Reasons to love youTube No.11 - Stray Cats - Ubangi Stomp

Here's some great clips of the Stray Cats in the early days doing Warren Smith's rockabilly classic, Ubangi Stomp.

In the first clip Brian knocks the mic stand over during the intro so he lies down on stage to sing into. Classic

Lee Rocker - The Cover Sessions (EP)

Lee Rocker - The Cover Sessions (EP)
Upright Records

Tracklist:
1. Come Together (The Beatles cover)
2. Drivin’ My Life Away (Eddie Rabbit cover)
3. Honky Cat (Elton John cover)
4. City of New Orleans (Steve Goodman cover)
5. Ramblin’ Man (The Allman Brothers cover)
6. Come Dancing (The Kinks cover)

Of all the solo work the former Stray Cats members have done since they disbanded, to me Lee Rocker has been the most rewarding, album wise. While I like most of Brian's band stuff and look fiorward to his forthcoming instrumental album, Rocker has never strayed far from his rockabilly roots. Without a doubt, his Live album is the best any of them have done as solos. This new release is a 6 song EP of songs he grew up with. He sums it up best by describing the album as “a rockabilly record, it’s not really a country record, but it’s something in between.” Whilst the new versions might not be earth-shatteringly differenent from the original, the double bass and acosutic feel, together his harmonicas, banjos and dobros gives them a real, feel good, earthy feel that make this a more than justifiable exercise.

In an interview with OC Weekly, Rocker explained how the project came about. “The story behind [the] EP is that over the past few years, I became really interested in acoustic instruments. I started collecting banjos, dobros, ukeleles, an auto harp, folk guitars, harmonicas, accordions, and all kinds of percussion stuff like a washboard and spoons… I went in the recording studio and just started messing around with all these instruments. I found myself gravitating to songs I heard on AM radio as a kid.”

I really like this collection and have to comment on how much his voice has improved since the b-side days of Cross That Bridge. If I had to choose favourites I'd have to go for Drivin’ My Life Away. A great song that I fell in love with via Sonny Fisher - which to me is still the version to beat. The only track that I wanted to be better was City of New Orleans - I just wanted wanted it to kick ass half way through - pick up a little steam so to speak! So all told, another recommended album from Lee Rocker.

Introducing..CC Jerome’s Jetsetters

CC Jerome’s Jetsetters
Introducing….
El Toro ETCD 6042

Dutchman CC Jerome (real name Jeroen Van Gasteren) paid his dues for a decade on the American scene with the likes of Lee Rocker and Levi Dexter. Now back in Europe he has teamed up with Dean Black on bass, Coen Molenschot on drums and a host of guests on piano, sax and other instruments together with his own contributions on lead guitar.

The opener, Hot Rod Party, and Hi Fi Baby are fine, hot rockin’ blues with rumbling guitar and sax break. Wine and Roses is a blues stroller with an harmonica that gives it the feel of Chess in the 21st Century. Johnny Guitar Watson’s Getting’ Drunk smokes with a couple of lovely blues guitar break. On second hearing I really grew to like the poppier, I’m In Love With you which starts off pretty mundane before turning into a nice 60‘s soul type number.

Of the covers, I was impressed by I’m Ready and a Hammond organ can’t spoil Charlie Rich’s Mohair Sam. I was less impressed with Honey Hush and although Gene Taylor gives the piano a good bollocking on the Killer’s I’m On Fire, the drums were too heavy for me.

Favourite songs on the album has to be I Like Ike’s Trouble Up The Road, a barnstormer and Oh Baby, a stroller that comes with a Duane Eddy twang. A strong release for El Toro and Jerome alike. It’s got a cool little album cover as well.

Slim Jim and Lee Rocker hit and slap around the world

Stray Cat Slim Jim Phantom, the hip-swivellinest drummer in rock 'n' roll history is embarking on a few new projects this summer. The first, in early July will see him play a handful of dates in South America with guitarist Jimmy Rip, who many of you might remember for his recent association with the Killer. He's no mean guitarist and Jim knows how to lay a thin bit of stick on a tight bit of skin.

The following month looks brilliant, with Slim Jim teaming up with rockabilly legends Robert Gordon and Chris Spedding, together with original Sex Pistol Glen Matlock, who Jim knows from his Dead Men Walking days. To date they've got ahandful of dates arranged for the northern states of America, but are looking for more. It would be great to see that line-up head over here.

Meawhile, slap bass supremo Lee Rocker continues to be the most prolific of all the Cats, with a summer long diary that sees him criss-cross North America as well as a mid October date at the Cerdanyola Blues Festival in Spain.