The second biggest 80s rockabilly band with the word ‘cat’ in their name, these Middlesex quiffmeisters enjoyed fleeting success when, like Brian Setzer’s American trio, they were taken under the wing of Dave Edmunds. The fact that two of their three hits were glam covers (Bowie’s John I’m Only Dancing, Bolan’s Jeepster) may have unfairly tarred them with the novelty brush, but this collection of early demos suggests there was a ring of authenticity to them.
Singer Tim Worman studiously aped the voice and mannerisms of the young Gene Vincent, and guitarist Martin ‘Boz’ Boorer blatantly fashioned himself after Presley’s Sun sidekick Scotty Moore. Right String (Wrong Yo- Yo) rattles along with a psychotic shuffle, while the likes of Spin The Bottle and Easy Rider are triumphs of enthusiasm over ability. Slick musicianship was never the point, and The Polecats arguably had more punk attitude than the Pistols.
Boorer went on to work extensively with Morrissey, his roots clearly showing on the Your Arsenal album, while Worman moved to Los Angeles and started a band with The Stray Cats’ Slim Jim Phantom. These recordings tell how it all began, from lunchtime jams at school, to a brief flirtation with fame as homegrown figureheads of a fondly-remembered mini-revival.
