Slim Jim Phantom, the legendary drummer and rockabilly icon reflects on his neo-rockabilly style by answering 9 hot-fire questions before heading off on tour with his band the Stay Cats next week.
Questions by Dave Carroll
Edited by Bridget Veal
Q. Pre-forming the Stay Cats what was your scene, what was your style or a memorable outfit you’d wear?
A. Pre Stray Cats I was into mainly jazz and blues and I always loved the Beatles. I would always seek some kind of alternative clothing like an old fedora hat taken from an uncle's closet or one of my father’s neck ties and wear it with whatever else I had. I wore a referee’s shirt that was given to me while refereeing my sister’s soccer game with the aforementioned tie and hat.
Q. What influence would you say punk rock had on you?
A. Punk was good for the energy and it showed that styles could be combined. There was definitely some Eddie Cochran in there.
Q. In 1979 punk rock had run its course for kids like me and there was a moment where we didn’t know where to go when New Romantic, goth, disco and the soul scenes didn’t resonate. It was when I went to a rocking club, the St. Helier Arms in South London and saw kids still wearing their old punk T-shirts but with 1950s box jackets, chucker boots and pegs being the order of the day that I knew we’d found our new scene. Hair was no longer spiky but styled into bleached flat-tops or crazy-colour quiffs, what was your first rockabilly haircut?
A. My first rockabilly haircut was a big greasy pompadour. I was completely into the Elvis Presley look and style from the Sun Records era and anything I did was trying to achieve that look.
Q. Your gig at the Lyceum Ballroom 1981 was the epitome of the Stray Cats spearheading the rockabilly revival in London, is there anything about this gig or 1981 in London you can remember and your fans may be surprised to read?
A. 1981 was awesome! London was so happening and I was thrilled to be welcomed everywhere. An unintentional bonus of being in the Stray Cats was that we were embraced by all the different tribes. I went to every type of club and gig. I knew the doormen at every joint in town and went to every night of The Cash residency at the Lyceum that year. We also did a video with Dave Edmunds at the Cats soundcheck before one of our gigs there.
Q. Neo-rockabilly was a glamourised version of the rockabilly scene that had been before, we weren’t restricted to wearing only old (vintage) 50s clothing or homemade clothing like kids on the rocking scene would. Shops like Johnsons La Rocka! were designing almost caricature versions of clothing for rockers that could be styled with vintage clothing and looked amazing. What clothing shops did you shop at when in London?
A. I loved Johnson’s on Kings Rd, Lloyd is my close friend to this day. He thought we must be French rockers when he first saw us! I got a lot of stuff at Robot, especially shoes and also some great vintage pieces from Kavan at American Classics. My dear pal Peter Golding had Ace and 151 both very cool spots.
Q. Your not opposed to wearing gold leather. If you had to choose between a gold leather jacket and a black leather jacket, what would you choose and why?
A. Black is more classic and it goes with more outfits. That gold leather jacket definitely IS the outfit when you wear it.
Q. When you think of The London Leatherman what comes to mind?
A. The London Leatherman had that awesome leopard skin waistcoat! I wore it 1,000 times.
Q. Other than Elvis’ 68 Comeback Special look, who in your opinion is the best leather wearing rockabilly?
A. Gene Vincent really rocked the leathers!
Q. You’re about to head off on tour with the Stray Cats, what will you be wearing?
A. On the upcoming Stray Cats tour I'm going to wear a custom made classic western styled rockabilly suit. It's made of the best gabardine I could find and it’s got red diamond inlays with saddle stitch. It’s a shorter cut bolero style jacket. I’ll be sporting a few custom made sleeveless, cowboy shirts with coloured fringe made by my wife bassist and fashion designer Jennie Vee, red creepers and a bandana, of course!