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For the doo-wop group, see The Alley Cats (doo-wop group). For the Malaysian band, see Alleycats (Malaysian rock band).

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

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

  • 1981 - Nightmare City
  • 1982 - Escape From The Planet Earth
  • 1985 - Riders In The Long Black Parade (as The Zarkons)
  • 1988 - Between the Idea & the Reality…Falls the Shadow (as The Zarkons)
  • 2007 - 1979-1982 (Anthology)

Singles and EPs

  • 1978 - Nothing Means Nothing Anymore
  • 1980 - Too Much Junk

Soundtracks and compilations

  • 1979 - Yes L.A. (compilation)
  • 1981 - Urgh! A Music War (soundtrack)
  • 1991 - Dangerhouse, Vol. 1 (compilation)
  • 1993 - Dangerhouse, Vol. 2: Give Me A Little Pain! (compilation)
  • 1993 - We're Desperate: The L.A. Scene 1976-79 (compilation) - "Nothing Means Nothing Anymore"
  • 1996 - Live From the Masque, Vol. 2: We We Can Can Do Do What What (compilation)
  • 2020 - SPIKE: A San Pedro Compilation (compilation)

Filmography

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.

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