Editing Stray Cats (section)

===Formation and move to UK===

The band first appeared in the New York area in the middle of 1979 performing under a number of names including [[the Tomcats]], the Teds, and Bryan and the Tom Cats.<ref name="Stray Cats All Music Biography" /> According to [[Brian Setzer]] (singer/songwriter and guitarist), they changed names to fool club owners (who would not hire the same band for consecutive nights), but kept the "Cats" moniker in their various names so the audience would know they were the same band.<br>

Setzer joined up with [[Slim Jim Phantom]] (drums) and they soon added Phantom's schoolmate and friend [[Lee Rocker]] (stand-up bass); all three of them came from the same neighborhood in Massapequa and were interested in punk and rockabilly music. <br>

Since 1983, they have used only "Stray Cats" as their name. The band name "Stray Cats" had appeared in the 1973 [[rock and roll|rock&nbsp;'n'&nbsp;roll]] film [[That'll Be the Day (film)|''That'll Be the Day'']] and its 1974 sequel [[Stardust (1974 film)|''Stardust'']]. They also went to many concerts and enjoyed the punk scene. They met [[the Clash]] and they used to see [[Siouxsie and the Banshees]], [[Charlie Harper (singer)|Charlie Harper]] and the [[UK Subs]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-stray-cats-nine-lives-and-still-running-wild|title=The Stray Cats: nine lives and still running wild|publisher=loudersound.com
|first=Ed |last=Mitchell |date=August 29, 2019 |access-date=June 2, 2020}}</ref>

The group, whose style was based upon the sounds of [[Sun Records]] artists and other artists from the 1950s, was heavily influenced by [[Eddie Cochran]], [[Carl Perkins]], [[Gene Vincent]], and [[Bill Haley & His Comets]].<ref name="Grdn"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Stray Cats|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/stray-cats-mn0000475431|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=June 2, 2015}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Stray Cats All Music Biography">{{cite web|last1=Hervey|first1=Steve|title=Stray Cats|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/stray-cats-mn0000475431/biography|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=June 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141028133126/http://allmusic.com/artist/stray-cats-mn0000475431/biography|archive-date=October 28, 2014}}</ref> They spearheaded the nascent rockabilly revival, blending the 1950s [[Sun Studio]] sound with modern [[punk rock|punk]] musical elements. In terms of visual style, the Stray Cats also blended elements of 1950 rockabilly clothes, such as wearing [[drape jacket]]s, [[brothel creepers]], and western shirts, with [[Punk fashion|punk clothes]], such as tight black zipper trousers and modern versions of 1950s hair styles.

In the middle of 1980, the band 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. <br> After a gig in London, Stray Cats met musician and 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 Britain in 1981 on Arista Records. In addition to having three hits that year with "Runaway Boys", "[[Rock This Town]]", and "[[Stray Cat Strut]]", they also performed on the eighth day of the [[Montreux Jazz Festival]]. 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 Records|EMI America]] to compile the best tracks from the two UK albums and issue an album (''[[Built for Speed (Stray Cats album)|Built for Speed]]'') in the U.S. in 1982. The record went on to sell a million copies ([[Music recording certification|Platinum]]) in the US and Canada and was the no.&nbsp;2 record on the [[Billboard charts|''Billboard'' album charts]] for 15 weeks.

In 1983, the Stray Cats began recording their third (second U.S.) studio album ''[[Rant N' Rave with the Stray Cats]]''. Unlike their previous studio albums, half the album was recorded in London with the rest recorded in New York. Released in August 1983, critics generally viewed ''Rant N' Rave'' favorably, citing the band's tributes to 1950s rock 'n' roll legends such as [[Gene Vincent]] and [[Bo Diddley]]. Commercially, ''Rant N' Rave'' failed to achieve the success of ''Built for Speed'', although it produced the top-ten hit "[[(She's) Sexy + 17]]", and top-forty hit "I Won't Stand in Your Way" featuring the [[doo-wop]] group [[14 Karat Soul]].

[[File:Stray cats - live in gijon 2.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The band playing in Gijon]]