]] town of [[Massapequa, New York]]. == Formation and rapid UK success == The group, whose style was based upon the sounds of Sun Records artists from the 1950s and heavily influenced by [[Bill Haley & His Comets]], had little initial success in the New York music scene, and had to move to England before they saw any success at all within the nascent rockabilly revival there. The group had several hit singles in the UK and the U.S. during the early 1980s. After a gig in London, Stray Cats met producer [[Dave Edmunds]], well known as a roots rock enthusiast for his work with [[Rockpile]] and as a solo artist. Edmunds offered to work with the group, and they entered the studio to record their self-titled debut album, ''[[Stray Cats (album)|Stray Cats]]'', released in England in 1981 on [[Arista Records]]. They were popular immediately, scoring three straight hits that year with "[[Runaway Boys (song)|Runaway Boys]]", "[[Rock This Town]]," and "[[Stray Cat Strut]]." The UK follow-up to ''Stray Cats'', ''[[Gonna Ball]]'', was not as well-received, providing no hits and receiving some negative reviews. == Return to the U.S. == Stray Cats returned to the United States, signed with [[EMI America]], and in [[1982 in music|1982]] released ''[[Built for Speed]]'', a combination of their earlier LPs. "Rock This Town" and "Stray Cat Strut" hit the top of the American charts thanks to MTV airplay. The follow-up, ''[[Rant N' Rave With The Stray Cats]]'', was almost as successful. Helped by extensive airplay on the newly-launched [[MTV]], "Rock This Town" and "Stray Cat Strut" both hit the American [[Billboard Hot 100|Top Ten]], over a year after their British chart peaks. As a result, ''Built for Speed'' was a left-field smash, and Stray Cats became icons of retro style. Their second American album, ''Rant N' Rave With The Stray Cats'', appeared in [[1983 in music|1983]] and produced another Top Ten hit in the #5 smash "(She's) Sexy + 17," as well as a minor [[Billboard Hot 100|Top 40]] entry in the [[Doo-wop|doo wop-styled]] ballad "I Won't Stand in Your Way." == Break-up and subsequent reunions == Personality conflicts began to emerge in the ways that the individual members handled their new-found success; Phantom married actress [[Britt Ekland]], while Setzer made guest appearances with stars like [[Bob Dylan]] and [[Stevie Nicks]] and became the concert guitarist for [[Robert Plant]]'s [[Honeydrippers]] side project. In late 1984, Setzer broke up the band amid much bad blood. Rocker and Phantom formed a trio called Phantom Rocker & Slick (the "Slick" being former [[David Bowie]] guitarist [[Earl Slick]]), while Setzer went on to a solo career, exchanging his rockabilly focus for a more wide-ranging [[roots rock]]/[[Americana]] sound on albums such as 1986's ''The Knife Feels Like Justice''. In 1986, Stray Cats got back together in Los Angeles, and recorded the [[Cover version|covers]]-heavy ''Rock Therapy'', which sold poorly. In 1989, they reunited once again for the album ''[[Blast Off!]]'', which was accompanied by a tour with [[Stevie Ray Vaughan]]. No longer with [[EMI America]], they entered the studio with [[Nile Rodgers]] for the lackluster ''Let's Go Faster'', issued by [[Liberation]] in 1990. 1992's Dave Edmunds-produced ''Choo Choo Hot Fish'' also attracted little attention, and after another covers album, ''Original Cool'', the group called it quits again. However, after a dozen years apart, Stray Cats reunited for a month-long tour of Europe in 2004. A live album culled from those concerts, ''Rumble In Brixton'', included one new studio track, "Mystery Train Kept A Rollin'." In 2007, they reunited once again for a successful and long awaited US tour with ZZ Top and the Pretenders. This was their first North American tour in over 15 years. Currently the band is planning their Farewell Tour which will take them around Europe before the band disbands. == Band members' follow-on careers == Stray Cats have reunited periodically for live performances. Setzer is still part of his 1990s [[swing (dance)|swing]]-revival band [[The Brian Setzer Orchestra]]. Rocker and Phantom went on to form Swing Cats as well as releasing some solo material. Slim Jim Phantom also plays the drums in another rockabilly band 13 Cats, as well as the [[Rock and Roll]] band The Head Cat with [[Lemmy]] ([[Motörhead]]) and Danny B. Harvey (13 Cats) The band was inducted into the [[Long Island Music Hall of Fame]][http://www.limusichalloffame.org]on [[October 15]], [[2006]]. ==Discography== ===Albums=== *''[[Stray Cats (album)|Stray Cats]]'' (1981) *''[[Gonna Ball]]'' (1981) *''[[Built for Speed]]'' (1982) *''[[Rant N' Rave with the Stray Cats]]'' (1983) *''Rock Therapy'' (1986) *''Blast Off!'' (1989) *''Let's Go Faster!'' (1990) *''The Best of the Stray Cats: Rock This Town'' (1990) *''Choo Choo Hot Fish'' (1992) *''Original Cool'' (1993) *''Rumble in Brixton'' (2004) ===Singles=== * 1980 "Runaway Boys" - # 9 UK * 1981 "[[Rock This Town]]" - # 9 US/ # 9 UK * 1981 "[[Stray Cat Strut]]" - # 3 US/ # 11 UK * 1981 "The Race Is On" - # 34 UK * 1981 "You Don't Believe Me" - # 57 UK * 1983 "(She's) Sexy And 17" - # 5 US/ # 29 UK * 1983 "I Won't Stand In Your Way" - # 35 US * 1989 "Bring It Back Again" - # 64 UK ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== {{commons|Stray Cats}} *[http://straycats.com/ Official website] *[http://briansetzer.com/ Brian Setzer's website] *[http://leerocker.com/ Lee Rocker's website] *[http://slimjimphantom.com/ Slim Jim Phantom's website] *[http://www.myspace.com/headcat Myspace page for The Head Cat] *[http://www.rockabillyeurope.com/reviews/jackslacks.htm Jackslacks website] [[Category:American rock music groups|Stray Cats]] [[Category:Rockabilly musicians|Stay Cats]] [[de:Stray Cats]] [[es:Stray Cats]] [[fr:The Stray Cats]] [[it:Stray Cats]] [[he:סטריי קאטס]] [[nl:Stray Cats]] [[ja:ストレイ・キャッツ]] [[pt:The Stray Cats]] [[ru:Stray Cats]] [[simple:Stray Cats]] [[fi:Stray Cats]] [[sv:Stray Cats]]