Bandleader, producer, guitarist and vocalist Paul Neuendorf has had a long and fascinating journey through the roots music scene in Melbourne. He was a founding member of the legendary Dancehall Racketeers that brought Western Swing, Cajun and Hillbilly boogie to Australia and performed throughout the country for 20 years. He sang on their first recording in 1980 with the Preston label and recorded "The Yarraville Sessions" with them in the 90's. Paul was also an original member of Zydeco Jump that first brought the excitement of Louisiana dance music to Australia. After one album and five years with Zydeco Jump he joined the much loved Texicali Rose to play cumbias, rancheros and polkas and recorded two award winning albums.Texicali played in festivals all over Australia and toured to New Caledonia and Canada. Pauls next project was to form Blues Before Sunrise, a hard hitting blues outfit that included Ian Collard, Mike Andrews,Doug Kelly and Alan Wright. Paul produced the bands two albums and won two Chain awards where he was voted vocalist of the year in 2000.

The Alleycats began as a regular jam session at Pauls home in Blackburn with Peter Somerville. Material included Bluegrass, Country Blues, Western Swing, Cajun, and some old Jimmie Rodgers tunes. Tunes that they had heard over the years and always wanted to record. Peter had just had a very successful stint with Uncle Bill and the sessions quickly grew to include Adam Gare (Uncle Bill), Paul Pyle (Moonee Valley Drifters), Rick Dempster (Racketeers, Autodrifters) and Dave Hubbard (Captain Matchbox). This lineup was recorded at a session at Pauls home on Rob Grenvilles portable recording equipment in June 2002. It was an especially emotional vocal performance as Pauls father was dying at the time. The band began to perform at The Port Fairy Folk Festival and had regular spots at the Lomond Hotel in Brunswick.

The following year the band recorded again with two sessions in June and July 2003, again at Pauls home but with a different lineup. This time the band included Tony O'Neil on mandolin and Hamish Davidson on fiddle. There were some inspiring solos at these sessions and the three part harmony singing of Paul , Peter and Dave just seemed to come together perfectly.