Soundtrack Of My Life - Slim Jim Phantom

As the drummer for Stray Cats, Slim Jim Phantom has been integral to the continued evolution of rockabilly – a thread reflected in his choice of songs that highlight the milestones of his musical journey

No stranger to the pages of Vintage Rock, Slim Jim Phantom is one of the nicest guys you could meet, with an enthusiasm and love for all things rock’n’roll that’s positively infectious. When we caught up with him this time around, he was heading to the UK for a short run of shows with Neal X and Phil Polecat in STARCAT.

“With STARCAT, we play a bunch of Sigue Sigue Sputnik songs that Neal sings, some Polecats songs that Phil sings, and a few Stray Cats numbers,” Slim says. “So, for me, besides the Stray Cats ones, it’s all new material that I’d never played before. It’s kind of cool, and I don’t have to sing every song.

“Neal and I made a single that’s out now. We did a version of Mud’s Tiger Feet and backed it with a song that he wrote, Born To Rock ’N’ Roll, which is kind of a tribute song… a bit like this feature!

“I was reading Vintage Rock, with Bill Haley on the cover, on the plane coming over to the UK. Soundtrack Of My Life is always one of the sections I flip to first, so when you asked me, I started picking tracks straight away. I was trying to choose some of the most iconic songs by the most legendary artists, but picking just 10 meant missing out on some of my all-time favourites, like the Johnny Burnette Rock ’N Roll Trio, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis and Bo Diddley. Then, of course, there are guys like Charlie Feathers, Billy Lee Riley, Warren Smith. These are just the ones that popped into my head straight away.”

Hank Williams – Hey, Good Lookin’ (1951)

Hank Williams was one of my earliest introductions to music. For some reason, a lot of people in New York seemed to have his records and my father, who was a fireman and not a musician, owned a Hank Williams greatest-hits collection. Every one of my uncles and aunts had a copy in their homes as well. We’re a big Irish family, so when everyone would get together they would play this record. Obviously Hank Williams and country music was integral to the development of rockabilly and rock’n’roll alongside R&B and blues.

The Beatles – I Saw Her Standing There (1963)

This was another record that was already in the house. But I was immediately affected by The Beatles. They were crucial to the continuation of rock’n’roll, because they essentially sold American music back to Americans. Every generation wants roots music presented and repackaged by artists their own age – so the messenger matters. That’s what The Beatles did, and along the way they added something new. They were inspired by the classic US rock’n’rollers and I don’t think they ever strayed too far from that.

Elvis Presley – Blue Moon Of Kentucky (1954)

Growing up, all I knew of Elvis Presley was the 1970s version. It wasn’t until my late teens that I discovered early era Elvis. When I saw a picture of the ‘Hillbilly Cat’ and heard Blue Moon Of Kentucky and That’s All Right, it was the finishing stroke. In that moment I knew – somehow, some way – that this was what I was going to do forever. Honestly, you could throw a dart at any of those early tracks, and whichever you hit would be a game changer. But in the chronology of my life, Blue Moon was my third big revelation.

Buddy Holly – That’ll Be The Day (1957)

The Buddy Holly Story came out around ’78, and I thought it was the coolest thing. Sure, it’s not historically accurate – the guitar, the drum kit, whatever – but that didn’t matter. It was the bigger picture that grabbed me. The story is so tragic, it makes you want to cry for someone you never even knew. A couple of months ago, I was getting new glasses, and I don’t think the girl helping me had ever heard of the Stray Cats or The Beatles, but when I said I was looking for a style like Buddy Holly, she knew what I meant. That’s how iconic he is.

Gene Vincent & The Blue Caps – Cruisin’ (1957)

When the three of us in the Stray Cats were at school, we all discovered Elvis’ Sun Sessions around the same time, and within weeks we’d found all those original US rockers. When I heard Gene Vincent, I thought the core of The Blue Caps was the closest to what the Stray Cats sounded like. Dickie Harrell played in a way I could relate to: he had swing and a strong beat. His yelps and vocal input were something we clearly adopted. We 100% copied Dickie. You’ve got to have one good yell before the solo.

Eddie Cochran – Three Steps To Heaven (1960)

Again, it was kind of like spinning a wheel, and I could’ve chosen Somethin’ Else, C’mon Everybody, Skinny Jim or Nervous Breakdown – any of them. I picked Three Steps To Heaven because I think about how Bowie was totally influenced by that one. To me, Eddie Cochran is the ultimate rock star: he looked great, played great, was ahead of the curve in the studio, and left us with an incredible catalogue of songs. I don’t think he’s ever been topped. Eddie, with his iconic Gretsch guitar, was definitely an influence on Brian.

Carl Perkins – Matchbox (1957)

I chose Carl Perkins because, out of all of them, he was the only one I ever knew and got to work with. I was very young when I first met him. He came to see the Stray Cats the first time we played Nashville, in ’82 or ’83, and after that, he became a part of my life. He appreciated life, he loved playing the guitar, and valued that everyone was influenced by him. He was an originator and an essential part of that whole rockabilly thread I mentioned earlier. I chose Matchbox because Ringo is my hero and sang that song with The Beatles.

Chuck Berry – Johnny B Goode (1958)

Find me any record that’s as good as Chuck Berry’s – it doesn’t exist. He influenced everyone in a huge way and, for me, his music is like a time capsule. I think every single one of his hits has been covered by somebody. I had a couple of older cousins who had Rolling Stones records, and I’d think, “Oh, that’s a good one,” and then check the credits to see C. Berry, B. Holly… That helped me learn about all the original rockabilly guys. Chuck Berry was one of the finest lyricwriters and Johnny B Goode is a perfect example.

Little Richard – Keep A-Knockin’ (1957)

Keep A-Knockin’ has that famous Charlie Connor drum intro that every drummer has incorporated into their playing, with John Bonham probably being the most famous example. Charlie became a good friend of mine later in life, which is the reason why I chose this particular track. But I really think that, out of all these legendary artists I’ve mentioned here, Little Richard just rocked harder than anyone else. I met him once and he just had this enormous presence. You knew you were in the realm of greatness.

Stray Cats – Runaway Boys (1980)

I’m old enough now; I don’t have to be bashful, so I’m choosing one of ours. I think Runaway Boys kind of reinvented rockabilly. Everything we loved went into that one. We wrote it when we first came over to London and knew we had to do something different – something modern, but classic at the same time. One foot forward, and one foot planted in the roots. I think that’s the one that really re-plugged rockabilly. Everything neo-rockabilly is, in a way, the result of Runaway Boys. I’m truly happy to be part of the tradition.

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