Brian And The Tomcats Play The Stray Cats

The latest Homemade Record from Stinky is a set of live and demo recordings by The Tomcats, a rockabilly trio comprised of brothers Brian and Gary Setzer, with Bob Beecher on bass. The three were also members of a new wave band called the Bloodless Pharaohs.

The Pharaohs played CBGB's and the Hot Club in Philadelphia back in 1977-78. During those same years, the Tomcats played smaller venues such as T.K.'s Place in Long Island and J.C. Dobbs in Philly. 

By 1979, Brian had begun playing with drummer Jim McDonnell and bassist Lee Drucker. The new trio made a gamble in 1980 by selling their equipment to fly to London, where they achieved fame as the Stray Cats. A few of the songs on their 1981 debut album date back to the Tomcats' days, including "Stray Cat Strut" and "Rock This Town".

The Stray Cats reunited and released a new studio album in 2019 called "40" -- forty years after they started playing together. Let's go back before the beginning, to the swinging sounds of the Tomcats. And if you love rockabilly, check out the series Songs The Panther Burns Taught Us and the siren sounds of Pearl Harbour right on this here blog. Thanks again as always, Stinky!

Do The Kingbee with Jamie James

 

Stinky's back to school us on unsung singer-guitarist Jamie James.  "Do you remember The Kingbees? They were the only rockabilly band on RSO Records, which folded (just after their second album was shipped) when the SGT. PEPPER’S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND movie with Peter Frampton & The Bee Gees tanked miserably at the box orifice.

"The Kingbees deserved better and I rank their lead singer Jamie James as almost as good a songwriter/guitarist/singer as Brian Setzer—which is high praise.

"I always felt if the Stray Cats rhythm section had replaced Brian Setzer with Jamie James, they'd have been able to keep going longer than Phantom Rocker & Slick did.  Eventually, Slim Jim and Lee Rocker played with James on guitar on a few cuts in the revolving door of THE SWING CATS, but too little too late!  

"This BEST OF collection includes the tracks Jamie did with The Swing Cats, and had they picked up where The Stray Cats left off, when Setzer left, it wouldn't have seemed so desperate--going swing after Setzer did.  But the other two Stray Cats are consistently excellent as well, so it worked.

"I put this together a long time ago, but it fits right into our guitarist collections that encompass an artist's whole career.  I had to make room to fit what Jamie's currently doing--backing actor Dennis Quaid as the band leader of Dennis Quaid & The Sharks.  Jamie met Dennis when he was leading actor Harry Dean Stanton's band and started playing with Quaid after Stanton’s death.

"This collection also has two songs I’ve never seen anywhere else from a 10” single I have that I’m amazed doesn’t go for more than $4 on Discogs—but I guess he’s destined to be an unsung hero of mine."

Thanks, Stinky! If you remember rockabilly radio, visit our posts on The Tomcats, Tav Falco, and queen bee Pearl Harbour (who just had a b-day!)

Them Dang Torpedoes

This was a blockbuster. "Refugee", "Here Comes My Girl" and "Don't Do Me Like That" were constantly on the radio. It was a fun album, with the odd little bits like "It's just the normal noises in here" between songs. 

And he looked so cool. I was thirteen in 1979. I wanted more than anything to sit on my roof, stare at the moon, and write songs on my Rickenbacker about girls who would understand how misunderstood I was.

"You Tell Me" and an alternate version of "What Are You Doing In My Life" are the only studio tracks on this Homemade Live Album. Seven bonus songs bring the total to a sweet sixteen.

Don't miss Stinky's genre-themed TP compilations (blues, country, rockabilly and psychedelia).  Stinky has also created homemade live albums for Michael Hall's Wild Seeds, Tav Falco's Panther Burns, Brian Setzer's Tomcats, Jon Rubin's Rubinoos, Georgia's Satellites, and Pearl Harbor's Explosions.