{{Short description|British rockabilly revival band}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}} {{Unreliable sources|date=February 2012}} {{redirect|Make that Move|the Shalamar song|Shalamar discography#Singles}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Levi and the Rockats | image = Levi Dexter (5829254054).jpg | caption = Levi Dexter performing in Tokyo, Japan, 1992 | origin = Southend-on-Sea, England | genre = Rockabilly, cowpunk, new wave | label = RAK Records | years_active = 1977–present | past_members = * Levi Dexter * Dibbs Preston * Barry Ryan * Danny B. Harvey * Smutty Smiff * Jerry Nolan * Lewis King | website = {{URL|http://www.racey.net/}} {{URL|http://www.raceyweb.com/history.htm}} }}
'''Levi and the Rockats''' are a British rockabilly revival band originally from Essex.<ref name="myspace.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.myspace.com/therockats|title=THE ROCKATS|work=Myspace}}</ref> They are recognised as one of the pioneering neo-rockabilly groups of the 1980s.<ref name="google.co.uk">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qAHvUO5GknMC&q=levi+dexter+rockats&pg=PA238|title=Go Cat Go!: Rockabilly Music and Its Makers|first=Craig|last=Morrison|date=25 May 1996|publisher=University of Illinois Press|isbn=9780252065385}}</ref>
==History== Levi & the Rockats were founded in 1977<ref>[http://dibbspreston.com/history.html Dibbs Preston interview] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314175116/http://dibbspreston.com/history.html |date=2012-03-14 }}</ref> by Levi Dexter, a Teddy Boy from Southend-on-Sea.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ponyboymagazine.com/levi-dexter-neo-rockabilly/|title=Levi Dexter | Neo-Rockabilly Legend | website=Ponyboymagazine.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.myspace.com/therockats#ixzz10ecVQCJ5|title=THE ROCKATS|work=Myspace.com}}</ref> His main influences included Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran and Elvis Presley, musicians popular among the 1960s British rocker subculture.<ref name="google.co.uk"/> In December 1979 Levi & the Rockats disbanded and the Rockats continued under that name. Levi Dexter went solo and is still performing rockabilly music and was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.punkglobe.com/levidexterinterview0610.html|title=LEVI DEXTER|website=Punkglobe.com|accessdate=2020-05-25}}</ref>
In the 1980s, the Rockats opened for groups like Kiss, Iggy Pop, The Clash, David Bowie, Tina Turner, Thin Lizzy, and The Pretenders.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rockabillybash.com/bands_info.php?id=277|title=Rockabilly Bash – Bands – Rockats, The|website=Rockabillybash.com}}</ref> After Levi Dexter left the band, it was re-formed with Dibbs Preston on vocals.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gretschpages.com/forum/gretsch-events/texas-rockabilly-revival-the-music-the-rockats/11907/page1/|title=A Gretsch newbee at 60.....who needs Viagra? : Modern Gretsch Guitars : The Gretsch Pages|website=Gretschpages.com}}</ref> This band is notable as one of the first rockabilly groups to incorporate punk rock and new wave influences to appeal to both punks and Teds, influencing later groups like Brian Setzer's Stray Cats and Dave Alvin's The Blasters, while retaining the raw authenticity of pre-British invasion Rock and roll.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.punkglobe.com/levidexterinterview0610.html|title=LEVI DEXTER|website=Punkglobe.com}}</ref>
==Awards== The Rockats toured the UK, Japan and US.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://punkturns30.blogspot.com/2008/05/levi-dexter-rockats-punk-rockabilly.html|title=Punk Turns 30: Levi Dexter & the RockatsPunk Rockabilly|website=Punkturns30.blogspot.com|date=8 May 2008}}</ref> They also appeared on Andy Warhol's TV show in 1979 and were interviewed by Deborah Harry.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZKw0AQAAIAAJ&q=levi+rockats+andy+warhol|title=Andy Warhol: cine, vídeo y TV|first1=Andy|last1=Warhol|first2=Juan|last2=Guardiola|first3=Fundació Antoni|last3=Tàpies|date=25 May 2000|publisher=Fundació Antoni Tàpies|isbn=9788488786500}}</ref> Their most successful single was "Make that Move"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kinemagigz.com/%27l%27.htm#Levi_&_The_Rockats|title=All The Acts / Bands Who Played The Kinema Ballroom Dunfermline – 'L'|website=Kinemagigz.com}}</ref> which charted on the MTV charts in 1984, shortly after the band was signed on with RCA records.<ref name="myspace.com"/>
==Discography==
===Studio recordings=== *"Room to Rock/All Thru the Nite" (Peer Communications 1979) *"Rockabilly Idol/Note from the South" (Peer Communications 1979) *"Rockabilly Doll" 7" (Kat Tale Records, 1980) *''Make That Move'' EP (RCA, 1983) *''Downtown Saturday Night'' LP (Jimco Records Japan, 1994) *''The Good, the Bad, the Rockin''' LP (Fury Records, 1997) *''True Hearted Woman'' EP (Downer Records Japan, 2000) *''Rollin' Thunder'' LP (Downer Records Japan, 2001) *''Wild Love'' LP (Blue Leaf Records, 2003) *''Rockin' Together'' LP (Lanark Records, 2013)
===Live recordings=== *''Live at the Ritz'' LP (Island Records, 1981) *''Live at the Louisiana Hayride'' LP (Posh Boy Records, 1981) *''Raw in Japan'' LP (Jimco Records Japan, 1992) *''The Last Bop – Farewell 1984'' LP (Revel Yell Music Japan, 2003)
==Members== *Levi Dexter – lead vocal *Dibbs Preston – lead vocal *Stephen Dennis "Smutty Smiff" Smith – standup bass *Mick Barry – rhythm guitar, vocals *Barry Ryan – lead guitar *Dean Thomas – drummer *Guy Hemmer – rhythm guitar *Danny B.Harvey – lead guitar *Lewis King (Curt Weiss) – drums *Ira Kaye – drums *Steve Clark – drums *Jerry Nolan – drums
==References== {{Reflist}}
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Category:British rockabilly music groups Category:Cowpunk musical groups Category:English new wave musical groups Category:Musical groups established in 1977 Category:Musical groups from Essex