Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    Banner
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
      • Playlists
    • Television
      • Shows by Decade
        • 1950s Television
        • 1960s Television
        • 1970s Television
        • 1980s Television
        • 1990s Television
      • Shows by Genre
        • Comedy
        • Drama
        • Kids TV
        • Variety
        • News & Sport
        • Advertisements
      • Shows by Country
        • UK TV
        • USA TV
        • Australia & NZ TV
        • Canada TV
        • Europe TV
        • Japan TV
      • Shows A to K
        • Shows A
        • Shows B
        • Shows C
        • Shows D
        • Shows E
        • Shows F
        • Shows G
        • Shows H
        • Shows I
        • Shows J
        • Shows K
      • Shows L to Z
        • Shows L
        • Shows M
        • Shows N
        • Shows O
        • Shows P
        • Shows Q
        • Shows R
        • Shows S
        • Shows T
        • Shows U
        • Shows V
        • Shows W
        • Shows X
        • Shows Y
        • Shows Z
      • Shows 0 to 9
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • 1950s Music
        • 1960s Music
        • 1970s Music
        • 1980s Music
        • 1990s Music
      • Music A to K
        • Music A
        • Music B
        • Music C
        • Music D
        • Music E
        • Music F
        • Music G
        • Music H
        • Music I
        • Music J
        • Music K
      • Music L to Z
        • Music L
        • Music M
        • Music N
        • Music O
        • Music P
        • Music Q
        • Music R
        • Music S
        • Music T
        • Music U
        • Music V
        • Music W
        • Music X
        • Music Y
        • Music Z
      • Music 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • 1950s Movies
          • Movies 1950
          • Movies 1951
          • Movies 1952
          • Movies 1953
          • Movies 1954
          • Movies 1955
          • Movies 1956
          • Movies 1957
          • Movies 1958
          • Movies 1959
        • 1960s Movies
          • Movies 1960
          • Movies 1961
          • Movies 1962
          • Movies 1963
          • Movies 1964
          • Movies 1965
          • Movies 1966
          • Movies 1967
          • Movies 1968
          • Movies 1969
        • 1970s Movies
          • Movies 1970
          • Movies 1971
          • Movies 1972
          • Movies 1973
          • Movies 1974
          • Movies 1975
          • Movies 1976
          • Movies 1977
          • Movies 1978
          • Movies 1979
        • 1980s Movies
          • Movies 1980
          • Movies 1981
          • Movies 1982
          • Movies 1983
          • Movies 1984
          • Movies 1985
          • Movies 1986
          • Movies 1987
          • Movies 1988
          • Movies 1989
        • 1990s Movies
          • Movies 1990
          • Movies 1991
          • Movies 1992
          • Movies 1993
          • Movies 1994
          • Movies 1995
          • Movies 1996
          • Movies 1997
          • Movies 1998
          • Movies 1999
      • Movies A to K
        • Movies A
        • Movies B
        • Movies C
        • Movies D
        • Movies E
        • Movies F
        • Movies G
        • Movies H
        • Movies I
        • Movies J
        • Movies K
      • Movies L to Z
        • Movies L
        • Movies M
        • Movies N
        • Movies O
        • Movies P
        • Movies Q
        • Movies R
        • Movies S
        • Movies T
        • Movies U
        • Movies V
        • Movies W
        • Movies X
        • Movies Y
        • Movies Z
      • Movies 0 to 9
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Radio
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Music»Music by Decade»1980s Music
    1980s Music Music S 2 Mins Read

    Stray Cats, The

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    The Stray Cats formed in Massapequa, Long Island, New York, in 1979 in the midst of the punk/new wave scene, playing retro-rockabilly style.

    Heavily influenced both musically and visually by Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent and Bill Haley & His Comets, the trio quickly developed a large following in New York playing at CBGBs, Max’s Kansas City as well as venues on Long Island.

    When the band heard there was a revival of the 1950s Teddy Boy youth subculture in England, the band moved to the UK where they caught on quickly.

    Their original songs and some top-notch production by Dave Edmunds quickly moved them into the UK charts.

    Their self-titled debut album was released in England in 1981 on Arista Records and they had three hits that year with Rock This Town, Stray Cat Strut and Runaway Boys.

    straycats_830

    The UK follow-up album, Gonna Ball, was not so well-received, but the combined sales of the first two albums was enough to convince EMI America to compile the best tracks from the two UK albums and issue an American album (titled Built for Speed) in 1982.

    The LP went on to sell double platinum in the US and Canada and was the Number Two album on the Billboard album charts for 26 weeks.

    The band returned to the US just in time to mine the early mother lode of MTV video-land and enjoyed a number of further hit singles, including (She’s) Sexy And 17 and My One Desire.

    Musical and personal conflicts began to emerge as Slim Jim Phantom married actress Britt Ekland and Brian Setzer made guest appearances with stars like Bob Dylan and became the concert guitarist for Robert Plant‘s Honeydrippers project.

    In late 1984 the band added guitarist and fellow Long Island native Tommy Byrnes on second guitar and harmony vocals but called it a day after a European and US tour.

    After various – mostly unsuccessful – solo projects the original trio regrouped in the 1990s with their style relatively unchanged. The group still reunite periodically for live tours.

    Brian Setzer
    Vocals, guitar
    Lee Rocker (Lee Drucher)
    Bass
    Slim Jim Phantom (James McDonnell)
    Drums
    Tommy Byrnes
    Guitar, vocals

    Video

    Related Posts

    • Iron Maiden
      Iron Maiden
      In the East End of London, Steve "Arry" Harris and Dave Murray joined forces in 1976 with Paul Di'Anno (real…
    • Feelies, The
      Feelies, The
      The Feelies arose in 1976 from the backwater of Haledon, New Jersey (hardly a bastion of cultural activity). Despite their…
    • Rockpile
      Rockpile
      Rockpile took a group of seasoned professionals with an ear for good hooks and an enviable track record and turned…
    • Showaddywaddy
      Showaddywaddy
      Releasing their first self-titled LP on Bell in 1974, this rock 'n' roll revival octet from Leicester spent 209 weeks…
    • Kansas
      Kansas
      Kansas started out as a bar band playing cover versions of contemporary songs and soul oldies in the American state…
    • Girls At Our Best!
      Girls At Our Best!
      In 1979, local Leeds (Yorkshire) punk heroes James "Jez" Alan (guitar) and Gerald "Terry" Swift (bass) recruited art student Judy…
    • Sha Na Na
      Sha Na Na
      As rock music reached the end of the 1960s and began to 'grow up', Sha Na Na became a big…
    • Billy Idol
      Billy Idol
      Billy Idol was born William Michael Albert Broad on 30 November 1955 at Stanmore, Middlesex, in England but spent his…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleStrawbs, The
    Next Article Stupidity

    Comments are closed.

    NC Radio Player
    Search the site

    Nostalgia Central has been a labour of love since 1998. The site carries no advertising, and I rely on donations to help with running costs and to keep the site running for your entertainment and education.

    If you find the site informative or enjoyable, please consider a donation – no matter how small. 

    Thank you so much.
    Enjoy your trip in the time machine!

    You may also like

    • Sam Apple Pie
      Sam Apple Pie
      Sam Apple Pie hailed from Walthamstow (East London) in the late 60's and played all the day's underground clubs and…
    • Roman Holliday
      Roman Holliday
      Roman Holliday formed in Harlow, Essex, and settled on a blend of swing/jive that appealed to DJ John Peel who…
    • Loverboy
      Loverboy
      "Nice" was the perfect word to describe Loverboy, a friendly good-natured Canadian rock band so wholesome they could have joined…
    • Cars, The
      Cars, The
      The Cars were the most successful American New Wave band in the late 70s/early 80s. With their sleek, mechanical pop-rock, the band…


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Copyright © 1998, 2023 Nostalgia Central. Run by volunteers. Funded by donations.
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.