The Streetwalkin Cheetahs latest live album, Resurrection, marked the band's return to the stage after a three year hiatus. Released August 2006 on Amsterdamned / Triple X Records, the album is a companion to their critically acclaimed 1999 effort Live on KXLU, except that one was record live on the radio in a small, sweaty room, while Resurrection was recorded in front of a rabid audience of faithful fans at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood on September 24th, 2005.
Still powered by founding members Frank Meyer (lead vocals and guitars), Art Jackson (guitars) and Dino Everett (bass), and now featuring skin-basher Andy Baker (formerly of B Movie Rats) The Streetwalkin Cheetahs are a four piece, hard drivin, no nonsense, go for the throat, punk rock and roll band that plays a fierce blend of high-octane trashy garage rock and hook laden power pop.
The Cheetahs formed in 1995 as a for-kicks cover band, swiping their name from the opening line of Iggy and the Stooges classic Search & Destroy. Their first gigs consisted of revved up covers of the Runaways, MC5, Stooges, New York Dolls, Johnny Thunders, and the Dead Boys, before they eventually graduated to writing their own songs and found their sound.
They were quickly signed by late, great indie rock impresario Greg Shaw to his Bomp! Record subsidiary Alive, who issued the Hart Full of Napalm EP and Overdrive, their debut studio full-length. In 1999 the band signed to Triple X Records (Janes Addiction, Adolescents, Angry Samoans) and issued Live on KXLU, cranking out the EPs 5 Fingers of Doctor X and split album with The Bellrays, Punk, Rock & Soul (Cold Front) shortly afterwards.
Massive touring followed with the likes of Supersuckers, Zeke, Fishbone, John Frusciante, New Bomb Turks, Amazing Crowns, Fear, Electric Frankenstein, DI, Zodiac Mindwarp, Supagroup, Black Halos, Forty-Fives and more. Meanwhile, they started teaming up with their rock heroes, Cherie Currie of the Runaways, Deniz Tek of Radio Birdman, Sylvain Sylvain of the New York Dolls, and Wayne Kramer of the MC5. Vinyl singles on Alive represented their collaborations with Currie and Tek, while tours with Sylvain and Kramer found them serving as the backing band and support act.
In 2001 the band released their follow-up studio effort in the form of Waiting For the Death of My Generation, a diverse, dynamic collection of tunes that found the band adding horns, sitars, and keyboards to their chainsaw rock sound.
In 2002, following a lengthy tour with Reverend Horton Heat and Nashville Pussy and trek to Europe, Triple XXX issued Gainesville, their final studio effort, which followed a rarities album companion Guitars, Guns & Gold and split EP with Austins Broken Teeth, In Rock We Trust (Changes One). By then, the prolific Cheetahs appeared on over 65 compilations, soundtracks, tribute albums and vinyl singles. In addition, their debut album was re-released in 2003 with bonus tracks as Maximum Overdrive, and 2004 saw the release of The Red Tape Diaries, which collected out of print material onto one disc. Whew!
The band has been heralded by Rolling Stone (four star and editors choice reviews), Spin, Alternative Press, Kerrang, Guitar World, Thrasher, Flipside and many others. The Cheetahs collected hometown accolades in the form of Best Hard Rock/Punk/Metal Band in the New Times Reader's Poll in 1999, while Waiting For the Death of My Generation won Best Hard Rock/Punk/Metal Album in 2002s New Times Reader's Poll. They received a similar nomination from the LA Weekly, where the band's over-the-top performance at the award ceremony ignited a major local scandal.
The band took a much needed break from 2002 to 2005, overseeing the re-release of many of their old albums when the garage rock movement hit full swing. To mark their 10-year anniversary, The Streetwalkin Cheetahs returned to the stage for two triumphant concerts in the September 2005 to celebrate the fact that, despite all odds, they are still alive, still friends, and still rockin. Resurrection is the result of the hometown reunion show and finds the band still firing on all cylinders as the blaze through favorites like "None of Your Business," "Satisfy," "Future Lost," "Built For Speed" and covers of the MC5's "Looking At You," the Stooges' "Funhouse," and the Flaming Groovies' "Slow Death." One listen to Resurrection and you'll see what all the hype is about and why the Austin Chronicle wondered, "Is there a better punk rock band than the Streetwalkin' Cheetahs? Is there a better rock & roll band than the Cheetahs? Is there a better band, period?" The answer, of course, is "No! There is none better!" So there.
Check out www.thestreetwalkincheetahs.com for more info.
Go listen to Angus Khan , the new band featuring Cheetahs Frank, Dino and Andy!
Check out Frank Meyer's other bands and MySpace sites here:
Sweet Justice
Frank Meyer
Messiaz
Video Game Theater
And go to his other websites here:
The Streetwalkin Cheetahs
Videogame Theater
Check out the Cheetahs live in SF from back in the day (Thanks Ace and Reality Check TV!):
Watch this snowboarding video from G4tv's The Block that features The Cheetahs track "No More":
Check out this Supersuckers video for "Santa Rita High" featuring a VERY brief cameo from the Cheetahs as protestors:
Check out this French band covering the Cheetahs' "I Wanna Die For Xmas":
To buy any Streetwalkin' Cheetahs CD via Paypal, just click on the link below. Make sure to indicate which one you want in the Paypal notes as we have too many to make individual buttons for each one. Check the discography at The Streetwalkin Cheetahs for choices and availability. Thanks!
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