JiveSync

Since first hitting it big with ’80s rockabilly trio the Stray Cats, Brian Setzer has racked up Grammys, chart hits and a reputation as one of the fi nest guitarists in the biz. In 1992, Setzer reached further back in time for inspiration, forming an 18-piece orchestra that he’s led ever since. His latest album, out Tuesday, is “Wolfgang’s Big Night Out.” On it, the band reworks classical favorites such as Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture,” into rich, swing showpieces.

1 ON SWINGING STRAUSS LIKE A STRAY CAT

I usually get ideas like that when I’m just sitting around playing my guitar. I started playing the “The Blue Danube” waltz by Strauss. I went and overdubbed several guitar parts on it, and my wife said,

“You know, that’s really good!”

2 SOUNDMEN FIGHT TO MIX OUR SOUND

We kind of have it down to a fi ne art at his point. Soundmen fi ght for this gig. They get off on mixing an 18-piece big band. It’s not some guy bugging them for “more vocals.” I still see some pompadours out there, some cats who dig the rockabilly. But it’s a mixed crowd.

3 AN ORCHESTRA OF MY OWN

The Cats had kinda played out. It was ’92. One day I sat down with this guy Mark Jones, told him my idea and we wrote out a chart. I said, “I’ve got this idea. I wanna play big band music, but I

want to lead it with guitar. I want to be in front of it, play solos, rock it out in my style.”

4 WHO BLEW UP THE SWING SCENE

The Royal Crown Revue guys started that whole swing scene, with the jump blues. I really gotta pat those guys on the back. They didn’t have a big band, but I’ve gotta give those guys credit. They had been a rockabilly band fi rst and then started with the swing thing before we did.

5 FRANK COMSTOCK IS A GENIUS

I didn’t even know if the guy was alive. He’s 84. He wrote the “Rocky and Bullwinkle” theme. He’s kooky! He says, “I don’t know if I can do it. I’m 84, I just got out of the hospital.” I got Beethoven’s Fifth back in 5 days! He says, “I love it! Gimme another one!”

6 I WORSHIP “THE TONIGHT SHOW”

I love country, rock, rockabilly. The big band fascination came in when I used to watch the old “Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson. Doc Severinsen’s band just blew me away. I thought, how great would it be if I could just play fi ve songs in front of that big band!

7 CRITICS SAY I’M A NOVELTY ACT

You get that with anything. There are “I hate Led Zeppelin” Web sites. People so rarely hear a big band, though, that it doesn’t come much into question, but there are “blues scientists” for who you have to play it exactly as it was done in 1928 or else it’s no good. It’s not pure enough.

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