Madcats

Toronto’s Madcats were formed in 1977 by former Fullerton Dam founders guitarist Grant Fullerton (also ex of and Lighthouse) and keyboardist Brad MacDonald, after their previous group failed to make an impact on the charts after an album and a couple of singles. They added former vocalist from The Mike McKenna Band, Bobby Blake, John Erdman on bass, and drummer Glen Gratto, and began playing the circuit while working on some material.
They were signed to Skyline Records and entered Sounds Interchange Studios in November 1977 with producer John Driscoll. With a straight forward rock approach, their eponymous debut album was in the stores early the next year, with Fullerton writing every song, and singing lead on several of them. Three singles were released over the next year, beginning with “Too Late For Love” b/w “Take All The Love.” But like the follow-ups “We Can Get The Feelin'” and “Woman’s Got The Power Over Me,” it made little impact on the charts.
Reps at Buddah Records got a listen, and picked up the album for US distribution through Arista in ’79. One stipulation they had though was to change the jacket, as apparently a woman in a straight jacket being hit by men is less offensive if she isn’t in a cage.
But when the record made no headway in the US either, the band found itself without a label. They carried on for a year or so, playing mostly in Ontario, when they were signed to a new deal with Domenic Troiano‘s Freedom Records in 1981.
They went back to Sounds Interchange with new bassist Clarence Greer and producer Jack Richardson, and released STREETGAME later that year. With a more refined overall sound than their debut, the cover of The Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Summer In The City” came and went before cracking the top 40. The follow-up “Call It Quits” with the non-album b-side “Young Man’s World” also did reasonably well on the Canadian charts, but by ’82 the band found itself again without a label.
They continued touring for another year or so while looking for a new deal, but eventually disbanded. Everyone went on to their own individual projects, or got out of the business all together.