Slim Jim Phantom with Slim Jim and Stray Cats

Formed in Massapequa, New York, in 1979 by Brian Setzer, Lee Rocker, and Slim Jim Phantom, the Stray Cats revived rockabilly music in the early 1980s. Known for their 1950s visual style and musical chops, the trio scored major transatlantic hits including Runaway Boys, Rock This Town, and Stray Cat Strut.

Slim Jim Phantom, born James McDonnell in Brooklyn, NY, is famed for his standing drumming style with a minimalist kit. As a Stray Cats member, he popularized rockabilly with hits like Built for Speed. Post-breakup, he formed Phantom, Rocker & Slick, 13 Cats, the Head Cat, and more, collaborating with icons like Dave Edmunds and Lemmy Kilmister. He even ventured briefly into acting. Phantom continues to perform and document his music journey, publishing his autobiography, "A Stray Cat Struts".