Every era has its heroes and every scene has its legends. The 80s had the Stray Cats and today they are the indisputable icons of neo-rockabilly.

When the US trio stormed the top of the charts in their adopted country of England, punk still reigned in the United Kingdom. But Brian Setzer, Slim Jim Phantom and Lee Rocker brought that certain something that the mohawked men also had: a feeling for danger and rebellion.

Impressive footage of this time include two performances in Germany: one in 1981 in Cologne and one in 1983 at the Loreley which were recorded by WDR. These are genuine recordings that make the trio’s fascination still accessible today. Both concerts will be released for the first time in a good quality and with a superb sound on DVD and CD. The Stray Cats can come to live at home just as they were at their best: young, raw and wild!

Brian Setzer, today an “older statesman” of rockabilly and a platinum holder with his successful Brian Setzer Orchestra, works passionately but was perfectly groomed as he struck the strings on the stage of the Cologne Satory Halls. He was a “rebel without a cause,” similar to the young James Dean. But this guitarist has a desire: he wants to bring Rock n’ Roll back to life. He wants to play his guitar as Eddie Cochran did. No question that he has succeeded; he is still loved for this today and this is why he is the first guitarist after the legendary Chet Atkins to have his own signature Gretsch model which he plays exclusively.

The Stray Cats aren’t only made up of Setzter with his phenomenal guitar playing and his “crooning”. Lee Rocker and Slim Jim Phantom are responsible for their special sound, too: Phantom’s simple drumming became an example for rockabilly drummers worldwide and his wild screams in the songs belong to Stray Cats exactly as Brian Setzer’s licks and Lee Rocker’s clattering bass do. He treated his instrument like a lover which he hugged or like monkeybars on which he did gymnastics. The bad boy attitude was internalized by the “street cats.”

Both concerts also underline how rapidly Stray Cats’ career progressed. Between both recordings were filled worlds. In 1981 they were rockers and by 1983 they had become known as tender teddy boys in part of the scene. And internally not everything was at its best, leading the band to a break up one year later. There is nothing to feel about the current performance on the Rhine. The band rocked the mixed audience as usual and were even honored by their discoverer Dave Edmund. Next to Stray Cats were acts such as U2, Joe Cocker and Steve Miller.
The influence Stray Cats had on music and fashion is in hindsight unmistakable. Where would psychobilly legends such as Meteors or Demented are Go!, who were founded as a countermovement to rockabilly, be today? Would the sound of the 50s still be so popular today if the Stray Cats had not brought it back to life in the 80s? And what would bands such as Duran Duran or Culture Club have carried if the US trio had not established creepers, snake and tigers patterns, or knee-long coats?

Today we enjoy classics such as “Stray Cat Strut,” “Runaway Boy,” “Rumble in Brighton,” and “Rock This Town” like they will never be heard live again with two concert recordings for eternity.

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