# No more Stray Cat Strut? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [February 19, 2025, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-stray-cat-strut/1014525 "2025-02-19T18:51:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-stray-cat-strut/1014525/1 "2025-02-19T18:51:00Z")
Brian Setzer says he can no longer play guitar. > **[Brian Setzer says he can no longer play guitar due to an autoimmune disease |...](https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/18/entertainment/brian-setzer-autoimmune-disease/index.html)** > > Brian Setzer of the Stray Cats says he has been dealing with a health issue that has affected his ability to perform on stage. > “Towards the end of the last Stray Cats tour I noticed that my hands were cramping up,” Setzer wrote. “I’ve since discovered that I have an auto-immune disease. I cannot play guitar. There is no pain, but it feels like I am wearing a pair of gloves when I try to play.” > Setzer has not shared what type of autoimmune disease he is battling. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-stray-cat-strut/1014525/2 "2025-02-19T18:55:47Z")
Well, he can always fall back on The Brian Setzer Orchestra. I mean, it’s his orchestra, so all he should have to do is direct, right? ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-stray-cat-strut/1014525/3 "2025-02-19T19:41:13Z")
I assume you’ve never seen the Brian Setzer Orchestra. ---
**Author:** ![Hermione1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d07c76/32.png) [@Hermione1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermione1)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-stray-cat-strut/1014525/4 "2025-02-19T20:02:30Z")
Aw geez. A friend and I saw the Stray Cats in Atlantic City last summer, and they did a great job. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-stray-cat-strut/1014525/5 "2025-02-19T20:22:32Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > I assume you’ve never seen the Brian Setzer Orchestra. As I recall, it’s a guitar, a bass, two drums and a cymbal. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-stray-cat-strut/1014525/6 "2025-02-19T21:49:59Z")
It’s a bit bigger than that! [![](https://ia601203.us.archive.org/18/items/brian-setzer-orchestra-2004-christmas-extravaganza/Brian%20Setzer%20Orchestra%202004%20Christmas%20Extravaganza.jpg) ](https://ia601203.us.archive.org/18/items/brian-setzer-orchestra-2004-christmas-extravaganza/Brian%20Setzer%20Orchestra%202004%20Christmas%20Extravaganza.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-stray-cat-strut/1014525/7 "2025-02-19T22:03:11Z")
Man, I LOVE the way he plays guitar. I thought I recalled he also had some pretty severe tinnitus. Too bad. I know nothing about the guy, but his music sure is fun! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-stray-cat-strut/1014525/8 "2025-02-19T22:08:37Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > I thought I recalled he also had some pretty severe tinnitus. Mentioned at the end of the CNN article. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-stray-cat-strut/1014525/9 "2025-02-19T22:10:31Z")
Sorry, didn’t read the article. Just took your word for it. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-stray-cat-strut/1014525/10 "2025-02-19T22:16:21Z")
Well, I mean, that’s an “Extravaganza!” It would be misleading if it weren’t a bit bigger than a trio combo. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2025, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-stray-cat-strut/1014525/11 "2025-02-20T03:14:50Z")
The Orchestra in that photo looks small compared with my memory of a 2002 corporate event. Never was a fan of the stray cats, but that corporate show was a rocking great time! ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2025, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-stray-cat-strut/1014525/12 "2025-02-20T22:03:40Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > Never was a fan of the stray cats, but that corporate show was a rocking great time! Same here, never paid any attention to the Stray Cats, but the **Brian Setzer Orchestra** was terrific. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2025, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-stray-cat-strut/1014525/13 "2025-02-20T22:18:59Z")
Never knew about that! ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2025, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-stray-cat-strut/1014525/14 "2025-02-20T22:20:48Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > Never was a fan of the stray cats I absolutely HATED the Stray cats when they were new. Stupid poseur band. They were like the rat rods of music: invoking a past time (50s era rockabilly) and completely getting it wrong. I was a music (and cultural) snob, I admit. I was 20. But when The Dirty Boogie came out, I heard it was a nice example of the swing revival, so I bought it, and was hooked. I have most of his albums. And I’ve reevaluated the Stray Cats. It helps that it has been longer between now and 1980 (by quite a bit!) than it was between the Stray Cats and 50s rockabilly. And the DVD of his Christmas Extravaganza is a yearly watch in our house. Check it out! > [@Chefguy](#): > > Never knew about that! They do quite a good number of songs, including a rockin’ version of the Nutcracker Suite. Listening to that, I often wonder what Tchaikovsky would have thought. “They’re ruining my music”, or “hey this is fun! Cool!” ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2025, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-more-stray-cat-strut/1014525/15 "2025-02-21T19:28:40Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > They do quite a good number of songs, including a rockin’ version of the Nutcracker Suite. Listening to that, I often wonder what Tchaikovsky would have thought. “They’re ruining my music”, or “hey this is fun! Cool!” Probably “Nutrocker”, been around since 1962. For anyone who’s interested in the orchestra I’d strongly recommend the **Dirty Boogie** album. An amazing blend of Big Band Swing with a _very_ good rockabilly frontman.