Slim Jim Phantom

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Slim Jim Phantom
Slim Jim Phantom – Australia and New Zealand tour (2006)
Slim Jim Phantom – Australia and New Zealand tour (2006)
Background information
Birth nameJames McDonnell
Also known asSlim Jim Phantom
Born (1961-03-21) March 21, 1961 (age 63)[1]
Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Drummer
  • musician
  • songwriter
Instrument(s)
  • Drums
  • vocals
Years active1979–present
Labels

James McDonnell (born March 21, 1961), known by the stage name Slim Jim Phantom, is the drummer for Stray Cats.[2] Alongside band mates Brian Setzer and Lee Rocker, he spearheaded the neo-rockabilly movement of the early 1980s.

Phantom currently plays in the band Kat Men with Imelda May guitarist Darrel Higham.

Biography

Born in Brooklyn and raised in Massapequa, New York, Phantom grew up listening to his parent's jazz records and began playing drums by the age of ten. He took lessons with Mousie Alexander, who played with Benny Goodman, studying jazz and working through books by Jim Chapin and Ted Reed.

SJP drumming on a two-piece kit while standing

By the late 1970s, he was playing in bands with his childhood friend, bassist Lee Rocker. They soon joined forces with guitarist Brian Setzer to form Stray Cats.[3] When performing with Stray Cats, Phantom's usual style was to stand and play with just a bass drum, snare drum, hi-hat, and crash cymbal, in lieu of sitting down at a full drum kit.

During downtime from Stray Cats, Phantom played in swing, rockabilly, and jump blues combo The Swing Cats with Rocker and ex-Polecats guitarist Danny B. Harvey,[4] as well as rockabilly and glam rock project Phantom, Rocker & Slick with Rocker and guitarist Earl Slick.[5] Phantom also played with Jerry Lee Lewis.[6]

He later formed Col. Parker with former Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke, releasing the album Rock n Roll Music in 2001.[7]

Most recently, he has been involved in the eponymous roots-rock band Slim Jim's Phantom Trio;[8] rock-and-roll supergroup Dead Men Walking with Kirk Brandon and Mike Peters, and Captain Sensible;[9] and rockabilly supergroup The Head Cat with Danny B. Harvey and the late vocalist and bassist Lemmy.[10]

He was married to actress Britt Ekland from 1984 to 1992 and has a son, T.J. (born 1988), with her.[11]

Discography

References

  1. ^ "Official Web Site". Slim Jim Phantom. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
  2. ^ Huey, Steve "Stray Cats Biography", Allmusic, retrieved 2010-11-21
  3. ^ Huey, Steve. Stray Cats at AllMusic. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  4. ^ Huey, Steve. The Swing Cats at AllMusic. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  5. ^ Demalon, Tom. Phantom, Rocker & Slick at AllMusic. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  6. ^ Crawford, Robert (December 19, 2016). "Hear Slim Jim Phantom, Chris Shiflett talk Stray Cats, Jagger's coke". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  7. ^ Prato, Greg. Col. Parker at AllMusic. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  8. ^ Mather, Shaun (2004). "Slim Jim Phantom". Rockabilly Hall of Fame. Bob Timmers. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  9. ^ Dead Men Walking at AllMusic. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  10. ^ Deming, Mark. The Head Cat at AllMusic. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  11. ^ Iley, Chrissy (September 22, 2013). "Britt Ekland on nudity, Alzheimer's, and being 'abducted' by Peter Sellers—interview". The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited. Retrieved June 28, 2018.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Slim_Jim_Phantom&oldid=919479746"