The Stray Cats
The Stray Cats are an American rockabilly band formed in 1979 by guitarist … Read Full Bio ↴The Stray Cats are an American rockabilly band formed in 1979 by guitarist and vocalist Brian Setzer, double bassist Lee Rocker, and drummer Slim Jim Phantom in the Long Island town of Massapequa, New York.
The group had numerous hit singles in the UK, Australia, Canada and the U.S. including "Stray Cat Strut", "(She's) Sexy + 17", "Look at That Cadillac," "I Won't Stand in Your Way", "Bring it Back Again", and "Rock This Town", which the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has listed as one of the 500 most important songs in the history of rock and roll.[1]
History Formation and move to UK
The group, whose style was based upon the sounds of Sun Records artists and other artists from the 1950s, were heavily influenced by Eddie Cochran, Carl Perkins, Gene Vincent and Bill Haley & His Comets. The Stray Cats quickly developed a large following in the New York music scene playing at CBGB and Max's Kansas City as well as venues on Long Island. When the Cats heard a rumor that there was a revival of the 1950s Teddy Boy youth subculture in England, the band moved to the UK.
They then spearheaded the nascent rockabilly revival, by blending the 1950s Sun Studio sound with modern punk musical elements. In terms of visual style, the Stray Cats also blended elements of 1950 rockabilly clothes, such as wearing drape jackets, brothel creepers and western shirts with punk clothes, such as tight black zipper trousers and modern versions of 1950s hair styles.
The band playing in Gijon.
The band first appeared in the middle of 1979 performing under a number of names including the Tomcats, the Teds, and Bryan and the Tom Cats. In 1982 they joined The Rolling Stones' US-tour as an opening act called "The Stray Cats". Since 1983 they have used only "Stray Cats" as their name. The band name "Stray Cats" had already earlier appeared in the 1973 rock 'n' roll film That'll Be the Day and its 1974 sequel Stardust.
In the middle of 1980 the Cats found themselves being courted by record labels including Virgin Records, Stiff Records and Arista Records. Word quickly spread and soon members of The Rolling Stones, The Who and Led Zeppelin were at their shows. 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, released in Britain in 1981 on Arista Records. They had three hits that year with "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.
Yet the combined sales of their first two albums were enough to convince EMI America to compile the best tracks from the two UK albums and issue an album (Built for Speed) in the U.S. in 1982. The record went on to sell double platinum in the US and Canada and was the No. 2 record on the Billboard album charts for 26 weeks. This was confirmed by Lee Rocker live in concert on 9/27/2014 in Klamath Falls, Oregon.[citation needed]
Breakup and reunions
Musical and personal 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, the band added former BMT's guitarist and Long Island native Tommy Byrnes on second guitar and harmony vocals, and after a European and US tour which ended at the New Orleans World's Fair, parted ways.
Rocker and Phantom formed a trio called Phantom, Rocker & Slick (the "Slick" being former David Bowie guitarist Earl Slick) whose debut album contained the single "Men Without Shame"; guest musicians on this record included both Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones and pianist Nicky Hopkins. Setzer went on to a solo career, retaining Byrnes and 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, the Stray Cats reunited in Los Angeles, and recorded the covers-heavy Rock Therapy.
In 1989, they reunited once again for the album Blast Off!, which was accompanied by a tour with US blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan. No longer with EMI America, they entered the studio with Nile Rodgers for the record titled Let's Go Faster, issued by Liberation in 1990. After 1992's Dave Edmunds-produced Choo Choo Hot Fish, and the cover album Original Cool, the group called it quits again.
In 2004, the Stray Cats reunited for a month-long tour of Europe. 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. In the 2000s, the band toured Europe as part of their Farewell Tour.
In 2008, for the first time in 18 years, the Stray Cats visited Australia and New Zealand which included several consecutive sold out shows of their Farewell (Australia) Tour. In April 2009 the band reunited for a single show to celebrate Brian’s 50th birthday at the Fine Line Music Café in Minneapolis, MN.
Band members' follow-up careers
Brian Setzer at a concert.
The Stray Cats have reunited periodically for live performances. Setzer is still part of his 1990s swing-revival band The Brian Setzer Orchestra. Rocker continued recording and touring throughout the 1990s and on to today. His albums include Black Cat Bone and Racin' the Devil on Alligator records as well as Bulletproof.
In addition to the Stray Cats, Rocker has recorded or performed with Carl Perkins, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Willie Nelson, Leon Russell, Scotty Moore, Keith Richards and numerous others. Slim Jim Phantom 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, RocKats). He is also an active member of the Love Hope Strength Foundation, a charitable organization which was co-founded by Mike Peters of The Alarm, and which raises funds for cancer units.
The band was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame[2] on October 15, 2006.
In 2007, Slim Jim Phantom formed Kat Men with Imelda May guitarist Darrel Higham.
Members
Brian Setzer – lead guitar, lead vocals, percussion (1979–1984, 1986–1993, 2004–2009)
Lee Rocker – double bass, acoustic guitar, backing vocals (1979–1984, 1986–1993, 2004–2009)
Slim Jim Phantom – drums, percussion, backing vocals (1979–1984, 1986–1993, 2004–2009)
Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stray_Cats
The group had numerous hit singles in the UK, Australia, Canada and the U.S. including "Stray Cat Strut", "(She's) Sexy + 17", "Look at That Cadillac," "I Won't Stand in Your Way", "Bring it Back Again", and "Rock This Town", which the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has listed as one of the 500 most important songs in the history of rock and roll.[1]
History Formation and move to UK
The group, whose style was based upon the sounds of Sun Records artists and other artists from the 1950s, were heavily influenced by Eddie Cochran, Carl Perkins, Gene Vincent and Bill Haley & His Comets. The Stray Cats quickly developed a large following in the New York music scene playing at CBGB and Max's Kansas City as well as venues on Long Island. When the Cats heard a rumor that there was a revival of the 1950s Teddy Boy youth subculture in England, the band moved to the UK.
They then spearheaded the nascent rockabilly revival, by blending the 1950s Sun Studio sound with modern punk musical elements. In terms of visual style, the Stray Cats also blended elements of 1950 rockabilly clothes, such as wearing drape jackets, brothel creepers and western shirts with punk clothes, such as tight black zipper trousers and modern versions of 1950s hair styles.
The band playing in Gijon.
The band first appeared in the middle of 1979 performing under a number of names including the Tomcats, the Teds, and Bryan and the Tom Cats. In 1982 they joined The Rolling Stones' US-tour as an opening act called "The Stray Cats". Since 1983 they have used only "Stray Cats" as their name. The band name "Stray Cats" had already earlier appeared in the 1973 rock 'n' roll film That'll Be the Day and its 1974 sequel Stardust.
In the middle of 1980 the Cats found themselves being courted by record labels including Virgin Records, Stiff Records and Arista Records. Word quickly spread and soon members of The Rolling Stones, The Who and Led Zeppelin were at their shows. 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, released in Britain in 1981 on Arista Records. They had three hits that year with "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.
Yet the combined sales of their first two albums were enough to convince EMI America to compile the best tracks from the two UK albums and issue an album (Built for Speed) in the U.S. in 1982. The record went on to sell double platinum in the US and Canada and was the No. 2 record on the Billboard album charts for 26 weeks. This was confirmed by Lee Rocker live in concert on 9/27/2014 in Klamath Falls, Oregon.[citation needed]
Breakup and reunions
Musical and personal 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, the band added former BMT's guitarist and Long Island native Tommy Byrnes on second guitar and harmony vocals, and after a European and US tour which ended at the New Orleans World's Fair, parted ways.
Rocker and Phantom formed a trio called Phantom, Rocker & Slick (the "Slick" being former David Bowie guitarist Earl Slick) whose debut album contained the single "Men Without Shame"; guest musicians on this record included both Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones and pianist Nicky Hopkins. Setzer went on to a solo career, retaining Byrnes and 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, the Stray Cats reunited in Los Angeles, and recorded the covers-heavy Rock Therapy.
In 1989, they reunited once again for the album Blast Off!, which was accompanied by a tour with US blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan. No longer with EMI America, they entered the studio with Nile Rodgers for the record titled Let's Go Faster, issued by Liberation in 1990. After 1992's Dave Edmunds-produced Choo Choo Hot Fish, and the cover album Original Cool, the group called it quits again.
In 2004, the Stray Cats reunited for a month-long tour of Europe. 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. In the 2000s, the band toured Europe as part of their Farewell Tour.
In 2008, for the first time in 18 years, the Stray Cats visited Australia and New Zealand which included several consecutive sold out shows of their Farewell (Australia) Tour. In April 2009 the band reunited for a single show to celebrate Brian’s 50th birthday at the Fine Line Music Café in Minneapolis, MN.
Band members' follow-up careers
Brian Setzer at a concert.
The Stray Cats have reunited periodically for live performances. Setzer is still part of his 1990s swing-revival band The Brian Setzer Orchestra. Rocker continued recording and touring throughout the 1990s and on to today. His albums include Black Cat Bone and Racin' the Devil on Alligator records as well as Bulletproof.
In addition to the Stray Cats, Rocker has recorded or performed with Carl Perkins, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Willie Nelson, Leon Russell, Scotty Moore, Keith Richards and numerous others. Slim Jim Phantom 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, RocKats). He is also an active member of the Love Hope Strength Foundation, a charitable organization which was co-founded by Mike Peters of The Alarm, and which raises funds for cancer units.
The band was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame[2] on October 15, 2006.
In 2007, Slim Jim Phantom formed Kat Men with Imelda May guitarist Darrel Higham.
Members
Brian Setzer – lead guitar, lead vocals, percussion (1979–1984, 1986–1993, 2004–2009)
Lee Rocker – double bass, acoustic guitar, backing vocals (1979–1984, 1986–1993, 2004–2009)
Slim Jim Phantom – drums, percussion, backing vocals (1979–1984, 1986–1993, 2004–2009)
Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stray_Cats
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Stray Cats Lyrics
(She'll Stay Just) One More Day My baby she don't tell me anything I don't know…
(She's) Sexy + 17 Hey, man, I don't feel like goin' to school no…
02-Town without Pity When you're young and so in love as we And…
07 I Fought The Law Breaking rocks in the hot sun I fought the law and…
18 Miles from Memphis We've been driving all night long Just to reach our destinat…
18 Miles to Memphis We've been driving all night long Just to reach our…
Baby Blue Eyes You're baby blue eyes that you promised tonight have got…
Baby Don't Drag Me Down You got it easy girl that much I can say Well…
Baby What You Want Me To Do You got me runnin', you got me hidin' You got me…
Be-Bop-a-Lula Well be bop a lula she's my baby Be bop a…
Beautiful Blues Always a queen, always so fine Always some joker standin' in…
Beautiful Delilah Beautiful Delilah Sweet as apple pie Always gets a second lo…
Be‐Bop‐A‐Lula Well be bop a lula she's my baby Be bop a…
Blast Off 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…
Blue Jean Bop Blue Jean baby With your big blue eyes Don't want you lookin…
Bring It Back Again Bring it back. Bring it back. Bring it back again…
Broken Man Well he walked down to the station With a pistol in…
Built for Speed Here I come in my fifty seven She's a real low…
Built for Speed (Live) Here I come in my fifty seven, She's a real low…
C'Mon Everybody Well c'mon everybody And let's get together tonight I got…
can I need love, love to ease my mind, I need to…
Can't Go Back To Memphis Low down dealin' in Memphis a card game in a…
Can't Help Falling in Love Peretti-Creatore-Weiss Wise men say only fools rush in B…
Can't Hurry Love I need love, love to ease my mind, I need to…
Cat Fight Two hot chicks, Joe's Bar and Grill Got into a tussle…
Change Of Heart Well it's 10:55 we're spitting out songs by the dozen And…
Crawl Up & Die Well, I don't know what's the matter Oh, what's the matter…
Crazy Mixed up Kid Rock with me baby I'm gonna roll with ya baby Well rock…
Cross Of Love Where does it say All the love that we made must…
Cross That Bridge Well, I'm gonna pack my suitcase Gonna hop right in that…
Cruisin Cruisin', lookin' for my gal I'm cruisin', goin' don't know…
Cry Baby Pick you up on a Saturday night hopin' that later…
Cryin Well, I'm in love with you, baby And I do declare…
C`mon Everybody Well c'mon everybody And let's get together tonight I go…
Dig Dirty Doggie Hey, man, I don't feel like goin' to school no…
Don't Drag Me Down You got it easy girl that much I can say Well…
Double Talkin Baby Aunque lo intente mil veces No puedo ahogar lo que a…
Drink That Bottle Down What's a man supposed to do When the blues have…
Elvis On Velvet All night long way black top highway midnight hitting a…
Fishnet Stockings Well my sweet baby wears fishnet stockings When she starts a…
Flying Saucer Rock 'n' Roll Bradshow-Mann-Kay Well the news of the saucer been a-flyin'…
Gene & Eddie Well be bop a lula she's my baby Well be bop…
Gina Well they say Gina don't you run with him Because you…
Give It to Me Give it to me, give it to me, why don't…
Gonna Ball Gonna ball, like I never did ball before, yeah Gonna ball,…
Gonna Be Your Rock When I come to a part of town That I…
Good Rockin' Tonight Well, I heard the news there's good rockin' tonight. Well, I…
Hotrod I, I got a low down dirty feeling That I've…
How Long You Wanna Live Anyway Well, there's a forty-nine Merc Goin' 'round Ridin' 'bout …
How Long You Wanna Live, Anyway? Well it's no good to smoke and it's no good…
I Fought The Law Breaking rocks in the hot sun I fought the law and…
I Wanna Cry I'm hearing big things Inside of my head Dreaming crazy demo…
I Won I, I got a low down dirty feeling That I've been…
I'm A Rocker Well, out of love Times we're now Well, out of love Times we…
Jeanie Jeanie Jeanie Well, Jeanie, Jeanie, Jeanie come and dance with me Well, th…
Jeannie Jeannie Jeannie Well, Jeanie, Jeanie, Jeanie come and dance with me There's …
Keep on Running She had a white wedding one hundred guests and a…
Let Hey, let's go faster, faster Let's go faster, faster Let's g…
Let It Rock In the heat of the day, down in Mobile, Alabama Working…
Let's Go Faster Hey, let's go faster, faster Let's go faster, faster Let's g…
Little Miss Prissy Well I know a little lady, she lives down London…
Lonely Summer Nights All those long and lonely summer nights That I have spent…
Lonesome Tears Lonesome tears sad and blue I cried lonesome tears for you W…
Look at That Cadillac Oh, wake up in the morning, Brush my teeth and…
Look at the Cadillac Oh, wake up in the morning Brush my teeth and comb…
Lookin I saved a place in my heart for your warm, sweet…
Lookin' Out My Back Door Lookin' Out My Back Door (J. Fogerty) Just got home from…
Looking for Someone to Love Stayin' at home waitin' for you You just won't get it…
Looking Out at My Back Door Lookin' Out My Back Door (J. Fogerty) Just got home from…
Looking To Love Someone Stayin' at home waitin' for you You just won't get it…
Lookin Better Every Beer I saved a place in my heart For your warm…
Lucky Charm Ooowee Suzy, baby you're my lucky charm Ooowee Suzy, baby…
Lust 'n' Love The wind is blowin' beercans down a cold deserted street I…
My Baby Left Me Well, my baby left me Never said a word Was it something…
My Heart Is A Liar Sittin' by myself lookin' out a broken window And out on…
My One Desire I want to walk with you, talk with you all…
Mystery Train Train arrived sixteen coaches long Train arrived sixteen coa…
Mystery Train Kept a Rollin' Well the train rolled into station about 1955 I′ve never bee…
Nina Lives Well I got nine lives baby I just keep comin'…
Oh Boy Well, all of my lovin' all of my kissin' you don'…
One Hand Loose I'm a tip top daddy and I'm gonna have my…
One More Day My baby she don′t tell me anything I don't know She…
Please Don't Touch Don't you touch me baby 'cause I'm shakin' so much…
Race With the Devil Well I've led an evil life, so they say But…
Rebels Rule Teenage rebels rule okay I'll be damned if I work…
Reckless Well I met you in the backroom You had lipstick on…
Rev It Up & Go Well, I got a big old bomb and it won't…
Rock Is Town Well, my baby and me went out late Saturday night I…
Rock Therapy Well, I don't need a doctor I don't need a…
Rock This Towm Well, my baby and me went out late Saturday night I…
Rockabilly Rules There's a crazy sound that sends my soul It's part hillbilly…
Rockabilly Rules O.K. There's a crazy sound that sends my soul It's part hillbill…
Rockabilly World Some times I just gotta get away To the place that…
Rockin Well, I heard the news there's good rockin' tonight. Well, I…
Rockin' All Over The Place Well I can't believe my eyes am I losing my…
Rumble in Brighton There's the Rockabilly Cats With their pomps real high Weari…
Rumble in Brighton (Live) Well there's the rockabilly cats with their pomps real high …
Rumble in Brigthton There's the Rockabilly Cats With their pomps real high Weari…
Runaway Boys Get kicked out for coming home at dawn, Mom and Dad…
Runaway Train Well I fell down on the barroom floor Well the bartender…
Runnaway Boys Get kicked out for coming home at dawn, Mom and Dad…
Sexy 17 Hey, man, I don't feel like goin' to school no…
Shotgun Baby Oh shotgun Baby - You never let me down Shotgun Baby…
Sixteen Candles Sixteen candles Make a lovely, lovely light But not as brigh…
Slip Slip Slippin' In Well I went out this evening I left the little woman…
Somethin' Else Uh-look-ah there There she comes Here comes that girl again …
Something Yeah, punch my card at five o'clock Friday night and I'm…
Something Else Hey lookee there. Here she comes Here comes that girl again.…
Something's Wrong with My Radio Yeah, punch my card at five o'clock Friday night and I'm…
St james' Infirmary It was down by old Joe's barroom, on the corner…
Stood Up Well, I've been waitin' ever since eight I guess my baby's…
Storm the Embassy Fifteen man taken captive in a hostile foreign land Scorchin…
Stray Cat Blues Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh Ooh…
Struck by Lightning Well trouble was on the horizon The sky was cloudy and…
Summertime Blues Well I´m a gonna raise a fuss I´m a gonna raise…
Summertime Blues (acoustic) well I´m a gonna raise a fuss I´m a gonna raise…
Sweet Love on My Mind Muchas Gracias Thank you very much Well, I'm a man who's go…
Tear It Up Well, I got a big old bomb and it won't…
That's All Right Well, that's all right, mama, that's all right for you That'…
The Race Is On I feel tears wellin' up going deep inside Like my heart's…
Thing About You He's got a thing about you Yeah, well take it from…
Tight Black Leather You wear tight black leather wrapped up from head to…
Tonights The Night You're baby blue eyes that you promised tonight have got…
Too Hip Well I've been hanging around this town too long And it…
Too Hip Gotta to Go Well I've been hanging around this town too long And it…
Town Without Pitty When you're young and so in love as we And…
Train Kept a Rollin' Bradshow-Mann-Kay I caught a train, I met a dame She was…
Trying to Get to You I've been traveling over mountains Even through the valleys …
Twenty Flight Rock Well I got a gal with a record machine When it…
Ubangi Stomp OoooOoooOooo-ah! Well I rocked over Italy and I rocked over …
Wasn't That Good Here's a little game called hide and go seek Put your…
Wicked Whisky Well, I got a big old bomb and it won't…
Wild Saxaphone I wanna mambo, jambo, do my number Hold my baby all…
Wild Saxophone Roll roll roll Bop man bop I wanna rip it, rock it,…
You Can't Hurry Love I need love, love to ease my mind, I need to…
You Don I never understand what you do to me, But I'll never…
You Dont Believe Me I never understand what you do to me, But I'll never…
Your True Love Your love, your love Your true love, your love True love bab…