70s/80s Rockabilly: Not Just The Stray Cats

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by zphage, Dec 17, 2015.

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  1. zphage

    zphage genre fluid Thread Starter

    indeed, there were the DC, LA, London, and NYC scenes, the Buddy Holly 6LP set had been released, ACE and Charly emerged and began to trawl classic 50s rockabilly, you also had Ronny Weiser releasing new stuff through Rollin Rock all the while punk, new wave, and power pop were also exploding. You had the Rockats, Polecats, Stray Cats, Guana Batz, King Bees, Robert Gordon, Shakin Stevens, Leroi Brothers, Tex Rubinowitz, Shakin Pyramids, etc., all kickin up a storm.

    Whilst rockabilly vocalisms, guitarisms, and rhythms were heard through X, the Cramps, Honeydrippers, Marshall Crenshaw, the Clash, The Blasters, Birthday Party, Alan Vega, Chris Isaak, Tav Falco, Gun Club, etc.,

    It seems the 90s rockabilly revival is better known, but the ground work was laid during the late 70s and early 80s as the music enjoy some European and Asian success , and touched briefly theUS mainstream, whilst its influence seeped throughout other genres at the time.
     
  2. catteste

    catteste Mental Radio Transmission

    Location:
    Crawley, England
     
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  3. efraley

    efraley Forum Resident

    Location:
    Richmond Va USA
    I agree. I saw Robert Gordon at the Wax Museum in DC with Danny Gatton on guitar. A Richmond station used to show Let's Rock with Shakin Stevens and I've been a fan ever since. Too bad he never made it big here. JD McPherson seems to be carrying the rockabilly torch now.
     
  4. There was a '90s Rockabilly revival? I didn't know that scene had had any vogue, commercial or otherwise, since the early '80s.

    Anyway, I recall thinking the Polecats were pretty good way back then - I saw the video for "Make a Circuit With Me" and dug it.
     
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  5. Chazzbo13

    Chazzbo13 Forum Resident

    Los Lobos' 1983 ep "...and a time to dance" is also PACKED with rockabilly riffs and style.

     
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  6. davmar77

    davmar77 I'd rather be drummin'...

    Location:
    clifton park,ny
    I saw Robert dozens of times back then mostly with chris spedding. when gatton joined it took it to another level. and spedding is no slouch by any means!
     
  7. RandyB1961

    RandyB1961 Go Dawgs!

  8. jimod99

    jimod99 Daddy or chips?

    Location:
    Ottawa, ON
    From Scotland, the Shakin Pyramids

     
  9. jupiterboy

    jupiterboy Forum Residue

    Location:
    Buffalo, NY
    Seems people forget Rev. Horton Heat was active in the mid-80s. That's the first revival act, and Blasters, that I knew.
     
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  10. BeSteVenn

    BeSteVenn FOMO Resident

    There was a local rockabilly band in Madison Wisconsin, Kevin Fayte and Rocket 8, who were fantastic. They had an album that now fetches a pretty good price. Incredible singer, great guitarist, outstanding songs, tremendous excitement at their shows. A new line-up called Kevin Fayte's Rock and Roll Trio gets together about once a year for a show, and even put out another album a few years ago.
     
    Last edited: Dec 17, 2015
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  11. WayOutWardell

    WayOutWardell Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago
    A great, underplayed number:
     
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  12. Ted Dinard

    Ted Dinard Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston suburb
    I suppose we're not talking about psychobilly, otherwise bands like the Meteors and Batmobile would have been mentioned already.
     
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  13. WayOutWardell

    WayOutWardell Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago
    JD McPherson's bassist fronted a number of rockabilly/roots bands in Chicago since the '80s. A tremendous player.

    Do the Spanic Boys count? Man, it was so great when they were the substitute musical guest for Sinead O'Connor on SNL.

     
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  14. Dennis Metz

    Dennis Metz Born In A Motor City south of Detroit

    Location:
    Fonthill, Ontario
    Love the Spanic Boys:cheers:
     
  15. Purple Jim

    Purple Jim Senior Member

    Location:
    Bretagne
     
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  16. Preston

    Preston Forum Resident

    Location:
    KCMO Metro USA
    Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper?
     
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  17. Duke Fame

    Duke Fame Sold out the Enormodome

    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Had this one in the 80's. Have recently heard both Sammy Hagar and Dwight Yoakam sing their praises.

    [​IMG]
     
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  18. Helicopter Steve

    Helicopter Steve Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sacramento, CA
    Great album. They had some songs in the movie Repo Man in their previous incarnation as The Plugz.
     
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  19. MEMPHISSUN

    MEMPHISSUN Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
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  20. rsulzinger

    rsulzinger Forum Resident

    Location:
    California, USA
    One of my favorites was the Polecats 'Make A Circuit With Me'
     
  21. vamborules

    vamborules Forum Resident

    Location:
    CT
    The Paladins - Daddy Yar

     
  22. pscreed

    pscreed Upstanding Member

    Location:
    Land of the Free


    I dig the Shakin' Pyramids, too (as posted above) but these guys were the coolest of them all...
     
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  23. HominyRhodes

    HominyRhodes Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago
    + 1 (at Park West, Chicago) Thrilling to see and hear them live.

    Plus other shows during the '70s-'80s:
    - Rockpile, opening act the Rockats, at the Park West
    - Stray Cats & Marshall Crenshaw, Aragon Ballroom, Chicago
    - Blasters (1) opening for Eric Clapton at Summerfest, Milwaukee
    - Blasters (2) Soundstage TV show taping, Chicago
    - Blasters (3) minus Dave Alvin, replaced on guitar by the incredible Hollywood Fats (Michael Mann) at the Rainbo Roller Rink, Chicago
    - Teddy Boys and The Tail Gators at Fitzgerald's, outside of Chicago (maybe 2 separate shows?)
    - NRBQ at Fitzgerald's (great show)
    - Delta Hurricanes and Jason & The Scorchers (Nashville rockabilly/punk at its finest)
    - The Elvis Brothers...and probably a dozen more

    ...several veteran rockabilly cats, including:
    - Sleepy LaBeef at Fitzgerald's
    - Wayne Worley & The Whirlybirds at different bars and clubs

    ...and two more of the LIVING LEGENDS, who have since passed:
    - Roy Orbison, at Park West (his guitar picking on Ooby Dooby & Go Go Go was real wild)
    - Carl Perkins, who I saw half a dozen times in the late '70s-early '80s, and was truly a great, great man.

    I also liked a lot of the acts previously mentioned, including The Shakin' Pyramids, Shakin' Stevens, Paladins, Spanic Boys, Leroi Brothers, and Dave Edmunds is/was one of the all time greats, through his long string of solo projects, and with Nick Lowe/Rockpile.


     
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  24. GodBlessTinyTim

    GodBlessTinyTim Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    High Noon is one of the few rockabilly revival groups that doesn't try to disguise the "-billy" behind leather jackets and anachronistic tattoos. A more authentic, purist vision. Pretty sure they're more 90's than 80's, but hey.

     
  25. Brian Ramone

    Brian Ramone Well-Known Member

    Well the OP did mention Guana Batz.
     
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