A Stray Cat Struts

"And now, for my friend, Slim Jim Phantom, 'Opportunity Knocks, ' Don t screw it up, boy!" Lemmy Kilmister, Motorhead Slim Jim Phantom is to drumming as Woodie Guthrie is to guitar playing. That attack. Have we invented the definition roots drumming yet? Let's do it now. So much rhythm and power, all from just a few drums. Expressive and driving, all done while standing up. He was/is part of a musical movement that was huge and unexpected. It's pretty incredible too, that it all came out of Massapequa, NY. Thank you, Massapequa, and thank you, SLIM! Fred Armisen Without Slim Jim I wouldn't be a singer in a band called The Alarm. Slim Jim literally saved my rock and roll life. He is the real deal. Slim is not only a stand up drummer but a stand up guy. Together we have walked the Himalaya and been to the roof of Africa, saving lives in the name of Love Hope and Strength! He is a rock and roll star of the highest order and the pages of this book will no doubt enlighten the lives of anyone who reads them, be they seasoned troubadour, or fired up angry young men in search of the kind of rock and roll that began with Elvis and lives on within the noble heart of Slim Jim Phantom." Mike Peters, The Alarm Jim is pretty much unfazed by anything - send a plane ticket and a few bucks to pay the bills and he's more than happy jamming in a bierkeller with a Bavarian rockabilly ensemble. Unlike a lot of drummers who mainly listen to themselves Jim plays the SONG, contributing to the arrangement in the same way his hero Ringo did. Captain Sensible, The Damned Slim is still youthful and hotheaded but he lays down a strong beat and is a big help with the daily crossword puzzle" Harry Dean Stanton"Dismiss Long Island at your peril. Who woulda thunk that while Punk was reigniting the Spirit of Rock & Roll, a Rock-a-Billy revival was trickling under the door. When in swept the Stray Cats clear across the mainstream, and that primal boppin' energy was fresh again. No more would vintage Rock & Roll be viewed as mere Oldies or 50's music, filtered through a Happy Days glaze of Sha-Na-Na and American Graffiti . This sound was NOW! When was the last time an upright bass was kool? And who had ever seen a stand-up drummer; let alone with the onstage spin and sparkle of Slim Jim Phantom? The Punks liked 'em, Kittens loved 'em; even stadiums full of Stones fans ran out and bought their albums. I finally got to see them later in a club, and the star power was clear off the charts. Even I had to say to myself, You know, they deserve every platinum record they've got. Such a big impact, such a big sound. All by going back to basics and stepping on the gas. All with a kit so small, Jim could have hauled it with him up Mt. Everest. Hell, maybe he did... Thank you, Jim, for being my friend. And for Rockin' this Town wherever you go. Jello Biafra Slim Jim Phantom, a long drink of water is a master of the spectacularly cool, less is more approach to drumming. A tough cookie in his drape coat but a mensch underneath, our man has a wealth of talent and from a lifetime of being in with the in crowd, a tale for every occasion. One of my few very best chums, SJP is a buddy and half but even so, I hope he hasn t dished too much dirt Glen Matlock, The Sex Pistols Slim Jim Phantom invented himself while remaining true to the authenticity of the music he loved. He has rock and roll running through his veins. His tattoos come to life at night. You want the truth? Read this book. Michael Des Barres, musician, actor, Sirius XM DJ"An entertaining pop music memoir for fans of drummer, Eighties music, and/or rockabilly." "Library Journal"

As the legendary drummer for the Stray Cats, SLIM JIM PHANTOM spearheaded the neo-rockabilly movement of the early 1980s. The Stray Cats' classic album "Built for Speed" went double platinum, the band had numerous hit singles, and their song "Rock This Town" is on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of "The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll." He lives in Los Angeles, California.