Stray Cats

Long Island, New York gave the world the Stray Cats in 1979, when teenage rockabilly obsessives Brian Setzer, Slim Jim Phantom, and Lee Rocker decided that the original rock and roll spirit deserved a serious revival. Finding little traction stateside at first, they boldly relocated to England, where the pub rock and new wave scenes proved far more receptive to their slicked-back hair, double bass slapping, and twangy Gretsch guitar tones. It was a gutsy move that paid off immediately.

Their self-titled UK debut in 1981 and the follow-up Gonna Ball announced them as something genuinely exciting, but it was the American compilation Built for Speed in 1982 that broke them huge back home. Tracks like Rock This Town and Stray Cat Strut became radio staples and MTV favorites, with Setzer's extraordinary guitar work stealing the show every time. The trio had a chemistry that felt both retro and completely fresh, proving that three-piece bands with no rhythm guitarist and no bassist in the traditional sense could still knock you sideways.

The Stray Cats essentially dragged rockabilly out of the nostalgia bin and made it cool for a whole new generation. Their influence rippled through the psychobilly scene and beyond, and Setzer went on to a celebrated solo career. They reunited multiple times over the decades, releasing 40 in 2019 to genuine acclaim, showing the fire never really went out.