The Bloodless Pharaohs were a leading band on the New York alternative music scene in the late 1970s. The 4-piece featured Rockabilly brothers Brian and Gary Setzer in their line-up, and the disbanding of The Pharaohs gave the brothers a chance to play the Rockabilly music that they as they became a trio called The Tomcats. Apart from being fronted by Brian Setzer, the fact this his brother Gary played a stripped-down, stand-up drum kit is a notable piece of Rockabilly history, something continued when the Tomcats evolved into the Stray Cats, and singer Brian headed off to London and international stardom with Lee Rocker and Slim Jim Phantom. Meanwhile Gary Setzer continued rockin', over the years playing in successful bands including The Rebel Rockers and King Cadillac. The Setzer Brothers also cut a live album together in Japan. The years of remaining true to his love of Rockabilly have paid dividends on this latest album on which he teams up with legendary Rockabilly guitarist Barry Ryan. The result is small a step back to his Tomcats trio Rockabilly roots, but a huge leap forward into a full throttle sound that anyone seeking hard rockin' music carrying the Setzer brand will love. The Rockats story begins in 1980 after Levi & The Rockats broke up. When Levi Dexter went solo Dibbs Preston and Smutty Smith recruited Tim Scott, Jerry Nolan and Barry Ryan and The Rockats kept rockin', becoming one of the most successful American bands of the Rockabilly Revival. They were soon signed by Island Records and touring as a headline act, as well as with Dave Edmunds, David Bowie, Tina Turner and The Cramps. They went on to be signed by RCA in 1984, releasing a classic Neo-Rockabilly album in Make That Move with the accompanying video becoming an MTV hit. Their popularity soon spread over to Europe and particularly to Japan. Barry Ryan's credits also include his successful Rockabilly/Cajun crossover band Lucky 7, and prior to the Rockats he was in The Victims, the only other band signed to The Misfits own Plan 9 label. In recent years he has been regular guitar player for Robert Gordon, and release a rockin' solo album called Let There Be Rockabilly. Gary Setzer and Barry Ryan is the perfect Rockabilly combination, and their debut album Rockabilly Express blasts out hard rockers that any fan of their previous bands will love. Indeed, they surpass any of Gary's work with his brother Brian, his subsequent recordings as a frontman, or Barry's major label releases with The Rockats with all-out rockers like Hot Train To Hell, Whiskey Boys and Las Vegas Blues. This Rockabilly Express rocks hard and is not for the feint hearted, though there is plenty of intermittent material here that references their diverse Americana roots.