[elrod-tom]

Last week I was in my favorite independent record store - Dearborn Music - picking up my latest haul of CD's:

Art Pepper - The Way it Was [MOFI]
Wilco - Wilco
Janis Joplin - A Box of Pearls (used)
Tom Waits - Frank's Wild Years
Tom Waits - Swordfishtrombones

I also took a few minutes to chat up one of the big buyers there about the availability of the new Beatles boxes for pre-order (just waiting for the chance...

)

Then, at the register, as I'm about to cash out, I see something I've been waiting on for some time:

The Rockets - The Rockets / No Ballads

This was one of THE bands in the Detroit music scene when I was growing up. Their sound was one part Bob Segar, one part Aerosmith, and one part early-ish REO Speedwagon. The group was founded by two former members of Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, Johnny "Bee" Bandajek and Jim McCarty. Their lead singer, Dave Gilbert, was a charismatic presence on stage, on par with a young Mick Jagger or Steven Tyler. Unfortunately, he had a weakness for alcohol and drugs, and the Rockets were over before they even really got started. Gilbert died a few years ago after a long battle with liver problems.

A link to a Metro Times article, for anyone who hasn't heard the story who might be interested:

Metro Times - Music: Rocket to the crypt

At any rate, there it was...WOW, I've been waiting for this one for a while.

What memories are caught up in that music for me. I remember listening to it while skiing on my Sony Walkman, to seeing them in concert opening up for Ted Nugent, and to seeing them on their own a handful of times as a student at the University of Michigan.

Two of my favorite albums from the vinyl years. I can almost see that old RSO label spinning in my minds eye.

If there were ever a reason to visit your local independent record store, things like this are the reason. What a find.

So...any of y'all out there remember The Rockets??

 

[hypoicon]

Bought this one from a cut-out bin in the mid eighties. Never thought much of it. It just goes to show you, one man's trash is another's treasure.

 

[cardude]

Yeah, I remember the Rockets. I have both of those on vinyl and just picked up the CD version last month. I saw them live at least nine or ten times, when they were the opening act for quite a few bands back in the day.

I've been searching for both of those discs for many years, and saw them on Amazon as a single CD, and ordered it immediately. It was just released last month.

My favorite songs by them are Desire, Takin' It Back, Turn Up The Radio and of course the Fleetwood Mac cover tune; Oh Well. Really good stuff, hope you enjoy it.