Episode 21: The Stray Cats - Choo Choo Hot Fist (1992)

For the first half of the 1980s, Brian Setzer, Slim Jim Phantom, and Lee Rocker, better known collectively as The Stray Cats, ruled the underground Rock and Roll scene. Finding common ground with the Punks and the Rockers, The Stray Cats reignited the world's love for the classic Rock and Roll of the 1950s but brought in a new drive and aggression that fit right with the times. The Cats spent the better part of the decade rubbing elbows with the likes of The Misfits and The Ramones while stepping on the infamous stages of Max’s Kansas City and CBGB. As the decade ended though, the Rockabilly wave slowed as the new era of Grunge began. Though their overall popularity waned into the '90s, the quality of their output stayed consistent and The Stray Cats retained a cult following. With a strong musician and producer like Dave Edmunds by their side, Brian, Jim, and Lee were able to keep their Rockabilly momentum alive. It won’t ever make it on any Top 10 lists but you can still Rock and Roll like nobody’s business with this album. Slick your hair back and talk Rockabilly with CJ & Motley over 1992's Choo Choo Hot Fish.