The Cats (reggae band)
The Cats | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Mile End, London, England |
| Genres | Ska |
| Years active | 1967-1971 |
| Labels | BAF |
| Past members | Tyrone Patterson Richard Archer John Ogetti Kpiaye Michael Okoro |
The Cats, previously known as The Hustlin' Kind were a ska ensemble from Mile End, London.[1][2] The group's lineup comprised Tyrone Patterson (keyboards), Richard Archer (bass), John Kpiaye (guitar), and Michael Okoro (drums).[1]
History
They were initially an instrumental band, playing ska and soul covers in London clubs, changing the band name to The Cats in Summer 1968.[1] The group recorded ten tracks at Maximum Sound studios in Old Kent Road in September 1968.[1]
Their 1968 single, "Swan Lake", backed by "Swing Low", hit no.48 in early 1969, making them the first British reggae band to have a top fifty hit in the UK.[2][3] According to Kpiaye "Swan Lake" was recorded during the Maximum Sound session, but roadie Mike Cole claimed that it was recorded in spare studio time after a Tex Withers and the Sidetrackers recording session, with Cole and members of the Sidetrackers playing on it.[1] The single was released on the group's own Baf label.[1] "Swan Lake" was later covered by Madness on their debut album One Step Beyond...; Subsequent releases by The Cats failed to chart, rendering them as one-hit wonders.
Singles Discography[4]
| Record label | Record number | Year | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| BAF | BAF1 | 1968 | Swan Lake/Swing Low |
| BAF | BAF2 | 1968 | My Girl/The Hog |
| BAF | BAF3 | 1968 | The Hig/Blues For Justice |
| BAF | BAF4 | 1968 | William Tell/Love Walk Right In |
| BAF | BAF5 | 1968 | Falling In Love/Don't Mess With Cupid |
| Crystal | CR 7009 | 1970 | Sherman/What Can I Do |
| Phoenix | NIX 139 | 1972 | Knees Up Mother Brown/Rubbish |
| Groove | GVE 1001 | 1976 | Swan Lake (re-recording)/Swan Lake (Disco Version) |
References
- ^ a b c d e f de Koningh, Michael & Griffiths, Marc (2003) Tighten Up! The History of Reggae in the UK, Sanctuary, ISBN 1-86074-559-8, pp. 37-38
- ^ a b "John Kpiaye" at LintonKwesiJohnson.com
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 22. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ http://www.45cat.com/artist/the-cats