The Polecats

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The Polecats
General information
origin England
Genre (s) Rockabilly
founding 1977
Website http://www.makeacircuit.com
Founding members
Martin "Boz" Boorer
Tim "Polecat" Worman
Phil Bloomberg
Chris Hawkes (1977-1979)
Current occupation
Martin "Boz" Boorer
Tim "Polecat" Worman
Phil Bloomberg
John Buck (since 1982)
former members
Neil Rooney (1980-1982)

The Polecats (in German: “Die Iltisse”) are a new wave and rockabilly revival band from the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Band history

Originally the band with Tim Worman was (also known as Tim Polecat , vocals), Martin "Boz" Boorer ( guitar and vocals), Phil Bloomberg ( bass guitar ) and Chris Hawkes ( drums ) occupied and entered under the name Cult Heroes on . After they initially had difficulty finding a promoter who was willing to market them as a rockabilly band due to their "too punk- sounding name", they finally changed their band name to The Polecats on a suggestion by drummer Hawkes . Hawkes was later replaced by Neil Rooney.

The band was signed by the young British rockabilly label Nervous Records and released the single "Rockabilly Guy" in 1979.

In 1981 the Polecats were signed by Mercury Records and released their first and most successful LP, "Polecats Are Go!", Produced by Dave Edmunds . The band hit the UK charts with "John, I'm Only Dancing," a reworked version of "Rockabilly Guy," and a cover of the T. Rex song, "Jeepster". "John, I'm Only Dancing", a cover version of the David Bowie hit, was in the charts parallel to the second single "Rock This Town" by the rockabilly colleagues and Stray Cats, also produced by Edmunds .

In 1983, in the United States , the Polecats had their only hit, "Make A Circuit With Me". This song didn't make it into the UK charts. The record deal was then canceled; Nevertheless, the band released a few albums, but compared to "Polecats Are Go!" they always lacked the finishing touches. One of the albums was titled "Cult Heroes" and contained a collection of demo recordings from the early days of the band.

Guitarist Martin Boorer initially left the band to work with Morrissey as guitarist, musical director and co-songwriter , but led a reunion of the Polecats in 1989 , which then produced a live and a studio album. Tim Polecat moved to Los Angeles and played with Slim Jim Phantom ( Stray Cats ) in a band called "13 Cats" . In 2001 a collection of Martin Boorer's works was released on the Raucous Records label under the title "Between The Polecats".

The Polecats are still touring Europe and Japan occasionally and continue to release albums, now with John Buck on drums.

Discography

Albums

year title Top ranking, total weeks, awardChartsChart placements
(Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
UK UK
1981 Polecats Are Go! UK28 (2 weeks)
UK

More albums

  • 1981: Cult Heroes
  • 1983: Make A Circuit With Me
  • 1983: Live in Hamburg 1981
  • 1989: Won't Die
  • 1992: Nine
  • 1998: Live And Rockin '
  • 1999: Pink Noise
  • 2006: Not Nervous! Rare 1980 demos
  • 2008: Rockabilly Cats

EPs

  • 1983: Make a Circuit with Me

Singles

year title Top ranking, total weeks, awardChartsChart placements
(Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
UK UK
1981 John I'm Only Dancing
Polecats Are Go! 		UK35 (8 weeks)
UK
Rockabilly Guy
Polecats Are Go! 		UK35 (6 weeks)
UK
Jeepster
 UK53 (4 weeks)
UK
1982 Make A Circuit With Me
 UK76 (3 weeks)
UK

More singles y

  • 2017: What Do I Get

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ https://www.discogs.com/de/Polecats-Rockabilly-Guy/master/975229
  2. ↑ a b Chart sources: UK