Forty years on from their formation, New York’s Stray Cats
have returned to the country that fi rst fell in love with them
WORDS BY JOHN HOWARD PHOTOS BY NICK COBBAN
STRAY CATS...
ROCK LONDON TOWN
T
o describe the Stray Cats’
appearance at London’s Eventim
Apollo as a concert would be
an understatement. It was more of a
gathering of the clans, an Event with a
capital E, a glorious homecoming for a trio
of New Yorkers who made it big fi rst
in Britain.
Almost unbelievably, considering their
attack, enthusiasm and nimble stage
movements, they’re not only marking
their 40th anniversary, but also their fi rst
new recording in 26 years. This is clearly
no ordinary gig. They not only sold out
their initial concert in London, but added
a second date the next day, which also
attracted a capacity attendance.
And what an audience! There were
grizzled old-timers who remembered
rockabilly from the fi rst time round in
the 50s, there were sideburned Teds who
picked up on the Cats in the late-70s whenthey were a refreshing contrast from the
pop pap of the day, and there were many
who could not have been born when
Runaway Boys was featured on TV’s Top Of
The Pops.
There were few clones in stone-washed
denim to match lead guitarist Brian Setzer’s
stagewear, but enough, while there were
some fans who had travelled far for this
anniversary gig. Victor from Portugal, for
example, had decided not to see them in his
own country, instead deciding London was
their spiritual home, and this was the place
to be. He felt the same way in 2004 whenthe Cats played the Rumble In Brixton
shows, fi lmed and recorded to mark their
25th anniversary.
The Stray Cats fi rst broke up in 1984,
all three pursuing successful solo projects
after their initial breakthrough. The band
have reformed a few times over the years,
but this is special: An anniversary tour,
coinciding with, and named for, the new
album, 40.
I fi rst caught the band at club level in
the early-80s, when selling out a
200-capacity venue was their aim, and last
year at Viva Las Vegas, when they went
down a storm.
Neither had prepared me, however,
for the tumultuous heroes’ welcome they
received at the Apollo.
As Eddie Cochran’s C’Mon Everybody
played through the PA, Brian Setzer, in jean
jacket, Slim Jim Phantom, clad in black, and
Lee Rocker in a 50s-style two-tone jacket,
took to the stage, and the house erupted.
Most of the ground fl oor of the former
Hammersmith Odeon has been cleared of
seats to provide more capacity and without
doubt this increases the atmosphere.
Anyone who had come to dance, however,
would have been disappointed. There
wasn’t the space to, er, swing a cat. And
anyone who feared a rumble with bikers,
punks, and various other sub-cultures
shoulder-to-shoulder, would have been
similarly pleased that there wasn’t.
The mood instead was one of jubilation,
celebration and bonhomie.
Brian obviously has deserved pride in
the new compositions on this latest album.
He opened with Cat Fight (Over A Dog Like
Me) which was heavily applauded despite
its relative unfamiliarity.
It was back to well-trodden ground
with the second number, Runaway Boys,IT WAS A GLORIOUS
HOMECOMING FOR A
TRIO WHO MADE IT
BIG FIRST
IN BRITAINStray CatsEven at 60, Brian Setzer is still
the coolest mutha in the room