Listen now | This song is 100% true. My first real concert was seeing The Stray Cats at Mississippi Nights in St. Louis, back when it was still a smallish dive on the the landing by the river. Almost 40 years later, seeing them tear it up on a festival stage in Spain was a beautiful, life-affirming moment for me. The band itself still being true to themselves meant a lot, of course. But witnessing the undeniable warmth and benevolence a community of rock'n'roll true believers can generate was something I'll never forget.
I grew up in Massapequa, where Stray Cats are from. Slim Jim was a friend, and he bought me my first "legal" beer. I saw Stray Cats the night before they left for England, summer of 1980 (They were then billed as "Brian and the Tomcats"). After seeing over several hundred shows since then, it still remains as one of the most electrifying performances I've ever seen. 🤘🏻😎
“…witnessing the undeniable warmth and benevolence a community of rock'n'roll true believers can generate” describes how I feel at a Wilco show. Looking forward to being with my community tonight in Columbia, Maryland (and tomorrow in NY 😬)
Left home when I was 18, lived in Soho, London, 100 yards from the Marquee Club. One day in 1981 I was passing the club and noticed a hastily drawn poster on their pavement-inhabiting ad board – (Headliners.. I can’t remember who) cancelled – tonight from NYC the Stray Cats. Luckily for me that week the NME had run a newdesk paragraph stating that the group had landed in London and were sleeping on their publicists floor. Next to the para was a photo of Brian Setzer – clearly a cool dude. I got it instantly – there was a rockabilly revival happening in the city at the time which was happenstance. Anyone who went to the Marquee would be familiar with the usual sight of a wall of amps as the backline in the small sweat box, but all I saw when I walked in the club was – left to right – a drum ‘kit’ comprising kick drum, snare, hi hat and 1 cymbal; a tiny vintage amp – and a double bass having a nap stage right.
When the trio came on stage with their cool cat threads and impractically well coiffured quiffs they ripped straight into ‘Rumble In Brighton’ (I think) and from the first chord put on the best show I’d seen since the Heartbreakers in ‘77. Incredible.
In the 80's I wore my Stray Cats shirt until it turned to dust and blew off my body in the breeze. I wanted a blonde pompadour so intensely it consumed my day and night dreams. Alas, I had no connections at local hair salons in 1982, and was 12 years old with a homemade bowl cut. I shoved a broom stick through a plastic trash can and tied a yellow nylon rope to it so I could have my own stand-up bass, which collapsed the moment I stood upon it. My childhood colleagues were not impressed, and the girl I liked "Walked right by with her tail in the air".
I love it! I wish I could do something like this that matters (to me) instead of this damn job sourcing out spare parts for machines that make cheese. 😞
My FAVORITE songs is a short list, but Jeff has written almost all of them. Some weirdo might call it pathetic, but I’m quite grateful that he keeps sharing, and that so many people appreciate it and keep showing up 💜
💗💗💗 Love the song and the sentiment. My first concert was Petty/Dylan in the mid 80s. That was the first time I heard "Hard rain", and indeed, it did hit me hard...Then, later, my first concert without adult assistance was Michelle Shocked/Billy Bragg at Liberty Lunch in Austin...Billy with his green burns steer guitar played with such passion and humor... I'll never forget those shows.
The poor man’s Shakin Stevens (who once visited his mum in the hospital bed beside my sisters best friend at school, by which I mean she was in a hospital bed too, not some bizarre sleepover in the classroom. So you can see I don’t need you as my only hobnobbing with rock/pop stars).
I grew up in Massapequa, where Stray Cats are from. Slim Jim was a friend, and he bought me my first "legal" beer. I saw Stray Cats the night before they left for England, summer of 1980 (They were then billed as "Brian and the Tomcats"). After seeing over several hundred shows since then, it still remains as one of the most electrifying performances I've ever seen. 🤘🏻😎
“…witnessing the undeniable warmth and benevolence a community of rock'n'roll true believers can generate” describes how I feel at a Wilco show. Looking forward to being with my community tonight in Columbia, Maryland (and tomorrow in NY 😬)
Left home when I was 18, lived in Soho, London, 100 yards from the Marquee Club. One day in 1981 I was passing the club and noticed a hastily drawn poster on their pavement-inhabiting ad board – (Headliners.. I can’t remember who) cancelled – tonight from NYC the Stray Cats. Luckily for me that week the NME had run a newdesk paragraph stating that the group had landed in London and were sleeping on their publicists floor. Next to the para was a photo of Brian Setzer – clearly a cool dude. I got it instantly – there was a rockabilly revival happening in the city at the time which was happenstance. Anyone who went to the Marquee would be familiar with the usual sight of a wall of amps as the backline in the small sweat box, but all I saw when I walked in the club was – left to right – a drum ‘kit’ comprising kick drum, snare, hi hat and 1 cymbal; a tiny vintage amp – and a double bass having a nap stage right.
When the trio came on stage with their cool cat threads and impractically well coiffured quiffs they ripped straight into ‘Rumble In Brighton’ (I think) and from the first chord put on the best show I’d seen since the Heartbreakers in ‘77. Incredible.
In the 80's I wore my Stray Cats shirt until it turned to dust and blew off my body in the breeze. I wanted a blonde pompadour so intensely it consumed my day and night dreams. Alas, I had no connections at local hair salons in 1982, and was 12 years old with a homemade bowl cut. I shoved a broom stick through a plastic trash can and tied a yellow nylon rope to it so I could have my own stand-up bass, which collapsed the moment I stood upon it. My childhood colleagues were not impressed, and the girl I liked "Walked right by with her tail in the air".
I love it! I wish I could do something like this that matters (to me) instead of this damn job sourcing out spare parts for machines that make cheese. 😞
"All the tiger prints set free" is so evocative. Beautiful.
My FAVORITE songs is a short list, but Jeff has written almost all of them. Some weirdo might call it pathetic, but I’m quite grateful that he keeps sharing, and that so many people appreciate it and keep showing up 💜
I can't get this song out of my head. Which makes my head a lovely place to be. This one's a winner!
💗💗💗 Love the song and the sentiment. My first concert was Petty/Dylan in the mid 80s. That was the first time I heard "Hard rain", and indeed, it did hit me hard...Then, later, my first concert without adult assistance was Michelle Shocked/Billy Bragg at Liberty Lunch in Austin...Billy with his green burns steer guitar played with such passion and humor... I'll never forget those shows.
The poor man’s Shakin Stevens (who once visited his mum in the hospital bed beside my sisters best friend at school, by which I mean she was in a hospital bed too, not some bizarre sleepover in the classroom. So you can see I don’t need you as my only hobnobbing with rock/pop stars).
Beautiful!
Warning! If you search for "Stray Cats in Spain" you'll get exactly what you asked for🥴
Thanks Jeff – much love from Liverpool (UK).
Elliott Smith vibes
Beautiful song for a beautiful moment. Xx
The magical town of Vitoria-Gasteiz: the Stray Cats rocked, but Wilco rocked harder. What a great night (early morning) for music.