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Lead singer Charlie Chesterman and bassist Mac Paul Stanfield played together in The Law, one of Iowa’s first punk bands,<ref>http://rpmlifeinanalog.com/2013/11/05/king-size-talent-the-scruffy-sweetheart-of-the-rodeo-charlie-chesterman/</ref> in the late 1970’s along with future ] drummer Tad Hutchinson.<ref>http://omnivorerecordings.com/artist/scruffy-the-cat/</ref> Chesterman and Stanfield moved from Iowa to Boston to become part of that city`s more active music scene. In 1983, they met guitarist Stephen Fredette, drummer Randall Lee Gibson IV and banjo player Stona Fitch and began prowling local clubs.<ref name="chitrib1">Heim, Chris (28 November 1988). , '']''</ref><ref name="trib2">Popson, Tom (1 April 1988). , '']''</ref><ref name="chicreader1">Moore, Rogert (31 March 1988). , '']''</ref> Lead singer Charlie Chesterman and bassist Mac Paul Stanfield played together in The Law, one of Iowa’s first punk bands,<ref>http://rpmlifeinanalog.com/2013/11/05/king-size-talent-the-scruffy-sweetheart-of-the-rodeo-charlie-chesterman/</ref> in the late 1970’s along with future ] drummer Tad Hutchinson.<ref>http://omnivorerecordings.com/artist/scruffy-the-cat/</ref> Chesterman and Stanfield moved from Iowa to Boston to become part of that city`s more active music scene. In 1983, they met guitarist Stephen Fredette, drummer Randall Lee Gibson IV and banjo player Stona Fitch and began prowling local clubs.<ref name="chitrib1">Heim, Chris (28 November 1988). , '']''</ref><ref name="trib2">Popson, Tom (1 April 1988). , '']''</ref><ref name="chicreader1">Moore, Rogert (31 March 1988). , '']''</ref>


The band was signed to ] in 1986 and released its first two EPs, ''High Octane Revival'' (1986) and ''Boom Boom Boom Bingo'' (1987). ''High Octane Revival'' was voted the #4 EP of 1986 in the Village Voice's "Pazz & Jop" Critics list.<ref>http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/pjres86.php</ref> In 1987, Scruffy The Cat released its debut album, ''Tiny Days'', with the singles "Never Never/Time Never Forgets" and "Mybabyshesallright". ''Tiny Days'' was in the top 5 of college national radio charts<ref name="philly87">Gordon, Robert (15 July 1987). , '']''</ref><ref name="sun5">DeCurtis, Anthony (26 June 1987). , ''Sun Sentinel''</ref> and ranked #4 in the Village Voice year end critics poll of 1987.<ref>http://omnivorerecordings.com/artist/scruffy-the-cat/</ref> Videos for the two singles received rotation on ]'s ] and the album ''Tiny Days'' was one of the top 10 college albums in Rolling Stones upon its release.<ref>http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1915&dat=19870709&id=Nf8gAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dnMFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3536,1754966</ref> In 1988, the band released its second album, ''Moons Of Jupiter'', which was followed by the single "Love Song #9" in 1989. ''Moons Of Jupiter'' was recorded in Memphis with famed producer ] at the legendary Ardent Studios.<ref>http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1988-11-28/features/8802200102_1_cool-cats-scruffy-sly-stone</ref> Chicago Tribune's Chris Heim said that ''Moons of Jupiter'' is a "more relaxed and polished effort that wraps the group's typically catchy pop hooks in the fuzzy warmth of sweet Memphis soul." <ref>http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1988-11-28/features/8802200102_1_cool-cats-scruffy-sly-stone</ref> "Moons of Jupiter" spent eight weeks on the Billboard 200 album list, peaking at number 177.<ref>http://www.billboard.com/artist/278466/scruffy-cat/chart</ref> The first single from the LP, also titled "Moons of Jupiter", reached the Billboard Alternative Songs chart, spending six weeks on the chart and peaking at number 23.<ref>http://www.billboard.com/artist/278466/scruffy-cat/chart?f=377</ref> The band was signed to ] in 1986 and released its first two EPs, ''High Octane Revival'' (1986) and ''Boom Boom Boom Bingo'' (1987). ''High Octane Revival'' was voted the #4 EP of 1986 in the Village Voice's "Pazz & Jop" Critics list.<ref>http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/pjres86.php</ref> In 1987, Scruffy The Cat released its debut album, ''Tiny Days'', with the singles "Never Never/Time Never Forgets" and "Mybabyshesallright". ''Tiny Days'' was in the top 5 of college national radio charts<ref name="philly87">Gordon, Robert (15 July 1987). , '']''</ref><ref name="sun5">DeCurtis, Anthony (26 June 1987). , ''Sun Sentinel''</ref> and ranked #4 in the Village Voice year end critics poll of 1987.<ref>http://omnivorerecordings.com/artist/scruffy-the-cat/</ref> Videos for the two singles received rotation on ]'s ] and the album ''Tiny Days'' was one of the top 10 college albums in Rolling Stones upon its release.<ref>http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1915&dat=19870709&id=Nf8gAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dnMFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3536,1754966</ref> In 1988, the band released its second album, ''Moons Of Jupiter'', which was followed by the single "Love Song #9" in 1989. ''Moons Of Jupiter'' was recorded in Memphis with famed producer ] at the legendary Ardent Studios.<ref name="chitrib1"/> Chris Heim of the '']'' wrote that ''Moons of Jupiter'' is a "more relaxed and polished effort that wraps the group's typically catchy pop hooks in the fuzzy warmth of sweet Memphis soul." <ref name="chitrib1"/> ''Moons of Jupiter'' spent eight weeks on the Billboard 200 album list, peaking at number 177.<ref name="billhist">, billboard.com, Retrieved 29 August 2014)</ref> The first single from the LP, also titled ''Moons of Jupiter'', reached the Billboard Alternative Songs chart, spending six weeks on the chart and peaking at number 23.<ref name="billhist"/>


==Touring Life, Breakup & Reunions== ==Touring Life, Breakup & Reunions==

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Scruffy The Cat
OriginBoston
GenresRoots Rock/Pop/Cowpunk
Years active1983-1990
Musical artist

Scruffy The Cat was a Roots Rock/Pop/Cowpunk band from Boston, active from 1983 to 1990, with reunion shows in 2011.

At time credited as forefathers of the alt-country movement, the band's line-up consisted of Charlie Chesterman (guitar, harmonica, vocals); Stephen Fredette (lead guitar, vocals); Mac Paul Stanfield (bass); Randall Lee Gibson IV (drums); Stona Fitch (electric banjo, mandolin, accordion, keyboards 1984-87); and Burns Stanfield (keyboards 1987-90). Their music has been described as "a combination of early Elvis Costello and the Attractions with a touch of Jason & the Scorchers’ tough country punk and the American jangle of the Byrds."

Early years and output

Lead singer Charlie Chesterman and bassist Mac Paul Stanfield played together in The Law, one of Iowa’s first punk bands, in the late 1970’s along with future Young Fresh Fellows drummer Tad Hutchinson. Chesterman and Stanfield moved from Iowa to Boston to become part of that city`s more active music scene. In 1983, they met guitarist Stephen Fredette, drummer Randall Lee Gibson IV and banjo player Stona Fitch and began prowling local clubs.

The band was signed to Relativity Records in 1986 and released its first two EPs, High Octane Revival (1986) and Boom Boom Boom Bingo (1987). High Octane Revival was voted the #4 EP of 1986 in the Village Voice's "Pazz & Jop" Critics list. In 1987, Scruffy The Cat released its debut album, Tiny Days, with the singles "Never Never/Time Never Forgets" and "Mybabyshesallright". Tiny Days was in the top 5 of college national radio charts and ranked #4 in the Village Voice year end critics poll of 1987. Videos for the two singles received rotation on MTV's 120 Minutes and the album Tiny Days was one of the top 10 college albums in Rolling Stones upon its release. In 1988, the band released its second album, Moons Of Jupiter, which was followed by the single "Love Song #9" in 1989. Moons Of Jupiter was recorded in Memphis with famed producer Jim Dickinson at the legendary Ardent Studios. Chris Heim of the Chicago Tribune wrote that Moons of Jupiter is a "more relaxed and polished effort that wraps the group's typically catchy pop hooks in the fuzzy warmth of sweet Memphis soul." Moons of Jupiter spent eight weeks on the Billboard 200 album list, peaking at number 177. The first single from the LP, also titled Moons of Jupiter, reached the Billboard Alternative Songs chart, spending six weeks on the chart and peaking at number 23.

Touring Life, Breakup & Reunions

Following a couple initial shows in 1983, Scruffy The Cat toured almost non-stop between 1984 and 1990, playing mostly in and around the Boston area in 1984 and 1985 but then extending their reach regionally and then nationally. They had several national tours and shared the bill with such acts as The Replacements, Yo La Tengo, and Los Lobos. The band played its final shows in 1990 before disbanding. In 2011, Scruffy The Cat played three reunion shows in the Boston area, with the initial show being arranged as a benefit concert for the cancer-stricken Chesterman. Chesterman died in November 2013.

Time Never Forgets: The revival of Scruffy The Cat

On August 19, 2014, Sony Music released all of Scruffy The Cat's officially-released material, remastered, as a 38-track package titled Time Never Forgets: The Anthology (86-88), available by download only from iTunes, Amazon.com and Google. On September 16, 2014, Omnivore Recordings are set to release a 23-track collection of previously-unreleased and rare recordings titled The Good Goodbye: Unreleased Recordings 1984-1990.

Discography

  • High Octane Revival (1986)
  • Boom Boom Boom Bingo (1987)
  • Tiny Days (1987)
  • Moons of Jupiter (1988)

Compilations

  • Time Never Forgets: The Anthology (86-88) (Sony 2014)
  • The Good Goodbye: Unreleased Recordings 1984-1990 (Omnivore 2014)

References

  1. Cragin, Sally (5 Feb 1985). Cellars by Starlight, Boston Phoenix
  2. Miles, Milo (24 March 1987). Pop-pourri, Boston Phoenix
  3. Perry, Jonathan (10 June 2011). Charlie’s angels: An all-star benefit celebrates the music of the former Scruffy the Cat frontman, Boston Herald
  4. http://www.americansongwriter.com/2014/08/scruffy-cat-time-never-forgets-anthology/
  5. http://rpmlifeinanalog.com/2013/11/05/king-size-talent-the-scruffy-sweetheart-of-the-rodeo-charlie-chesterman/
  6. http://omnivorerecordings.com/artist/scruffy-the-cat/
  7. ^ Heim, Chris (28 November 1988). Cool Cats: Boston Band Takes Soul Lessons In Memphis, Chicago Tribune
  8. Popson, Tom (1 April 1988). Purring Right Along With Scruffy The Cat, Chicago Tribune
  9. Moore, Rogert (31 March 1988). Scruffy the Cat, Chicago Reader
  10. http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/pjres86.php
  11. Gordon, Robert (15 July 1987). Life Purrs Along For Scruffy The Cat The Bouncy Boston Band Has A Best-selling Album, Philadelphia Inquirer
  12. DeCurtis, Anthony (26 June 1987). Travis Goes More Traditional / `Tiny Days` Is Energetic, Fun, Sun Sentinel
  13. http://omnivorerecordings.com/artist/scruffy-the-cat/
  14. http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1915&dat=19870709&id=Nf8gAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dnMFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3536,1754966
  15. ^ Scruffy the Cat - Chart History, billboard.com, Retrieved 29 August 2014)
  16. http://rpmlifeinanalog.com/2013/11/05/king-size-talent-the-scruffy-sweetheart-of-the-rodeo-charlie-chesterman/
  17. (16 August 2011). Scruffy the Cat reunites after 20 years, will play two Boston concerts in October, Slicing Up Eyeballs
  18. Morse, Steve (19 November 2013). Charlie Chesterman, 53, effortlessly cool roots rocker, Boston Globe
  19. Omnivore Recordings - The Good Goodbye, omnivorecordings.com, Retrieved 29 August 2014

External links

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