Stray Cats - Rockpalast 1981

1981-07-16 SAT M Köln, Satory Säle

01 Sweet Love
02 Double Talkin' Baby
03 Rumble In Brighton
04 One Desire
05 Ubangi Stomp
06 Drink That Bottle Down
07 Storm The Embassy
08 Stray Cat Strut
09 Fishnet Stockings
10 Important Words
11 Rock This Town
12 Runaway Boys
13 Here Comes That Girl Again
14 Gonna Ball

New York is the home of this group. For approximately four years, they have been known as the Stray Cats and they went to the top, against all trends and expectations. At the end of the '70s, Brian Setzer (then 19), Slim Jim Phantom and Lee (both 17) decided to found a band to realize their own musical preferences. Their outward appearances were kiss-me-quicks and tattoos; a little guitar, drums and contrabass as the instruments.
The Stray Cats wanted to play rockabilly for the '80s, but they didn't want to be one of those many revival bands who were satisfied with copying songs and heroes of an over 25-year-old style. Especially Brian Setzer, guitarist, singer and composer of the band, had followed the musical developments of the late '70s. Short songs without long solos, fast and to the point arrangements and lyrics that dealt with the here and now built the substance of the Stray Cats.
But even in colorful New York, there weren't many possibilities for a rockabilly band of that kind. They received an offer from London that wasn't quite serious, but the Stray Cats accepted. For three months, there was nothing going on, but finally supported by several performances in important London clubs, and due to the efforts of a female publisher, other musicians, like Dave Edmunds, and the music press in England began to be interested in the three. It was really brave of them to go on- stage with such instruments. Many came to their shows to see whether this was serious music or not. And it worked. Dave produced a first single with the Stray Cats called 'Runaway Boys', a few weeks later it hit #1 in the British charts. Successful tours and festival performances followed.
Finally, in 1982, the band's homeland, the USA, also understood that the Stray Cats were something special. There the group is experiencing a repeat of the European enthusiasm. The performance at the Rockpalast Loreley Festival on August 20th will be their first after a break that lasted over a year. The Stray Cats will present their own version of Rockabilly at this festival, too. They never interpreted this style the old way. For them it's just the fun of being on-stage and letting it all hang out.

"Rockabilly for the '80s was announced as the Stray Cats got up on stage. Kiss-me- quicks and tattoos are the external trademarks, standing drums and contrabass are the characteristic medium."
From: 10 Jahre Rockpalast.

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