The Alley Cats (punk rock band) explained

The Alley Cats
Origin:Los Angeles, California, United States
Genre:Punk
Years Active:1977–1982, 2015–present
Label:Dangerhouse, Time Coast
Current Members:Randy 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]

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

Albums

Singles and EPs

Soundtracks and compilations

Filmography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Morris, Chris. Doe. John. John Doe (musician). DeSavia. Tom. 64–65. You Better Shut Up and Listen. Under the Big Black Sun: A Personal History of L.A. Punk. Da Capo Press. 2016. 978-0306824081.
  2. http://www.breakmyface.com/bands/dangerhouse1.html Dangerhouse
  3. http://thep5.blogspot.com/2009/03/alley-cats-nothing-means-nothing.html The Alley Cats--Nothing Means Nothing Anymore
  4. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0138902/fullcredits Urgh! A Music War
  5. Gehman, Pleasant. "The Alley Cats", In 1979-1982 [CD booklet], Tarzana, Calif., Time Coast Music, May 2007.
  6. Book: Under the Big Black Sun: A Personal History of L.A. Punk. Doe. John. DeSavia. Tom. John Doe (musician). Da Capo Publishing. 2016. 978-0-306-82408-1. 254.
  7. http://nathannothinsez.blogspot.com/2009/09/between-idea-realityfalls-shadow.html Between the Idea & the Reality…Falls the Shadow
  8. http://azlocal.blogspot.com/2008/06/zarkons-riders-in-long-black-parade.html The Zarkons - Riders In The Long Black Parade (1985)
  9. Web site: Randy Stodola and the Alley Cats Rise Again. www.randomlengthsnews.com/. October 26, 2023. January 14, 2024.
  10. Web site: Just an Alley Cat: Randy Stodola Speaks!. Bernadicou. August. Teenagenewszine.wordpress.com. January 8, 2015. March 11, 2017.
  11. Web site: Classic L.A. Punk Bands Were Still Rude and Relevant at Dangerhouse Records Night. James. Falling. Laweekly.com. November 11, 2014. November 16, 2020.
  12. Web site: The Alley Cats Purr in San Pedro. Brett. Callwood. laweekly.com. February 7, 2023. January 14, 2024.

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