Levi & the Rockats were founded in 1977 by Levi Dexter. In December 1979 Le… Read Full Bio ↴Levi & the Rockats were founded in 1977 by Levi Dexter. In December 1979 Levi & the Rockats disbanded and The Rockats continued under that name.

In the 1980s, the Rockats opened for groups like Kiss, Iggy Pop, The Clash, David Bowie, Tina Turner, Thin Lizzy, and The Pretenders After Levi Dexter left the band, it was re-formed with Dibbs Preston on vocals. This band is notable as one of the first rockabilly groups to incorporate punk rock and new wave influences to appeal to both punks and Teds, influencing later groups like Brian Setzer's Stray Cats and Dave Alvin's The Blasters, while retaining the raw authenticity of pre-British invasion Rock and roll.

"The Rockats burst onto the music scene in the late 70’s like a breath of fresh air. Rockabilly
music had laid dormant since the 1950’s, until a group of young brash Brits brought back a
revitalized and re energized version to the US.
The Rockats were no mere revival act or retread, they were putting a modern spin on the classic
rockabilly sound, much like Stevie Ray Vaughan or the Fabulous Thunderbirds were putting their
modern spin on the blues. No one had seen a standup bass in 1978 being played the way Smutty
Smiff played it! Spinning it and dancing with it! With Dibbs Preston’s great rockin’
vocals, Barry Ryan and Danny Harvey twin rockabilly guitar attack, The Rockats were poised to
Make That Move into the US.
I remember seeing The Rockats first show in New York. I couldn't believe there were other
people like me. The spirit of the Rockats captivated the audience that night and left a great
impression on me. I guess we were swept away to our different paths in life and never really got
to know each other well until later.
Here are twelve great new tracks from the original Rockats. Still with the same spirit and savvy
as they had back in 1981!
Rock on, Kats, Rock on!"
Brian Setzer