Product Review

Every era has its heroes and every scene has its legends. The 80's had the Stray Cats and today they are the indisputable icons of neo-rockabilly. When the US trio stormed the top of the charts in their adopted country of England, punk still reigned supreme in the United Kingdom. But Brian Setzer, Slim Jim Phantom and Lee Rocker brought that certain something that the mo-hawked men also had: a feeling for danger and rebellion. Impressive footage of this time includes two performances in Germany: one in 1981 in Cologne and one in 1983 at the Loreley that were recorded by WDR. These are genuine recordings that make the trio's sound still accessible today. Both concerts are released here for the first time in the best possible quality and with a superb sound on DVD and CD. The Stray Cats will come to life at home just as they were at their best: young, raw and wild! Brian Setzer works passionately as he struck the strings on the stage of the Cologne Satory Halls. But this guitarist has a desire: he wants to bring Rock n' Roll back to life. He wants to play his guitar as Eddie Cochran did. No question that he has succeeded - he is still loved for this today. The Stray Cats aren't only made up of Setzer with his phenomenal guitar playing and his powerful vocals. Lee Rocker and Slim Jim Phantom are responsible for their special sound, too. The influence Stray Cats had on music and fashion is in hindsight undeniable. Would the sound of the 50s still be so popular today if the Stray Cats had not brought it back to life in the 80s? And what would bands such as Duran Duran or Culture Club have carried if the US trio had not established creepers, snake and tigers patterns, or knee-long coats? Today we enjoy classics such as Stray Cat Strut, Runaway Boys, Rumble in Brighton, and Rock This Town like they will never be heard live again with two concert recordings for eternity.