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THE ALLEY CATS BIOGRAPHY

The Alley Cats were a Los Angeles based punk trio, consisting of Randy Stodola (Guitar & Vocals), Dianne Chai (Bass & Vocals) and John McCarty (Drums). Similar in sound to X (they were once described as "X-Lite") they were a regular fixture in the L.A. punk scene from the late 70s to the early 80s.

Signed to the Faulty Products distributed Time Coast Records (quite possibly their own label) they released one single and the LP, NIGHTMARE CITY. They were soon signed to MCA Records where one more LP was recorded (the modestly well-received ESCAPE FROM PLANET EARTH).

Stodola and Chai (husband & wife in real life) tried again in 1985 when they reunited as The Zarkons recording RIDERS IN THE LONG BLACK PARADE (on Enigma/Time Coast). After that, drummer John McCarty was replaced by Terry Cooley and Zarkons added a lead vocalist named simply, Rente (Freda Rente, later with fIREHOSE, now solo). This quartet recorded and released BETWEEN THE IDEA & THE REALITY... FALLS THE SHADOW (Atlantic) in 1988. After that they more or less vanished.

THE ALLEY CATS I.R.S. DISCOGRAPHY

This discography will cover only THE ALLEY CATS' recordings for I.R.S. Records. Recordings for other labels, other recordings, solo recordings and guest appearances, may be mentioned in the biography or discography, but details can be found by visiting some of the cool links for THE ALLEY CATS, below...

Albums & EPs

TC2201 NIGHTMARE CITY
Faulty Products/Time Coast 2201 (Released 1981)
Vinyl and Cassette.


Produced by Randy Stodola
Engineered by Tom Herzer
Recorded & mixed At Golden Age Recording Studio, Culver City, CA
Art Direction by Johnny Lee
Photography by David Alexander and Nils Israelson

Musicians:
Randy Stodola Guitar and Vocals
Dianne Chai Bass & Vocals
John McCarty Drums

Track Listing:

  1. Nightmare City (Stodola) 1:58
  2. Night Along The Blvd. (Stodola) 1:58
  3. One More Chance To Survive (Stodola) 1:58
  4. King Of The Street Fights (Stodola) 1:58
  5. Today (Stodola) 1:58
  6. Nothing Means Nothing Anymore (Stodola) 1:58
  7. Too Much Junk (Stodola) 1:58
  8. Give Me A Little Pain (Stodola) 1:58
  9. Black-Haired Girl (Stodola) 1:58
  10. When The World Was Old (Stodola) 1:58

The Alley Cats debut album is pure punk for punk purists! Minimal instrumentation and restrained vocals (by Stodola and Chai) make this LP typical of the "L. A. punk sound" of the time. Standout cuts are "Too Much Junk" (the first single), and the moderately anthologized "Nothing Means Nothing Anymore."

Singles

# unknown "Too Much Junk"/"Night Along The Blvd."
Time Coast/FP# unknown (Released 1980)

Produced by Randy Stodola



Musicians:
Randy Stodola Guitar and Vocals
Dianne Chai Bass & Vocals
John McCarty Drums

This was among the first records on I.R.S. spin-off Faulty Products. Like many early Faulty singles, it consisted of the record in a plain white single sleeve, with two 7"x7" colored sheets of paper imprinted with the record info (as if photocopied), all together in a 7" plastic sleeve. Simple, but purely punk!

Compilations & Soundtracks

URGH! A MUSIC WAR (A&M SP 6019): The Alley Cats appear on side 2, cut 4 performing "Nothing Means Nothing Anymore"

ALLEY CATS LINKS & OTHER COOL STUFF

At the present time there are few links to websites pertaining to The Alley Cats. Here is a sampling of what we did find, though...


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This Page Last Updated 6 October 2004
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