you should be larger than life on stage welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll be learning more about the life and
be learning more about the life and
be learning more about the life and career of Brian Setzer born April 10th
career of Brian Setzer born April 10th
career of Brian Setzer born April 10th 1959 in Massapequa New York Brian Setzer
1959 in Massapequa New York Brian Setzer
1959 in Massapequa New York Brian Setzer was interested in music from a young age
was interested in music from a young age
was interested in music from a young age and started out playing brass horns
and started out playing brass horns
and started out playing brass horns before switching to guitar I started
before switching to guitar I started
before switching to guitar I started playing guitar as eight years old and
playing guitar as eight years old and
playing guitar as eight years old and luckily my parents my parents didn’t
luckily my parents my parents didn’t
luckily my parents my parents didn’t have a lot of money they’re broke and
have a lot of money they’re broke and
have a lot of money they’re broke and they found a guitar player in the yellow
they found a guitar player in the yellow
they found a guitar player in the yellow pages he really took his time and showed
pages he really took his time and showed
pages he really took his time and showed me how to play the guitar how to read
me how to play the guitar how to read
me how to play the guitar how to read and write music and then of course I was
and write music and then of course I was
and write music and then of course I was influenced by all these people growing
influenced by all these people growing
influenced by all these people growing up as a young boy probably bands like
up as a young boy probably bands like
up as a young boy probably bands like the Allman Brothers and Creedence
the Allman Brothers and Creedence
the Allman Brothers and Creedence Clearwater Revival and then one day I
Clearwater Revival and then one day I
Clearwater Revival and then one day I was listening to a Beatles record and my
was listening to a Beatles record and my
was listening to a Beatles record and my dad came in and started singing along
dad came in and started singing along
dad came in and started singing along with honey domes and I said how do you
with honey domes and I said how do you
with honey domes and I said how do you know how come when you won’t and he was
know how come when you won’t and he was
know how come when you won’t and he was saying long with egos this is by a guy
saying long with egos this is by a guy
saying long with egos this is by a guy named Carl Perkins I don’t know who the
named Carl Perkins I don’t know who the
named Carl Perkins I don’t know who the Beatles are but it’s by a guy named Carl
Beatles are but it’s by a guy named Carl
Beatles are but it’s by a guy named Carl Perkins and then I had realized all the
Perkins and then I had realized all the
Perkins and then I had realized all the Beatles and stones Rolling Stones
Beatles and stones Rolling Stones
Beatles and stones Rolling Stones records the first ones were rockabilly
records the first ones were rockabilly
records the first ones were rockabilly songs so that’s how I really got my
songs so that’s how I really got my
songs so that’s how I really got my vision of well what I was once his
vision of well what I was once his
vision of well what I was once his musical influences were set by the end
musical influences were set by the end
musical influences were set by the end of the 1970s Setzer formed a rockabilly
of the 1970s Setzer formed a rockabilly
of the 1970s Setzer formed a rockabilly revival band the stray cats lineup was
revival band the stray cats lineup was
revival band the stray cats lineup was solidified by 1979 which sets are being
solidified by 1979 which sets are being
solidified by 1979 which sets are being joined by Lee rocker and slim jim
joined by Lee rocker and slim jim
joined by Lee rocker and slim jim phantom the trio then set out to
phantom the trio then set out to
phantom the trio then set out to stimulate interest in their chosen genre
stimulate interest in their chosen genre
stimulate interest in their chosen genre and the music of the 1950s I don’t
and the music of the 1950s I don’t
and the music of the 1950s I don’t really think about reviving music styles
really think about reviving music styles
really think about reviving music styles I love the sounds of music that comes
I love the sounds of music that comes
I love the sounds of music that comes from the blues I love jazz I love
from the blues I love jazz I love
from the blues I love jazz I love country swing rock and roll rockabilly
country swing rock and roll rockabilly
country swing rock and roll rockabilly to me it’s all kit all comes from the
to me it’s all kit all comes from the
to me it’s all kit all comes from the blues and my way of thinking there’s no
blues and my way of thinking there’s no
blues and my way of thinking there’s no reason why you can’t take all these
reason why you can’t take all these
reason why you can’t take all these kinds of music and blend them together
kinds of music and blend them together
kinds of music and blend them together which is which is kind of how I always
which is which is kind of how I always
which is which is kind of how I always thought I never consciously thought of
thought I never consciously thought of
thought I never consciously thought of blending them it just kind of happens in
blending them it just kind of happens in
blending them it just kind of happens in my head and it comes out of my hands
my head and it comes out of my hands
my head and it comes out of my hands that
that
that they gained a following in the New York
they gained a following in the New York
they gained a following in the New York scene however it was their move to the
scene however it was their move to the
scene however it was their move to the United Kingdom that really solidified
United Kingdom that really solidified
United Kingdom that really solidified the stray cats as a success
the stray cats as a success
the stray cats as a success I love the stray cats because the boys
I love the stray cats because the boys
I love the stray cats because the boys in the van are my brothers you know
in the van are my brothers you know
in the van are my brothers you know honey we grew up this was seven years
honey we grew up this was seven years
honey we grew up this was seven years old you know
old you know
old you know I would like to tour the states with
I would like to tour the states with
I would like to tour the states with them we’re just very very popular in
them we’re just very very popular in
them we’re just very very popular in Europe just three months after moving to
Europe just three months after moving to
Europe just three months after moving to England in the summer of 1980 the band
England in the summer of 1980 the band
England in the summer of 1980 the band had a record contract their breakthrough
had a record contract their breakthrough
had a record contract their breakthrough album was 1982’s built for speed and it
album was 1982’s built for speed and it
album was 1982’s built for speed and it made them popular in Europe as well as
made them popular in Europe as well as
made them popular in Europe as well as in the US this record featured the hit
in the US this record featured the hit
in the US this record featured the hit rock this town and that song has since
rock this town and that song has since
rock this town and that song has since been listed as one of the most important
been listed as one of the most important
been listed as one of the most important songs in rock history
they followed that up with stray cat
they followed that up with stray cat strut and these singles exemplified
strut and these singles exemplified
strut and these singles exemplified their punk infused jazz rock style in
their punk infused jazz rock style in
their punk infused jazz rock style in 1984 the band broke up it was also
1984 the band broke up it was also
1984 the band broke up it was also around this time that Setzer began
around this time that Setzer began
around this time that Setzer began performing with former Led Zeppelin
performing with former Led Zeppelin
performing with former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant in his R&B
frontman Robert Plant in his R&B
frontman Robert Plant in his R&B inspired rock band the honey drippers by
inspired rock band the honey drippers by
inspired rock band the honey drippers by 1986 Setzer had struck out on his own
1986 Setzer had struck out on his own
1986 Setzer had struck out on his own and released a mildly successful solo
and released a mildly successful solo
and released a mildly successful solo album even so the stray cats reunited
album even so the stray cats reunited
album even so the stray cats reunited that year and managed to stay together
that year and managed to stay together
that year and managed to stay together until the early 1990s before parting
until the early 1990s before parting
until the early 1990s before parting ways only to reunite again for a
ways only to reunite again for a
ways only to reunite again for a farewell tour in the 2000s in 1987
farewell tour in the 2000s in 1987
farewell tour in the 2000s in 1987 Setzer was able to pay homage to his
Setzer was able to pay homage to his
Setzer was able to pay homage to his idol Eddie Cochran by portraying him in
idol Eddie Cochran by portraying him in
idol Eddie Cochran by portraying him in the film la Bamba he’s my biggest
the film la Bamba he’s my biggest
the film la Bamba he’s my biggest inspiration you know when I saw a
inspiration you know when I saw a
inspiration you know when I saw a picture of Eddie Cochran I said wow I
picture of Eddie Cochran I said wow I
picture of Eddie Cochran I said wow I don’t know I want to look like that guy
don’t know I want to look like that guy
don’t know I want to look like that guy I wanted to just kind of I thought he
I wanted to just kind of I thought he
I wanted to just kind of I thought he was the coolest thing and then when I
was the coolest thing and then when I
was the coolest thing and then when I heard his music it was like a double
heard his music it was like a double
heard his music it was like a double double knock out front you know I just
double knock out front you know I just
double knock out front you know I just play he’s the guy I want to pattern
play he’s the guy I want to pattern
play he’s the guy I want to pattern myself after this guy Eddie Cochran and
myself after this guy Eddie Cochran and
myself after this guy Eddie Cochran and so when I started I really wanted to
so when I started I really wanted to
so when I started I really wanted to sound like him and look like him and
sound like him and look like him and
sound like him and look like him and evolved from there I guess by 1992
evolved from there I guess by 1992
evolved from there I guess by 1992 Setzer had founded the blues and swing
Setzer had founded the blues and swing
Setzer had founded the blues and swing band the Brian Setzer Orchestra I always
band the Brian Setzer Orchestra I always
band the Brian Setzer Orchestra I always do things in extremes they say it took
do things in extremes they say it took
do things in extremes they say it took open three-piece to 18-piece to
open three-piece to 18-piece to
open three-piece to 18-piece to sometimes playing alone no I always play
sometimes playing alone no I always play
sometimes playing alone no I always play the same style of guitar and one day I
the same style of guitar and one day I
the same style of guitar and one day I had the idea to write up a big band to
had the idea to write up a big band to
had the idea to write up a big band to have a big band behind the stray cats
have a big band behind the stray cats
have a big band behind the stray cats and to me I thought to myself why
and to me I thought to myself why
and to me I thought to myself why wouldn’t this work because it’s all the
wouldn’t this work because it’s all the
wouldn’t this work because it’s all the same music yeah it’s true the big band
same music yeah it’s true the big band
same music yeah it’s true the big band is much more jazz oriented so when those
is much more jazz oriented so when those
is much more jazz oriented so when those guys are playing those chords you got to
guys are playing those chords you got to
guys are playing those chords you got to be aware of what’s going past you but to
be aware of what’s going past you but to
be aware of what’s going past you but to me I played the same style of guitar in
me I played the same style of guitar in
me I played the same style of guitar in that format in any format it’s still me
that format in any format it’s still me
that format in any format it’s still me if it’s fun if it’s with three people or
if it’s fun if it’s with three people or
if it’s fun if it’s with three people or 18 people the instrument ensemble was an
18 people the instrument ensemble was an
18 people the instrument ensemble was an ambitious project and the band’s
ambitious project and the band’s
ambitious project and the band’s popularity grew primarily due to its
popularity grew primarily due to its
popularity grew primarily due to its energetic live show the orchestra’s
energetic live show the orchestra’s
energetic live show the orchestra’s biggest mainstream hit came in 1998
biggest mainstream hit came in 1998
biggest mainstream hit came in 1998 with their cover of jump jive an wail
with their cover of jump jive an wail
with their cover of jump jive an wail and that song one set sir one of his
and that song one set sir one of his
and that song one set sir one of his three Grammy Awards I knew that it was
three Grammy Awards I knew that it was
three Grammy Awards I knew that it was something musically that had not been
something musically that had not been
something musically that had not been done before they had not been a guitar
done before they had not been a guitar
done before they had not been a guitar leading a big band because the big-band
leading a big band because the big-band
leading a big band because the big-band era died and rock and roll was born so
era died and rock and roll was born so
era died and rock and roll was born so the two never got to meet throughout his
the two never got to meet throughout his
the two never got to meet throughout his time with the Brian Setzer Orchestra the
time with the Brian Setzer Orchestra the
time with the Brian Setzer Orchestra the frontman continued to release solo
frontman continued to release solo
frontman continued to release solo records in 2002 he joined several
records in 2002 he joined several
records in 2002 he joined several members of rock royalty on an episode of
members of rock royalty on an episode of
members of rock royalty on an episode of The Simpsons mentoring Homer while at
The Simpsons mentoring Homer while at
The Simpsons mentoring Homer while at rock and roll fantasy camp we’re gonna
rock and roll fantasy camp we’re gonna
rock and roll fantasy camp we’re gonna start with the fundamentals playing a
start with the fundamentals playing a
start with the fundamentals playing a burning guitar with your teeth Oh
burning guitar with your teeth Oh
burning guitar with your teeth Oh Setzer is almost as recognizable for his
Setzer is almost as recognizable for his
Setzer is almost as recognizable for his look as he is for his music his bouffant
look as he is for his music his bouffant
look as he is for his music his bouffant blonde pompadour and fifty Scout
blonde pompadour and fifty Scout
blonde pompadour and fifty Scout clothing is a throwback to the original
clothing is a throwback to the original
clothing is a throwback to the original rockabilly days he is recognized as the
rockabilly days he is recognized as the
rockabilly days he is recognized as the man who brought to dying musical genres
man who brought to dying musical genres
man who brought to dying musical genres back to popularity and that’s why Brian
back to popularity and that’s why Brian
back to popularity and that’s why Brian Setzer is known as the King of Swing
Setzer is known as the King of Swing
Setzer is known as the King of Swing most big bands really gonna approach it
most big bands really gonna approach it
most big bands really gonna approach it from the guitar point of view I think um
from the guitar point of view I think um
from the guitar point of view I think um and the guitar leads the orchestra so
and the guitar leads the orchestra so
and the guitar leads the orchestra so it’s gonna rock because that’s what I do
”
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