Rockabilly stars pad into Cincinnati
A band that has become synonymous with the rockabilly genre will appear soon in Cincinnati.
The Stray Cats were created in Massapequa, New York, a town on Long Island, in 1979. The founders were drummer Slim Jim Phantom, double bassist Lee Rocker, and vocalist/guitarist Brian Setzer. Though the band has come through hiatuses, the original lineup is the group now on tour.
The Stray Cats had hit singles in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the UK, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame named their song “Rock This Town” as one of those that shaped the genre.
The Stray Cats’ sound was heavily influenced by 1950s stars like Bill Haley & His Comets, Eddie Cochran, and others. The built a following in the New York area but relocated to the UK, drawn by the resurgence of England’s Teddy Boy subculture. By 1980, labels such as Virgin Records were courting them.
They began their recording career in 1981, and one of their most successful albums was 1982’s “Built for Speed,” which was rated Platinum and spent 15 weeks perched at No. 2 on the Billboard album chart. A concert review says:
The Stray Cats will be at the Taft Theatre on November 11. Events like this often benefit when organizers use poster printing to create advertising for them.
The Stray Cats were created in Massapequa, New York, a town on Long Island, in 1979. The founders were drummer Slim Jim Phantom, double bassist Lee Rocker, and vocalist/guitarist Brian Setzer. Though the band has come through hiatuses, the original lineup is the group now on tour.
The Stray Cats had hit singles in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the UK, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame named their song “Rock This Town” as one of those that shaped the genre.
The Stray Cats’ sound was heavily influenced by 1950s stars like Bill Haley & His Comets, Eddie Cochran, and others. The built a following in the New York area but relocated to the UK, drawn by the resurgence of England’s Teddy Boy subculture. By 1980, labels such as Virgin Records were courting them.
They began their recording career in 1981, and one of their most successful albums was 1982’s “Built for Speed,” which was rated Platinum and spent 15 weeks perched at No. 2 on the Billboard album chart. A concert review says:
“There are some artists who become the personification of their genre. . . . When it comes to rockabilly, it's undoubtedly Stray Cats who define the sound.”
The Stray Cats will be at the Taft Theatre on November 11. Events like this often benefit when organizers use poster printing to create advertising for them.