Released - February 2018. Reviewd by - Rockin Rebel 1st March 2023.
Compilation album released in Japan with various artists giving their own tributes to neo rockabilly legends the Stray Cats. Released from On the Hill Records, the album was released in 2018 to mark the 30th anniversary of the band. Genres include Rockabilly, Psychobilly, Rock & Roll, Surf. Cover work by Romich Redwave and engineered by Timur Popovkin. It can be purchased at https://tets004.stores.jp/items/5c2db156c2fc286ea2505734
Track by track:
Bring It Back Again – by The Country Pills First released in 1989 on the Stray Cats' album Blast off. This was the band’s first reunion album after a three-year break, The Country Pills are from Yekaterinburg and do a great cover of this track, the lyrics are in English. The band's repertoire includes songs by artists including Creedence Clearwater Revival, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash. There facebook page tells of their reworking hits of ABBA, Michael Jackson, Roxette, Maroon 5, Cardigans, A-Ha and other pop artists in a country style.The band can be found @ https://www.facebook.com/countrypills
Rock this Town – by Red Rox Red Rox is from Moscow and gives this version a great personal touch. A Capela opening and a new backing to this legendary track gives you a new version at what is now a classic "Rock This Town" is the second single, released January of 1981, on Arista Records in the UK. Check out: https://vk.com/redrox_live
I Won’t Stand in Your Way - Diddley Dogs Yekaterinburg based band that gives a great performance of one of the rare ballads in the Stray Cats' library. 1983 sew the release of Rant N' Rave by the Cats featuring this track. this is a great version and they have done great to re-create the Cats' style but vocally in a lower key. The Diddley Dogs Quartet is an authentic rock and roll! band consisting of two guitars, supported by a cheerful double bass and swing drums, they play rockabilly and country westerns, seasoned with a pinch of Mexican music. https://www.diddleydogs.ru/
Jade Idol – Bamboogie Injections Released in 1992 the album Choo Choo Hot Fish. The band supported the album with a North American tour. It's written by Setzer, Lee Rocker, Slim Jim Phantom produced by Dave Edmonds. Slightly faster than the original with added drums. Again, you can hear the spirit of the song with the bands own slight twist.there bandcamp reads “Having evolved from beach culture of 60-s the Surf Music has plenty of incarnations all over the world today. Surf band "Bamboogie Injections" appeals to classic part of the style creating original stuff on the intersection of Surf and Instrumental Rock where rough Dick Dale-style double picking touched the smooth psychedelic surf-ballads. Check them out at https://www.facebook.com/BamboogieInjections
Gina – Moscow Beatballs Second track on this album to feature a track of the Blast off album. Gina was also a single but basically failed to make any impression in the charts, 14 in Canada and 88 in the uk. The band do a carbon copy of the cat’s version and make a real good job of it. Vocally and musically. The members are: Yury Krivoshein — vocal, guitar, Timur Popovkin — vocal, bass, balalaika, Pavel Voiskov — vocal, drumsnare . Moscow Beatballs» is a kind of music restoration, missed. simultaneously through the prism of time and healthy humor to play your favourite songs using all technical sources of modern blues`n`billy and a multi-coloured melody of Eastern European Musicians.
Lust ‘n’ Love – Cotton Joe Written by Bill Carter, Brian Setzer, Ruth Ellen Ellsworth for the Choo Choo Fish album. Nile Rogers was the original producer but was changed to Dave Edmonds. The Cats felt he was better at getting the feel of the band. Joe certainly captures the feel of the track provide a classic version. (From his page) "Cotton Joe" is an incendiary rockabilly band from Rostov-on-Don. High-quality vocals, slap double bass, dance, stylistically sustained retro program, old, time-tested rock and roll hits and covers of modern songs in their own treatment are the key to a good mood and full immersion in the atmosphere of America of the 50s. https://vk.com/Cotton Joe" | VK
Built for Speed – Kingsback. They're claiming to be the only rockabilly band in Udmurtia area of Russia. The trio are worthy successors to the traditions of rock and roll. They give a slight change to the intro of this track but close respectful taste of the Cats’ version. The vocals are raw and powerful. Built for speed was the title track to the stray cats USA debut album on EMI America in 1982. The album consisted of tracks taken from both British album releases. https://vk.com/kingsback.
Stray Cat Strut – Zippers. Rock'n'roll / Rockabilly Band from Norilsk, Russia. They consist of members Ekaterina"Candy"Karaseva - vocal, Alexsandr"McFly"Lysenko - guitar, Viacheslav"Uncle Slava"Galaida - uprightbass, Evgeniy"Wrecker"Ilinkov – drums. The band take this track and give it a unique make over. Candy gives it the female flavour with great vocals, whilst the band stay close to the original but with a modern twist on the backing. Nice tribute to a great song.
Lucky Charm – RockingHam. B-side of the “Look At That Cadillac”single, released in 1984 and taken from the album Rant n Rave. Staying close to the original sound. This is full minute shorter than the Cats' release, which is disappointing as the band have made a good cover and was a chance to show a great middle instrumental.they play styles in Rockabilly Jive Swing. https://vk.com/rockingswingin_ham
Lonely Summer Night – Lowcosters. This track was only ever released in Japan as a single but featured on the 1981 Gonna Ball album. The lowcosters are a 6-piece band from Moscow and play rock n rock roll, rockabilly. The band members are Dmitry Kukhlevskiy vocals, guitar, Yulia Julia Kirsanova Keys, Bob Dmitry "Bob" Uteshev guitar, Anton Avdeenko bass, Lena Elena Kopyltsova saxophone, Kostya Konstantin Grindberg Drums. Good version by the band. http://thelowcosters.ru/
Cry Baby – Red Fox Tails That great rockabilly rhythm on one of the best stray cats releases, Dave Edmonds not only appears on this track with guitar but is second lead vocals and maybe they should have classed it as a duet?. The band really do fantastic job of this cover, the drummer is beat for beat with Slim Jim Phantom's playing. Really good cover that the band should also release as a stand alone single. “The Red Fox Tails”are a rockabilly band from Voronezh, Russia. They last released an album in 2018 called Neobilly. (Not to be confused with the red fox tails from San Diego)
Hotrod Gang – Gazoliners Another great track from the 1983 Rant n Rave album, the band recreate the magic of the Cats with some great guitar and bass. Vocally very close to Setzer's range, great twist on the outro when the vocals switch to a female lead. Created in 2010 in Yekaterinburg and previously known as Memphis Babies, the Gazoliners play a wide range of genres, American and European rockabilly, Neo-Rockabilly, rock-n-roll,Country and Swing. They say “We don't know any other way to have fun than to play our clockwork "billy", remembering the rebels of the southern States, the fearless hot birth racers, black leather bearded bikers, or even just life-suckers in Tonks, Teddy fights of foggy Albion and tireless boogie dancers. https://gazoliners.com/
Rumble in Brighton – Luskutnik Speedy version of this classic track. Not much info on the band but they give the song a Psychobilly makeover. They track only last just under 2 mins but comes packed with dynamite. This was never released as a single by the Stray Cats but featured on their first self-titled album. The album was successful in Britain and produced the UK Singles “Runaway Boys” “Rock This Town” and "Stray Cat Strut”. This track is sung in Russian.
One More Day – Lucky Dice. Lucky Dice are based in Krasnodar in Russia and perform a wide range of rock and roll, rockabilly, rhythm and blues and modern styles. influenced by the legends like Elvis, Chuck Berry, The Beatles, and Imelda May. A real rare one from the Cats with vocals being done by Lee Rocker and written by him and slim Jim Phanton. The full title is "(She'll Stay Just) One More Day”. Beautifully done by the Lucky Dice. Female lead vocals give it an updated freshness with a new backing using an organ, nice to hear the rarer side of the Stray Cats.
Looking Better Every Beer – Ghost Radio. Stray Cats Released this single in the uk in 1983 and was the flip side to (She's) Sexy + 17 and is claimed by fans to be one of Setzer’s finest compositions. Ghost Radio have sped the track up which takes the sentimental side away but gives it a new lease life. A nice middle section allows the guitar to strut its stuff. Great vocals. https://vk.com/ghost_radio
Storm the Embassy – Lucky 12. Lucky 12 reside in Ekaterinburg, Russia and confess to being the only band playing psychobilly with Alex'12 - voice/double bass, W.Den and Fast Hand Paul on Guitars they give a blend of the Russian psychobilly flavour. "Storm the Embassy" written by Setzer-Phantom and taken from the first album release in 1981. The song was originally recorded by Bloodless Pharaohs, Setzer’s earlier band, then titled Boys Having Fun. It was re worded into Storm the Embassy after the Iran hostage crisis. https://vk.com/lucky_12
To Hip, Gotta Go – Rockfellers. From Krasnoyarsk. Russia, the Rockfellers provide us with a great version of the very popular song that many a uk bands cover. Some hot picking on the guitar and nice piano twinkling. Vocals are good, and all together give a good performance of the 1983 album track. https://vk.com/rockfellers
Runaway boy – Loonapark. A band from St Petersburg taking on one of the top tracks from the cats. In their own words say “a sensational rockabilly trio, plays the most powerful rock and roll. And I can say they are correct. Totally transformed the rhythm of the track with heavy drums and vocals making it slightly faster version. Vocals are great along with backing vocals. They have cut the track down by over a minute at two minutes and twenty-five seconds, and bring it to an end with dead beat. Great track. https://vk.com/loonacy.park
Cross of Love – DoubleDolls Famed for their Psychobilly and Gore'n'roll. They formed in 2012 and have a phrase they seem to like is: No love! No money! No lies! And values that are stated on their social media page of Fun! Friendship! Freedom! Members are, Arseny Nepomnyashchikh – guitar, a_psyberian – double bass/drums, Yan Novikov – vocals. They live in Krasnoyarsk, Russia the track they have picked is from the 1992 album Choo Choo Hot Fish and was written by Setzer. The band do a cracking job on this version. Bringing a more rockabilly beat. good intro with both drums and guitar combining to create the feel of the track, good vocals with some great screams leading to the instrumental break. https://www.instagram.com/the_doubledolls_band
Rockabilly world – Devils Bones. Opens with some great slap bass and guitar riffs begging for the vocals to jump in. faster intro so giving their own unique brand of Neo rockabilly, Neo swing. With all that combined they give a great rendition. Second band on the album from St Petersburg. Members are. Tanya Shush – Vocals/ Anatoly Shvedky – Guitar/ Stas Boytsov - Double bass/ Boris Sheinman, Anton Yesaev, Serzh Shornikov – Drums. Tanya sings the song with a snarl that makes the lyrics belong to her. Really good track. https://www.facebook.com/devilsbonesband/
Mystery Train kept a Rollin – the Shakers A great tribute song to the legends of sun studio of 55. "Mystery Train Kept a Rollin' was only released as a demo single in 2004 to promote the album Rumble in Brixton. Recorded live in at Brixton Academy (part of the European Tour 2004). The bands full title is Rommitz and the ol’time Shakers from Kirov, Russia. The band keep respectful to the original track but with added attractions like a piano instrumental break, then slow it right down building to a finish with some great guitar and whoo hahhs. The bands profile says they like “Real rock'n'roll madness”and you can hear the happiness in the track.it is the longest track on the album at over five minutes. Catch them at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063636350841
Rebels Rule – Cynicsss. 1983 release for the Cats and was the opening track on the rant and rave album. Cynicsss formed in 2015 and area rhythm and blues band from Moscow, Russia. Great intro with added saxophone to the mix. Vocals are exchanged but join to form the backing vocals. A great mid-tempo paced track that brings this album to a close just after 2 minutes of the song. Great cover by the band that can be found at https://www.facebook.com/groups/149410742251812
Summary What probably started out as a thoughtful dream soon turned into a reality when 22 bands from across Russia sent in their own personal renditions to create Rumble in Russia tribute album. Masterminded by Alexander Golubev, who is a Talent Agent at Red Elvises and manages several bands across Russia, this album just goes to show the respect and influence that the Stray Cats had on bands all over the world. Every artist on the album clearly wanted to be a part of line up. The album was released to coincide with the Stray Cats' performance at Viva Las Vegas 2018.the album which is still available onthehillrec@gmail.com
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