Rocket From The Tombs
Encyclopedia
Rocket From the Tombs is an American rock music
band originally active from mid-1974 to mid-1975 in Cleveland, Ohio
.
Heralded as an important protopunk
group, they were little known during their lifetime, though various members later achieved renown in Pere Ubu
and the Dead Boys. Billy Bob Hargus wrote, however, that "The sound of the Rockets is much more ferocious than Ubu or the Dead Boys."
, and Glen "Thunderhand" Hach sharing guitar duties; Charlie Weiner on bass and other implements; and Tom Foolery (née Clements) on drums.
There was some fluctuation of the group's personnel, but the classic lineup included David Thomas
(then known as "Crocus Behemoth"), Peter Laughner
, Craig Bell, Gene O'Connor
(a.k.a. Cheetah Chrome
), and Johnny Madansky (presently known as "Johnny Blitz
").
When RFTT disbanded, the personnel split and formed two different musical groups:
Both groups used songs first written or performed by Rocket From The Tombs as parts of their repertoires: the Dead Boys were known for "Ain't It Fun
," "What Love Is," "Down in Flames," "Caught With the Meat in Your Mouth" (done by RFTT as "I'm Never Gonna Kill Myself Again") and "Sonic Reducer
"; Pere Ubu went on to reinterpret "Final Solution," "Life Stinks" and "30 Seconds Over Tokyo."
Rocket From The Tombs never recorded an album in their lifetime, but various live recordings and demos circulated occasionally as bootlegs
. Most of these were collected on a single CD by Smog Veil records, and titled The Day the Earth Met the Rocket from the Tombs (2002).
CD rekindled interest in Rocket From The Tombs, and they reformed in 2003 with original members Thomas, Chrome, and Bell, joined by Richard Lloyd (guitar), and Steve Mehlman (drums). Some claim that decades earlier, when Lloyd briefly quit the New York-based band Television
, Laughner was seriously considered as his replacement. However, on his website richardlloyd.com, Richard Lloyd asserts that Laughner "was never even close to being in Television, unless I was way out of town for a month, and I don't think so."
On June 10, 2003 they played their first live radio concert since the '70's (when two shows live from the Agora club aired on WMMS) on Brian Turner's program on WFMU
.
In 2004, Smog Veil and Morphius released Rocket Redux, consisting of Rocket From The Tombs originals performed in studio by the 2003 lineup. It received mostly positive reviews; Joe Tangari declares that Redux "never sounds like a complacent reunion record, and in a way, I suppose it's not really a reunion record in the first place so much as it's a debut album, played with all the hunger and fire of a band eager to make their mark on the world."
In 2006, Thomas announced that the band had again reunited, this time to work on new material. The band toured the US in the summer of 2006 and debuted some new songs, but no further activity occurred until 2009 when the band contributed a song to the Mark Mulcahy
tribute album Ciao My Shining Star. An album of new material, Barfly was released on September 13, 2011 with a tour scheduled to begin in November 2011.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band originally active from mid-1974 to mid-1975 in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
.
Heralded as an important protopunk
Protopunk
Protopunk is a term used retrospectively to describe a number of musicians who were important precursors of punk rock in the late 1960s to mid-1970s, or who have been cited by early punk musicians as influential...
group, they were little known during their lifetime, though various members later achieved renown in Pere Ubu
Pere Ubu (band)
Pere Ubu is an experimental rock music group formed in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1975. Despite many long-term band members, singer David Thomas is the only constant...
and the Dead Boys. Billy Bob Hargus wrote, however, that "The sound of the Rockets is much more ferocious than Ubu or the Dead Boys."
Band history
In 1974, the original line-up included Chris Cuda, Peter LaughnerPeter Laughner
Peter Laughner was an American guitarist, songwriter and singer.A native of Bay Village, Ohio, Laughner remains a rather little known figure; nonetheless, Richie Unterberger described him as "probably the single biggest catalyst in the birth of Cleveland's alternative rock scene in the mid...
, and Glen "Thunderhand" Hach sharing guitar duties; Charlie Weiner on bass and other implements; and Tom Foolery (née Clements) on drums.
There was some fluctuation of the group's personnel, but the classic lineup included David Thomas
David Thomas (musician)
David Lynn Thomas is an American singer, songwriter, and musician.He was one of the founding members of the short-lived protopunkers Rocket From The Tombs , where he went by the name of Crocus Behemoth, and of punk group Pere Ubu . He has also released several solo albums...
(then known as "Crocus Behemoth"), Peter Laughner
Peter Laughner
Peter Laughner was an American guitarist, songwriter and singer.A native of Bay Village, Ohio, Laughner remains a rather little known figure; nonetheless, Richie Unterberger described him as "probably the single biggest catalyst in the birth of Cleveland's alternative rock scene in the mid...
, Craig Bell, Gene O'Connor
Cheetah Chrome
Cheetah Chrome is an American musician who achieved fame as a guitarist for Rocket From the Tombs and the punk rock band, The Dead Boys....
(a.k.a. Cheetah Chrome
Cheetah Chrome
Cheetah Chrome is an American musician who achieved fame as a guitarist for Rocket From the Tombs and the punk rock band, The Dead Boys....
), and Johnny Madansky (presently known as "Johnny Blitz
Johnny Blitz
John Madansky, known as Johnny Blitz, is a punk rock drummer from Cleveland, Ohio, best known as being a member of the bands The Dead Boys and Rocket From The Tombs. With the Dead Boys he helped pioneer the punk rock sound, look and attitude of the mid to late 1970s.A Boston Globe retrospective...
").
When RFTT disbanded, the personnel split and formed two different musical groups:
- O'Connor and Madansky joined with singer Stiv BatorsStiv BatorsStiv Bators , was an American punk rockvocalist and guitarist from Youngstown, Ohio. He is best remembered for his bands, The Dead Boys and The Lords of the New Church.- Music and film career :...
(who made a guest appearance on-stage at the last RFTT show) to form Frankenstein, which later morphed into the Dead Boys, a more straightforward punk rockPunk rockPunk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
group. - Laughner and Thomas went on to form the more experimental Pere UbuPere Ubu (band)Pere Ubu is an experimental rock music group formed in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1975. Despite many long-term band members, singer David Thomas is the only constant...
with bassist Tim Wright (RFTT's soundman). Laughner died in 1977, of acute pancreatitis brought on by years of drinking and drugging.
Both groups used songs first written or performed by Rocket From The Tombs as parts of their repertoires: the Dead Boys were known for "Ain't It Fun
Ain't It Fun
"Ain't It Fun" is a song written by written by Peter Laughner and Gene O'Connor and performed by their protopunk band Rocket from the Tombs. The song was first released by O'Connor's later group, The Dead Boys, on their 1978 second studio album We Have Come for Your Children...
," "What Love Is," "Down in Flames," "Caught With the Meat in Your Mouth" (done by RFTT as "I'm Never Gonna Kill Myself Again") and "Sonic Reducer
Sonic Reducer
"Sonic Reducer" is a punk rock song written by Gene O'Connor and David Thomas during their tenure in Rocket from the Tombs, which made its debut on the Dead Boys 1977 album Young, Loud and Snotty...
"; Pere Ubu went on to reinterpret "Final Solution," "Life Stinks" and "30 Seconds Over Tokyo."
Rocket From The Tombs never recorded an album in their lifetime, but various live recordings and demos circulated occasionally as bootlegs
Bootleg recording
A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...
. Most of these were collected on a single CD by Smog Veil records, and titled The Day the Earth Met the Rocket from the Tombs (2002).
Reunion
The Smog Veil RecordsSmog Veil Records
Smog Veil Records is a Chicago, IL based independent record label. In addition to standard CD, DVD, and vinyl distribution, Smog Veil all distributes its media via the digital channels, including Napster and iTunes.-Label Information:...
CD rekindled interest in Rocket From The Tombs, and they reformed in 2003 with original members Thomas, Chrome, and Bell, joined by Richard Lloyd (guitar), and Steve Mehlman (drums). Some claim that decades earlier, when Lloyd briefly quit the New York-based band Television
Television (band)
Television was an American rock band, formed in New York City in 1973. They are best known for the album Marquee Moon and widely regarded as one of the founders of "punk" and New Wave music. Television was part of the early 1970s New York underground rock scene, along with bands like the Patti...
, Laughner was seriously considered as his replacement. However, on his website richardlloyd.com, Richard Lloyd asserts that Laughner "was never even close to being in Television, unless I was way out of town for a month, and I don't think so."
On June 10, 2003 they played their first live radio concert since the '70's (when two shows live from the Agora club aired on WMMS) on Brian Turner's program on WFMU
WFMU
WFMU is a listener-supported, independent community radio station headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States, broadcasting at 91.1 MHz FM, presenting a freeform radio format...
.
In 2004, Smog Veil and Morphius released Rocket Redux, consisting of Rocket From The Tombs originals performed in studio by the 2003 lineup. It received mostly positive reviews; Joe Tangari declares that Redux "never sounds like a complacent reunion record, and in a way, I suppose it's not really a reunion record in the first place so much as it's a debut album, played with all the hunger and fire of a band eager to make their mark on the world."
In 2006, Thomas announced that the band had again reunited, this time to work on new material. The band toured the US in the summer of 2006 and debuted some new songs, but no further activity occurred until 2009 when the band contributed a song to the Mark Mulcahy
Mark Mulcahy
Mark Mulcahy is an American musician and former front-man for the New Haven, Connecticut-based band Miracle Legion in the 1980s to mid 1990s. The band earned modest renown, especially in their native New England region, but disbanded after a sad turn of events with their record label, Morgan Creek...
tribute album Ciao My Shining Star. An album of new material, Barfly was released on September 13, 2011 with a tour scheduled to begin in November 2011.
Discography
- The Day the Earth Met the Rocket from the Tombs (2002)
- Rocket Redux (2004)
- 'I Sell Soul' / 'Romeo & Juliet' single (6 Apr 2010)
- "Barfly" (2011)
External links
- Rocket From The Tombs Official website
- Ain't It Fun: Rocket From The Tombs, by Billy Bob Hargus
- Review of The Day the Earth Met the... Rocket From the Tombs/Rocket Redux, Crawdaddy!Crawdaddy!Crawdaddy! was the first U.S. magazine of rock and roll music criticism. Created in 1966 by college student Paul Williams in response to the increasing sophistication and cultural influence of popular music, Crawdaddy! was self-described as "the first magazine to take rock and roll...
, January 16, 2008.