The founder members were Tom Newman (later founder of Virgin Records with Richard Branson, and producer of Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells), Pete Cook (later luthier to John Entwistle, and creator of the 'Ned Callan' guitar range with Tom Newman), Allan James (later bass player with psychedelic band July with Newman and Jackson), and Chris Jackson, drummer - (The Devil Rides Out).
In the late 1960s, there was a British band called The Tomcats, which were produced by Bill Wyman, bass player with The Rolling Stones.
Tomcats was the name of Brian Setzer's first rockabilly group, before transforming to the widely known Stray Cats.
While the Bloodless Pharaohs were playing in and out New York, the Tomcats were still holding forth out on Long Island developing the sound and style that would mark the Stray Cats.
In the summer of 1980, the trio sold their equipment and moved to London, taking the name Stray Cats.