Stray Cats – Built for Speed (Vinyl LP, EMI America ST-517070)
Condition
The record has been carefully cleaned with a Spin-Clean record washer and placed into a new protective inner plastic sleeve. The vinyl shows minor scuffs but played flawlessly on a quality turntable with no skips (minor pops and crackles were noted). The jacket is in fair condition with visible ring wear, as shown in photos.
- Catalog #: ST-517070
- Side A Matrix: ST-517070-A Qu
- Label: EMI America
- Year: 1982
- Format: Vinyl LP
About the Artist
The Stray Cats — Brian Setzer (guitar/vocals), Lee Rocker (upright bass), and Slim Jim Phantom (drums) — are the band most credited with igniting the early-1980s rockabilly revival. Formed in 1979 on Long Island, New York, the trio relocated to England where they quickly found an audience hungry for raw, roots-driven rock 'n' roll. Their explosive live energy, vintage threads, and pompadour swagger won them a devoted UK following before they conquered North America. Setzer's blistering guitar work, rooted in the tradition of Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent, gave the band a sound that was simultaneously retro and urgently modern.
About the Album
Built for Speed (1982, EMI America) is a carefully curated compilation drawing from the Stray Cats' first two UK albums — Stray Cats (1981) and Gonna Ball (1981) — assembled specifically for the North American market. The gamble paid off spectacularly: the album climbed to #2 on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum, introducing millions of American listeners to the band's high-octane rockabilly sound. It spawned two major US hits: "Rock This Town" (Billboard Hot 100 #9) and "Stray Cat Strut" (#3), both of which became defining anthems of the era. The album remains one of the best-selling rockabilly records of all time.
Track Listing
Side A (Matrix: ST-517070-A Qu)
- Rock This Town
- Built for Speed
- Rev It Up & Go
- Stray Cat Strut
- Little Miss Prissy
- Rumble in Brighton
Side B
- Runaway Boys
- Lonely Summer Nights
- Double Talkin' Baby
- You Don't Believe Me
- Jeannie, Jeannie, Jeannie
- Baby Blue Eyes
