Scruffy The Cat

{{Short description|American roots rock band}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Scruffy The Cat | image = | image_size = | genre = Roots rock, pop, cowpunk | origin = Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | years_active = 1983–1990, 2011 | label = Relativity Records | website = {{URL|http://scruffythecat.com/}} | current_members = | past_members =  * Charlie Chesterman * Stephen Fredette * MacPaul Stanfield * Randall Lee Gibson IV * Stona Fitch * Burns Stanfield }}

'''Scruffy The Cat''' was a roots rock/pop/cowpunk band from Boston,<ref name="phoe1">Cragin, Sally (5 Feb 1985). [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OsctAAAAIBAJ&sjid=w4cFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4633%2C3077532 Cellars by Starlight], ''Boston Phoenix''</ref> active from 1983<ref name="phoe2">Miles, Milo (24 March 1987). [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1959&dat=19870324&id=Kn4hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=t4oFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1548,6561199 Pop-pourri], ''Boston Phoenix''</ref> to 1990. They also played a few reunion shows in 2011, prior to the death of lead singer and guitarist Charlie Chesterman in 2013.

At times credited as a forefather of the alt-country movement,<ref name="bostonher1">Perry, Jonathan (10 June 2011). [http://archive.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2011/06/10/an_all_star_benefit_celebrates_the_music_of_ex_scruffy_the_cat_frontman_charlie_chesterman/ Charlie’s angels: An all-star benefit celebrates the music of the former Scruffy the Cat frontman], ''Boston Herald''</ref> the band's line-up consisted of Charlie Chesterman (guitar, harmonica, vocals); Stephen Fredette (lead guitar, vocals); MacPaul Stanfield (bass); Randall Lee Gibson IV (drums); Stona Fitch (electric banjo, mandolin, accordion, keyboards 1984-87); and Burns Stanfield (keyboards 1987-90). Their music was once 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."<ref name="amsong">Horowitz, Hal (18 Aug 2014). [https://www.americansongwriter.com/2014/08/scruffy-cat-time-never-forgets-anthology/ Scruffy The Cat: Time Never Forgets – The Anthology], ''American Songwriter''</ref>

==Early years and output== Lead singer Charlie Chesterman and bassist MacPaul Stanfield played together in The Law, one of Iowa’s first punk bands,<ref name="rpm">Perry, Jonathan (5 November 2013). [https://rpmlifeinanalog.com/2013/11/05/king-size-talent-the-scruffy-sweetheart-of-the-rodeo-charlie-chesterman/ King Size Talent: Charlie Chesterman, Scruffy Sweetheart of the Radio], ''RPM, Life In Analog''</ref> in the late 1970s, 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.<ref name="chitrib1">Heim, Chris (28 November 1988). [https://www.chicagotribune.com/1988/11/28/cool-cats-4/ Cool Cats: Boston Band Takes Soul Lessons In Memphis], ''Chicago Tribune''</ref><ref name="trib2">Popson, Tom (1 April 1988). [https://www.chicagotribune.com/1988/04/01/purring-right-along-with-scruffy-the-cat/ Purring Right Along With Scruffy The Cat], ''Chicago Tribune''</ref><ref name="chicreader1">Moore, Rogert (31 March 1988). [http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/scruffy-the-cat/Content?oid=871990 Scruffy the Cat], ''Chicago Reader''</ref>

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.<ref name="christ1">[https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/pjres86.php The 1986 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll], RobertChristgau.com, Retrieved 29 August 2014</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). [https://archive.today/20140821051306/http://articles.philly.com/1987-07-15/news/26201559_1_banjo-band-members-scruffy Life Purrs Along For Scruffy The Cat The Bouncy Boston Band Has A Best-selling Album], ''Philadelphia Inquirer''</ref><ref name="sun5">DeCurtis, Anthony (26 June 1987). [https://web.archive.org/web/20140822053934/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1987-06-26/features/8702240518_1_randy-travis-fleshtones-country-music Travis Goes More Traditional / `Tiny Days` Is Energetic, Fun], ''Sun Sentinel''</ref> 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 Stone upon its release.<ref name="day">McCabe, Alec D.B. (9 July 1987). [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1915&dat=19870709&id=Nf8gAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dnMFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3536,1754966 Scruffy the Cat band is purring right along], ''The Day (New London)''</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 Jim Dickinson at the legendary Ardent Studios.<ref name="chitrib1"/> 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."<ref name="chitrib1"/> ''Moons of Jupiter'' spent eight weeks on the Billboard 200 album list, peaking at number 177.<ref name="billhist">[http://www.billboard.com/artist/278466/scruffy-cat/chart Scruffy the Cat - Chart History], billboard.com, Retrieved 29 August 2014)</ref> The first single from the LP, also titled ''Moons of Jupiter'', peaked at number 23 on the ''Billboard'' Modern Rock Tracks chart.<ref name="billhist"/>

==Touring life, breakup & reunions== Following a couple of 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.<ref name="rpm"/> 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.<ref name="slicingone">(16 August 2011). [https://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2011/08/16/scruffy-the-cat-reunion-tt-the-bears-boston/ Scruffy the Cat reunites after 20 years, will play two Boston concerts in October], ''Slicing Up Eyeballs''</ref> Chesterman died in November 2013.<ref name="chestobit1">Morse, Steve (19 November 2013). [https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/obituaries/2013/11/19/charlie-chesterman-dorchester-roots-rocker-known-for-legendary-scruffy-cat-performances/J6yVoAWni3RkEscQrxaBqO/story.html Charlie Chesterman, 53, effortlessly cool roots rocker], ''Boston Globe''</ref>

==''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 released a 23-track collection of previously unreleased and rare recordings titled ''The Good Goodbye: Unreleased Recordings 1984-1990''.<ref name="omni">[http://omnivorerecordings.com/music/the-good-goodbye-unreleased-recordings-1984-1990/ Omnivore Recordings - The Good Goodbye], omnivorecordings.com, Retrieved 29 August 2014</ref>

On Saturday, July 25, 2015, Scruffy the Cat played the last ever set at T.T. the Bear's Place in Cambridge, MA.

==Discography== * ''High Octane Revival'' (1986) * ''Tiny Days'' (1987) * ''Boom Boom Boom Bingo'' (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== {{Reflist|2}}

==External links== * {{official website|http://scruffythecat.com}}

Category:Rock music groups from Massachusetts Category:Musical groups established in 1983 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1990 Category:Relativity Records artists