Drummer Slim Jim Phantom was born James McDonnell on March 20, 1961 in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in Massapequa, Long Island. McDonnell listened to his parents' jazz records as a kid and started taking drumming lessons at age ten. Moreover, James took lessons from musician Mousie Alexander that included the study of jazz and working through books by Jim Chapin and Ted Reed. He jammed with fellow musicians Lee Rocker and Brian Setzer throughout grade school. McDonnell, Setzer, and Rocker formed the rockabilly group the Stray Cats in 1979. The Stray Cats scored several hit songs (most notably the rousing "Rock This Town" in 1982) and released a few successful albums prior to breaking up in 1984. In 1985 James and Rocker formed the group Phantom, Rocker, and Slick with former David Bowie guitarist Earl Slick; the trio had a minor hit with the song "Men Without Shame." McDonnell married actress Britt Ekland on March 20, 1984; the couple had a son named T.J. and eventually divorced in 1992. James continues to play drums with his own self-titled roots rock trio and the band the Head Cat with Lemmy from Motorhead and guitarist Danny B. Harvey. He owns and runs the famous nightspot the Cat Club on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood, California.