The Alley Cats (punk rock band)

Last updated
The Alley Cats
Origin Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres Punk
Years active1977–1982, 2015–present
Labels Dangerhouse, Time Coast
MembersRandy Stodola, Apryl Cady, Matt Laskey
Past members Dianne Chai, John McCarthy
later members as The Zarkons:
Terry Cooley, Freda Rente
reformations after 2010:
Paula O'Rourke, Pam Jag, Malti Kennedy, Joe Barile

The Alley Cats are a Los Angeles, California-based punk rock trio formed in 1977. The original line-up, featuring Randy Stodola (guitar and vocals), Dianne Chai (bass and vocals) and John McCarthy (drums), [1] was a fixture of the early L.A. punk rock scene. Signed to Dangerhouse Records alongside other seminal California-based punk bands including the Bags, Black Randy and the Metro Squad, and X, [2] they released their first single "Nothing Means Nothing Anymore" backed with "Give Me a Little Pain" on March 30, 1978. [3] They are among the six bands featured on the 1979 compilation album Yes L.A. and appear in the 1982 film Urgh! A Music War . [4]

Contents

The Alley Cats were regular performers at such Los Angeles venues as Club 88, Hong Kong Café, The Masque, and the Whisky a Go Go. [5] Music writer Chris Morris remarked that the band "made some of the toughest, most nihilistic music on the scene." [6]

Reformed as "The Zarkons", they released two albums, Riders In The Long Black Parade (1985) and Between the Idea & the Reality…Falls the Shadow (1988), [7] before disbanding in 1988. [8]

After a 20-year hiatus, Stodola reformed the trio and currently performs as The Alley Cats along with fellow North Dakota-native Apryl Cady (bass and vocals) [9] and Matt Laskey (drums). [10] [11] The line-up appears on the 2020 compilation album SPIKE: A San Pedro Compilation. Live performances include songs from the band's early albums as well as covers and new material. [12]

Discography

The Alley Cats at the San Pedro Brewing Company in San Pedro, California, June 18, 2016
L-R Apryl Cady, Matt Laskey, Randy Stodola Alley Cats 2016crop.jpg
The Alley Cats at the San Pedro Brewing Company in San Pedro, California, June 18, 2016
L-R Apryl Cady, Matt Laskey, Randy Stodola

Albums

Singles and EPs

Soundtracks and compilations

Filmography

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References

  1. Morris, Chris (2016). "You Better Shut Up and Listen". In Doe, John; DeSavia, Tom (eds.). Under the Big Black Sun: A Personal History of L.A. Punk . Da Capo Press. pp. 64–65. ISBN   978-0306824081.
  2. Dangerhouse, Breakmyface.com, Retrieved July 10, 2010.
  3. The Alley Cats--Nothing Means Nothing Anymore, Thep5.blogspot.com, Retrieved July 31, 2010.
  4. Urgh! A Music War. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved July 10, 2010.
  5. Gehman, Pleasant. "The Alley Cats", In 1979-1982 [CD booklet], Tarzana, Calif., Time Coast Music, May 2007.
  6. Doe, John; DeSavia, Tom (2016). Under the Big Black Sun: A Personal History of L.A. Punk . Da Capo Publishing. p. 254. ISBN   978-0-306-82408-1.
  7. Between the Idea & the Reality…Falls the Shadow. Nothin′ Sez Somethin′. Retrieved July 11, 2010.
  8. The Zarkons - Riders In The Long Black Parade (1985), Azlocal.blogspot.com, Retrieved July 10, 2010.
  9. "Randy Stodola and the Alley Cats Rise Again". www.randomlengthsnews.com/. October 26, 2023. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  10. Bernadicou, August (January 8, 2015). "Just an Alley Cat: Randy Stodola Speaks!". Teenagenewszine.wordpress.com. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  11. James, Falling (November 11, 2014). "Classic L.A. Punk Bands Were Still Rude and Relevant at Dangerhouse Records Night". Laweekly.com. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  12. Callwood, Brett (February 7, 2023). "The Alley Cats Purr in San Pedro". laweekly.com. Retrieved January 14, 2024.