Editing Stray Cats

{{Use American English|date=November 2024}}
{{short description|American rockabilly band}}
{{About|the American rockabilly band|other uses|}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Stray Cats
| image             = Stray Cats.jpg
| caption           = Stray Cats in Japan, early 1990s
| background        = group_or_band
| alias             = 
| origin            = [[Massapequa, New York]], U.S.
| genre             = {{flatlist|
*[[Rockabilly]]
*[[rock and roll]]
}}
| occupation        = 
| years_active      = {{hlist|1979–1984|1986–1993|2004–2009|2018–present}}
| label             = [[Arista Records|Arista]], [[EMI America Records|EMI America]], [[Capitol Records|Capitol]], [[Surfdog Records|Surfdog]]
| associated_acts   = [[Brian Setzer Orchestra]], [[Phantom, Rocker & Slick]], [[Kat Men]]
| website           = {{URL|http://straycats.com/}}
| current_members   = [[Brian Setzer]]<br>[[Lee Rocker]]<br>[[Slim Jim Phantom]]
| past_members      = Bob Beecher<br>Gary Setzer<br>Tommy Byrnes
}}

''' 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]].<ref name="Rolling Stone Stray Cats Article">{{cite magazine|last=Loder|first=Kurt|author-link=Kurt Loder|title=The Stray Cats' Vintage Rock|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/top-cats-19830303|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=June 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150602012650/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/top-cats-19830303|archive-date=June 2, 2015|date=March 3, 1983}}</ref> The group had numerous hit singles in the UK, Australia, Canada, and the U.S. including "[[Stray Cat Strut]]",<ref name="Grdn">{{cite news |last1=Simpson |first1=Dave |title=How we made Stray Cat Strut: 'The solo must have taken me 30 seconds' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2019/jul/02/how-we-made-stray-cat-strut-the-solo-must-have-taken-me-30-seconds |access-date=September 20, 2023 |work=The Guardian |date=July 2, 2019}}</ref> "[[(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 [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame#The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll|songs that shaped rock and roll]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/steveparker/halloffame.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120911192010/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/steveparker/halloffame.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=September 11, 2012 |title=Rocklist.net...Steve Parker...Rock and Roll Hall of Fame |publisher=Rocklistmusic.co.uk |access-date=October 24, 2011}}</ref>

==History==
===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]]

===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.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/books/stray-cats-howling-at-the-moonlight-f791hurj|newspaper=Newsday|date=November 6, 2024|archive-date=November 8, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241108030344/https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/books/stray-cats-howling-at-the-moonlight-f791hurj|title=Stray Cats take center stage in 'Howling at the Moonlight'|first=David|last=Criblez}}</ref> After a European and US tour which ended at the [[1984_Louisiana_World_Exposition|1984 Louisiana World Expedition]], Setzer made the decision to end the band, which left the other members aggrieved.<ref name="Tamarkin">{{Cite magazine |last=Tamarkin |first=Jeff |author-link=Jeff Tamarkin |date=June 1986 |title=Brian Setzer: Stray Cats No More |url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/brian-setzer-stray-cats-no-more |magazine=[[Creem]] |access-date=June 2, 2019 |via=[[Rock's Backpages]] |url-access=subscription }}</ref> In an interview, Setzer pleaded restlessness as his motivation: "It's just that I didn't get that great feeling anymore{{nbsp}}... I had five good years of that, but then I got bored with it. In the last year I stopped getting that feeling, that great kick that twisted in my gut."<ref name="Tamarkin"/> Looking back in 2012, Setzer regretted the decision to dissolve the group saying "it was silly to break up the Stray Cats at the peak of our success".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/the-top-cat-of-rockabilly-20120329-1vzrg.html|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=March 30, 2012|archive-date=December 10, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161210075422/http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/the-top-cat-of-rockabilly-20120329-1vzrg.html|title=The top Cat of rockabilly|first=Michael|last=Dwyer}}</ref>

Setzer embarked on a solo career, exchanging his rockabilly focus for a more wide-ranging [[roots rock]]/[[Americana (music)|Americana]] sound on the 1986 album ''[[The Knife Feels Like Justice]]''.<ref name="Tamarkin"/> He dubbed his new band Brian Setzer & the Radiation Ranch, drawing the name from the title of one of his new songs.<ref name="Tamarkin"/> They played their first major concert at the 1985 [[Farm Aid]] benefit festival.<ref name="Tamarkin"/>

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 [[Keith Richards]] of The Rolling Stones and pianist [[Nicky Hopkins]].

In 1986, the Stray Cats reunited in Los Angeles, and recorded the [[Cover version|covers]]-heavy ''[[Rock Therapy (Stray Cats album)|Rock Therapy]]''. A lengthy hiatus followed, but in 1989 they reunited once again for the album ''[[Blast Off! (Stray Cats album)|Blast Off!]]'', which was accompanied by a tour with blues guitarist [[Stevie Ray Vaughan]]. No longer with EMI America, they entered the studio with [[Nile Rodgers]] for another album, ''Let's Go Faster'', issued by [[Liberation Records|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 reassembled 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 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]], Minnesota.

On January 2, 2018, Setzer announced via his Facebook page that the band would reunite for a show in [[Las Vegas]] on April 21, 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/briansetzerofficial/posts/10156990770774167 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/116084449166/10156990770774167 |archive-date=February 26, 2022 |url-access=limited|title=Brian Setzer|via=Facebook|access-date=May 24, 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The Stray Cats also performed two shows at the Pacific Amphitheatre in [[Costa Mesa, California]] on August 16 and 17, 2018.

On October 16, 2018, the band announced they would reunite in 2019 for a new album (first in 25 years), record in [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]], and tour to commemorate their 40th anniversary.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.musicnewsnet.com/2018/10/music-news-stray-catswill-mark-their40thanniversaryin2019with-a-new-album-and-tourbrian-setzerlee-rockerandslim-jim-phant.html|title=STRAY CATS TO MARK THEIR 40TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2019 WITH A NEW ALBUM AND TOUR|website=Music News Net}}</ref> On March 26, 2019, the video for the album's first single, "Cat Fight (Over a Dog Like Me)", was released, with an announcement of a May 24 release for the album, titled ''[[40 (Stray Cats album)|40]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/news/stray-cats-premiere-new-cat-fight-over-a-dog-like-me-music-video|title=Stray Cats Premiere New "Cat Fight (Over A Dog Like Me)" Music Video|website=Guitar World|date=March 27, 2019}}</ref> This was released in time for the European legs of their 40th Anniversary tour.

At the conclusion of the tour and in early 2020 the band announced that an album, a collection of songs recorded at various locations while on the 40th Anniversary tour would be released, entitled "Rocked This Town: From LA to London". It was released on CD and Vinyl and also on a number of streaming platforms.

In 2024, the band announced a three-week summer U.S. tour, their first tour in five years.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/stray-cats-2024-tour/|title=Stray Cats Announce Summer Tour|website=Ultimate Classic Rock|date=March 26, 2024}}</ref>

===Band members' follow-up careers===
[[File:Brian Setzer - live in gijon.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Brian Setzer at a concert]]
The Stray Cats have reunited periodically for live performances. Setzer is still part of his 1990s [[swing (dance)|swing]]-revival band [[The Brian Setzer Orchestra]]. Setzer also worked as executive producer on [[Drake Bell]]'s rockabilly revival album ''[[Ready Steady Go! (album)|Ready Steady Go!]]''<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Lipshultz|first1=Jason|title=Drake Bell Talks 'Ready Steady Go!' Album: Exclusive Behind-The-Scenes Video|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop-shop/5922973/drake-bell-talks-ready-steady-go-album-exclusive-behind-the-scenes|magazine=Billboard|access-date=June 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140901005114/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop-shop/5922973/drake-bell-talks-ready-steady-go-album-exclusive-behind-the-scenes|archive-date=September 1, 2014|date=February 28, 2014}}</ref> 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. Rocker and wife Deborah Drucker have two children and have been married since 1989. Slim Jim Phantom plays the drums in the bands Slim Jim's Phantom Trio, [[Dead Men Walking|The Jack Tars]], 13 Cats, [[Kat Men]], and [[The Head Cat]]. He is also an active member of the [[Love Hope Strength Foundation]], a charitable organization which was co-founded by [[Mike Peters (musician)|Mike Peters]] of [[The Alarm]], and which raises funds for cancer units.

The band was inducted into the [[Long Island Music Hall of Fame]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.limusichalloffame.org |title=Long Island Music Hall of Fame - Education - Heritage - Art |website=Limusichalloffame.org |access-date=October 24, 2011}}</ref> on October 15, 2006.

==Members==
'''Current members'''
* [[Brian Setzer]] – lead vocals, guitar (1979–1984, 1986–1993, 2004–2009, 2018–present)
* [[Lee Rocker]] – double bass, acoustic guitar, vocals (1979–1984, 1986–1993, 2004–2009, 2018–present)
* [[Slim Jim Phantom]] – drums, percussion, backing vocals (1979–1984, 1986–1993, 2004–2009, 2018–present)
'''Past members'''
* Bob Beecher – double bass (1979)
* Gary Setzer – drums (1979)
* Tommy Byrnes – harmony vocals, guitar (1984)

==Discography==
{{Main|Stray Cats discography}}
*''[[Stray Cats (album)|Stray Cats]]'' (1981)
*''[[Gonna Ball]]'' (1981)
*''[[Rant n' Rave with the Stray Cats]]'' (1983)
*''[[Rock Therapy (Stray Cats album)|Rock Therapy]]'' (1986)
*''[[Blast Off! (Stray Cats album)|Blast Off!]]'' (1989)
*''Let's Go Faster!'' (1990)
*''[[Choo Choo Hot Fish]]'' (1992)
*''Original Cool'' (1993)
*''[[40 (Stray Cats album)|40]]'' (2019)

==Tours==
* European Tour (1980)
* Stray Cats Tour (1981)
* Gonna Ball Tour (1982)
* Built for Speed Tour (1982–1983)
* Rant n' Rave Tour (1983–1984)
* Blast Off US-Tour (1988)
* Blast Off Tour (1989)
* Let's Go Faster Tour (1990)
* Murphy Tour (1991)
* Choo Choo Hot Fish Tour (1992)
* European Tour (2004)
* North American Tour (2007)
* Farewell Tour (2008–2009)
* 40th Anniversary Tour (2019)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons|Stray Cats}}
* {{Official website|http://straycats.com/}}

{{Stray Cats}}

{{Authority control}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Stray Cats}}
[[Category:Stray Cats| ]]
[[Category:American expatriates in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Arista Records artists]]
[[Category:Capitol Records artists]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1979]]
[[Category:Musical trios from New York (state)]]
[[Category:Oyster Bay (town), New York]]
[[Category:People from Massapequa, New York]]
[[Category:Rock music groups from New York (state)]]
[[Category:American rockabilly music groups]]