New York, NY (Top40 Charts) The STRAY CATS will release 40-their first new album in 26 years-this Friday, May 24 on the heels of three singles they've recently issued from the album: "Cat Fight (Over A Dog Like Me)," "Rock It Off" and "Cry Danger," the latter of which was premiered this past Friday at Guitar World.
Brian Setzer (guitar, vocals), Lee Rocker (bass, vocals) and Slim Jim Phantom (drums, vocals)-original founding members of the iconic and acclaimed American rock and roll trio-are celebrating their 40th anniversary in 2019 with 40 and a tour that's hitting the U.S. and
Europe (*see tour dates below). The album is being released by Surfdog Records and distributed by BMG (CD, vinyl, digital), with an exclusive indie-store edition of the album-colored vinyl, with a double-sided 24×12 poster-arriving on May 24. "Cat Fight (Over A Dog Like Me)," "Rock It Off" and "Cry Danger" are available now as instant grat tracks with a pre-order of the album.
The all revved up and red-hot STRAY CATS recorded 40 at Blackbird Studios in Nashville in late 2018 following their first North American shows in 10 years, with four concerts including sold-out headlining shows in Las
Vegas and the Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa, CA before wildly enthusiastic audiences. Still buzzing from the thrill of playing together again and the crowd response, they went into the studio with producer
Peter Collins (Rush, Bon Jovi, The
Brian Setzer Orchestra) and engineer Vance Powell (Jack White, Chris Stapleton, Arctic Monkeys). There are a dozen original songs that comprise the album. Read the first press release about the album here, which includes quotes from the band and the track listing. Watch the band and album producer
Peter Collins in the studio discussing the making of the album here.
Early critical acclaim for 40 is rolling in:
"The album brims with bracing, stripped-down rockers like 'Cat Fight (Over a Dog Like Me),' 'Mean Pickin' Mama' and 'Devil Train,' and every track boasts a widescreen riff and virtuoso guitar solo. But the band also serves up some new sounds with the riff rocker 'Cry Danger' (co-written with Mike Campbell) and the punk-like 'I'll Be Looking Out for You.'" - Joe Bosso, Guitar Player, May 2019
"Four decades later, Stray Cats are ready to 'Rock It Off' with the same three basic ingredients they've always used: Setzer's twangy Gretsch guitar, drummer Slim Jim Phantom's elemental thumping and Lee Rocker's expertly slapped upright bass…On the standout 'Cry Danger,' the Cats venture out of their '50s comfort zone and move boldly into '60s garage-rock territory. The track features an intro guitar riff that'll make any
Beatles fan instantly think of 'Day Tripper.'" - Kenneth Partridge, Billboard, 4/25/19
The STRAY CATS begin their select U.S. dates presented by SiriusXM on August 3 on the heels of June and July overseas shows. Tickets for the shows are on sale now.
Friday 6/21 Vitoria, Spain Azkena Rock Festival
Sunday 6/23 Birmingham, United Kingdom Birmingham O2 Academy
Tuesday 6/25 Manchester, United Kingdom Manchester O2 Apollo
Wednesday 6/26 London, United Kingdom London Eventim Apollo
Thursday 6/27 London, United Kingdom London Eventim Apollo
Saturday 6/29 Tilloloy, France Retro C Trop
Monday 7/1 Amsterdam, Netherlands AFAS Live
Wednesday 7/3 Berlin, Germany Columbiahalle
Thursday 7/4 Cologne, Germany Palladium
Saturday 7/6 Tours, France American Tours Festival
Sunday 7/7 Belfort, France Les Eurockeennes
Tuesday 7/9 Stuttgart, Germany Killesberg
Thursday 7/11 Munich, Germany Zenith
Saturday 7/13 Aix-Les-Bains, France Musilac Festival
Thursday 7/18 Pori, Finland Pori Jazz Festival
Saturday 7/20 Falun, Sweden Summer Jamboree-Falun
Saturday 8/3 Atlantic City, NJ Ocean Resort Casino-Ovation Hall
Tuesday 8/6 New York, NY Pier 17 at South Street Seaport
Tuesday 8/13 Vienna, VA Wolf Trap
Wednesday 8/14 Huber Heights, OH Rose
Music Center
Thursday 8/15 Grand Rapids, MI Meijer Garden
Sunday 8/18 Welch, MN Treasure Island Casino
Monday 8/26 Salt Lake City, UT Red Butte Garden
Wednesday 8/28 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theatre
Saturday 8/31 San Diego, CA Humphrey's
Sunday 9/1 San Diego, CA Humphrey's
The STRAY CATS, the band that put Rockabilly music back on the record charts in the early '80s, scored several big hits on both sides of the Atlantic thanks to a striking visual 1950's style brought "up to date" with exaggerated pompadours and colorful tattoos and as well as genuine musical chops that evoked the best players of rockabilly's original heyday. Formed by guitarist/vocalist Brian Setzer, upright bass player Lee Rocker and drummer Slim Jim Phantom in the Long Island town of Massapequa, NY, in 1979, the trio shared a love for Rockabilly music. After banging around New York for a few months, in the summer of 1980, and seeing a pompadoured kid on the cover of UK magazine NME, they hopped a plane to London where a rockabilly revival movement was just beginning to emerge. Their massive hits and videos include "Runaway Boys," "Rock This Town," "Stray Cat Strut," "(She's) Sexy + 17," and "I Won't Stand in Your Way."
