The Pole Cats - John I'm Only Dancing. 1981

Good quality, weird and rare, recorded from Top Of The Pops 1981. These guys came on the scene and just tried to copy the Stray Cats an English version type of thing! The Polecats are a rockabilly band formed in 1977 in North London. The original line-up was Tim Worman (a.k.a Tim Polecat, vocalist), Martin "Boz" Boorer, (guitarist and vocalist), Phil Bloomberg, (bassist), and Chris Hawkes (drummer), who originally played under the name "Cult Heroes." Finding difficulty persuading promoters to book them on the rockabilly circuit with a name sounding "too punk", they adopted Hawkes' suggested band name The Polecats. Hawkes was later replaced by Neil Rooney.The Polecats played rockabilly with a "punk sense of anarchy and helped revive the genre for a new generation in the early '80s"
The band were first signed by the fledgling British rockabilly record label Nervous Records, and recorded their first single "Rockabilly Guy" at Guitarist Alan Warner's "Lane Studios" in 1979. Formerly with the hugely successful "Foundations" band Warner toured and recorded with the Polecats for about a year.
In 1980 the band signed to Mercury Records, and released their most successful LP, Polecats Are Go! They had UK chart success with a David Bowie cover "John, I'm Only Dancing", a reworking of "Rockabilly Guy", and another cover version of the T-Rex (Marc Bolan) song "Jeepster". In 1983, they hit the charts in the United States with their song "Make a Circuit With Me." Shortly after this, John Buck replaced Neil Rooney on drums.
Two of their songs were on the soundtrack to the 1986 film Joey.
Boz Boorer left the group to work as a guitarist, musical director, and co-songwriter with Morrissey, but led a Polecats reunion in 1989, which produced a live album and a new studio set. Tim Polecat moved to Los Angeles, California and formed the band 13 Cats with drummer Slim Jim of the Stray Cats, stand-up bassist Smutty Smith of The Rockats, and guitarist Danny B. Harvey of The Swing Cats. Musically, Tim Polecat also continues to work as a film composer and solo singer-songwriter.
The band continue to tour and as of summer 2009 are playing gigs in Europe, Japan and USA.
In November 2006 frontman Jarvis Cocker of the British band Pulp, along with bassist Steve Mackey, released a 2-CD compilation album, The Trip, which features a wide selection of tracks by artists as varied as The Fall, Gene Pitney, The Beach Boys, The Everly Brothers, Dion, Sonny Bono plus The Polecats with their hit "John, I'm Only Dancing".
In June 2008 Disney Pixar film, WALL E, used The Polecats 1983 hit song, "Make a Circuit With Me" in their television trailers for the film. Please visit my other Channel. Keep Rockin!.
http://www.youtube.com/user/squizzy104?feature=mhum#p/u/4/se0F7dEZ-zs

Category:

Music

Tags:

• the pole cats
• john i'm only dancing
• pole cats
• stray cats
• rockabilly
• top of the pops 1981

[rockabilly375]

Nice video,thanks for posting.I have sent a video response which i filmed in 2010

[memorylane1980s]

@rockabilly375 Yeah thx have wtached it great stuff I have approved it so it should show up soon.

Keep Rockin!

Ian

[gorgall]

First of all, whilst still playing in a punk band ,called the bloodless pharoahs I believe,

Setzer visited the UK and saw the rockabilly revival taking place including the Polecats(note all one word). This inspired him to start the Stray Cats and to rip off old rockabilly tunes but changing the lyrics.

As to where they are now, they still regularly tour The UK, Europe, Japan and the US.

[memorylane1980s]

@gorgall PHEW! Thats me Flippin Told! :p

[marts41]

Will this ever come back in style? I dig it ...still.

[Promoagent]

Love it the early 80s trainees reviving Rock and Roll with a Bowie song for good luck like their style

[guitarslinger48]

@Zipgunn1

I had forgotten about them...lol

[Zipgunn1]

@guitarslinger48 Levi Dexter and The Rock Cats were another big influence on the pre-rockabilly Setzer.

[guitarslinger48]

I believe it was the Stray Cats who saw the Polecats. Not the other way around. The Polecats have been out far longer the Stray Cats.

[DaveyC66]

The guitarist, Boz Boorer, is Morrissey's guitarist / musical director / and song writer, and has been for years.

[a9damson1]

Yes he did that a lot, but look where he is now! wish I had his money!!!!