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Stray Cats - Rock This Town - Guitar Lesson

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Stray Cats - Rock This Town - Guitar Lesson

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Stray Cats - Rock This Town guitar lesson video
Guitar 365
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Classic Rock

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Stray Cats Rock A major
Capo Advisor 0 A major · Original key

Rock This Town

"Rock This Town" by the Stray Cats is a high-energy rockabilly track performed by the American trio formed in 1979, featuring guitarist and vocalist Brian Setzer alongside Lee Rocker and Slim Jim Phantom. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has listed it as one of the songs that shaped rock and roll. For electric guitar players, it offers an excellent entry point into rockabilly technique, showcasing Setzer's signature blend of vintage country picking, jazz chord voicings, and raw rock and roll attitude.

  • Brian Setzer's guitar style on this track blends 1950s rockabilly picking with jazz-influenced chord work, making it a technical study.
  • The Stray Cats formed in Massapequa, New York in 1979 and found major chart success across the UK, Australia, Canada, and the US.
  • The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recognizes 'Rock This Town' as one of the defining songs that shaped the history of rock and roll.
Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

Setzer uses Marshall JCM800s on later recordings for a dirtier, more aggressive tone than his vintage Fender Bassmans, pushing the amp into controllable breakup for harder rockabilly edges while maintaining dynamic pick sensitivity.

Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9
Pedal

Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9

The TS9 serves as Setzer's occasional solo boost, adding controlled overdrive that stacks naturally with the Gretsch's TV Jones pickups for punchy lead tones without losing the snappy high-end clarity essential to rockabilly.

MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay
Pedal

MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay

This analog delay recreates Setzer's signature slapback tone, delivering the classic 120-140ms repeat at 40-50% mix that gives Stray Cats records their vintage ambiance while preserving the natural hollowbody resonance.

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