The Alley Cats are a

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

-based punk rock trio formed in 1977. The original line-up, featuring Randy Stodola (guitar and vocals), Dianne Chai (bass and vocals) and John McCarthy (drums), was a fixture of the early L.A. punk rock scene. Signed to

Dangerhouse Records Dangerhouse Records was a Neff, Joseph (August 13, 2013)"(Re)Graded on a Curve: Dangerhouse Records' Compilation, ''Yes L.A.''" ''The Vinyl District''. Retrieved August 21, 2015. punk music record label based in Los Angeles, California Overvie ...

alongside other seminal California-based punk bands including the Bags, Black Randy and the Metro Squad, and X, they released their first single "Nothing Means Nothing Anymore" backed with "Give Me a Little Pain" on March 30, 1978. They are among the six bands featured on the 1979 compilation album

Yes L.A. ''Yes L.A.'' is a six-song compilation EP featuring first-generation Californian punk rock bands. It was also the final release of the short-lived but influential Dangerhouse Records label. Overview A one-sided picture disc released at the ...

and appear in the 1982 film ''

Urgh! A Music War ''Urgh! A Music War'' is a 1982 British concert film featuring performances by punk rock, new wave, and post-punk bands and artists. Filmed in August to September 1980 it was directed by Derek Burbidge and produced by Michael White and Lynd ...

''. The Alley Cats were regular performers at such Los Angeles venues as Club 88,

Hong Kong Café The Hong Kong Café was a Los Angeles restaurant and music venue that was a part of the Los Angeles punk rock scene during the late 1970s and early 1980s when the club was owned and operated by Barry Seidel, Kim Turner and Suzie Frank,followed by ...

The Masque The Masque was a small punk rock club in central Hollywood, California which existed from 1977 to 1978. It is remembered as a key part of the early LA punk scene. History The Masque was founded by Scottish-American rock promoter Brendan Mullen ...

, and the

Whisky a Go Go The Whisky a Go Go (informally nicknamed "the Whisky") is a historic nightclub in West Hollywood, California, United States. It is located at 8901 Sunset Boulevard on the Sunset Strip, corner North Clark Street, opposite North San Vicente Boule ...

. Reformed as "The Zarkons", they released two albums, ''Riders In The Long Black Parade'' (1985) and ''Between the Idea & the Reality…Falls the Shadow'' (1988), before disbanding in 1988. After a 20-year hiatus, Stodola reformed the trio and currently performs as The Alley Cats along with Apryl Cady (bass and vocals) and Matt Laskey (drums).

Discography

Albums

1981 Events January * January 1 ** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union. ** Palau becomes a self-governing territory. * January 10 – Salvadoran Civil War: The FMLN launches its first major offensiv ...

- ''Nightmare City'' * 1982 - ''Escape From The Planet Earth'' *

1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a ...

- ''Riders In The Long Black Parade'' (as The Zarkons) *

- ''Between the Idea & the Reality…Falls the Shadow'' (as The Zarkons) * 2007 - ''1979-1982'' (Anthology)

Singles and EPs

* 1978 - ''Nothing Means Nothing Anymore'' * 1980 - ''Too Much Junk''

Soundtracks and compilations

1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the '' International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the '' Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the so ...

- ''

'' (compilation) *

- ''

'' (soundtrack) *

1991 File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Phi ...

- ''Dangerhouse, Vol. 1'' (compilation) *

1993 File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peacefu ...

- ''Dangerhouse, Vol. 2: Give Me A Little Pain!'' (compilation) *

- ''We're Desperate: The L.A. Scene 1976-79'' (compilation) - "Nothing Means Nothing Anymore" * 1996 - ''Live From the Masque, Vol. 2: We We Can Can Do Do What What'' (compilation) *

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in t ...

- ''SPIKE: A San Pedro Compilation'' (compilation)

Filmography

*1981 - ''

'' *2011 - ''The Alley Cats Live at the Whiskey A Go Go''

References

External links

The Alley Cats

Time Coast Music

2018 Interview with Randy Stodola
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alley Cats Punk rock groups from California Musical groups from Los Angeles Musical groups established in 1978 Musical groups disestablished in 1988 American musical trios Dangerhouse Records artists 1978 establishments in California