Rocket From the Crypt bows out on its own terms, 'celebrating life and having fun'By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
October 27, 2005
John Reis, lead singer of Rocket From the Crypt and founder of Swami Records, sits in his Golden Hill home and speaks via telephone of the spirituality of a live show, musing on the connection between band and audience in a rock 'n' roll holy communion.
"Loud, amplified rock 'n' roll music has the ability to penetrate to your core," said Reis, who also goes by the moniker Speedo or simply the Swami. "It's almost like a communion. Many people go to large sporting events. Many people go to church. Some people watch NASCARs drive around in a circle. These are things that make you feel part of a bigger whole. For us, it's the band and the people who like this music."
After 16 years riding the major-label/indie-label roller coaster and leaving blood and sweat on stages all over the world, Reis and his longtime bandmates in RFTC have one more chance to break bread and drink a little wine with its fans. Calling Halloween their "favorite day of the year," the San Diego-based sextet will call it quits after its annual Oct. 31 show this coming Monday at the Westin Hotel downtown.
Rocket From the Crypt's long journey began back in 1989. Rising from the ashes of San Diego punk band Pitchfork, Reis teamed with bassist Petey X and guitarist ND to form RFTC. The band had one mission: to create an unparalleled live show and blow away audiences with its raucous blend of 1960s dirty rock and 1980s punk: "I wanted to go out and play shows. I wanted to cruise around in a van and I wanted to see the world."
With the addition of trumpet player JC2000, saxophonist Apollo Nine and drummer Atom Willard (later replaced by Ruby Mars), Rocket created a dense rock 'n' roll cacophony. Complete with layers of horns and thrashing drums, Reis' throaty vocals spurred the juggernaut to new heights of rock ecstasy. The volatile live shows – gaining new Rocket converts at each stop – assaulted unsuspecting audiences and caught the attention of Interscope Records.
"We wanted to make music," Reis reminisced. "Rocket From the Crypt has always been about celebrating life and having fun. We've always championed the resourcefulness that we have. I don't think any of us were born with tremendous skills. But as a group, we come together and make the best of the meager talents we have."
After releasing "Paint as a Fragrance" on indie label Headhunter in 1991 and "Circa: Now!" on Cargo in 1992, Interscope came calling during the major-label rush on San Diego during the post-Seattle grunge explosion. The label re-released "Circa: Now!" and gave Rocket the opportunity to tour.
"It was a turning point," remembered Reis. "It made everyone in the band think about it seriously. We weren't going to have other jobs. We weren't going to have much of a life outside of the band.
"This was our opportunity to completely immerse ourselves in this thing. We went from practicing five days a week to practicing seven days a week. And we went from practicing five hours to practicing 10 hours a day. We were very serious about being the best in the world in terms of wherever we were playing that night, that was the place to be. No matter what else was happening on the planet, ours was the party to be at."
After a few albums with Interscope, the band found modest success in America and the United Kingdom. But Reis said commercial success was never the goal: "If a Top 10 hit was the goal, I think we would've had studio musicians, studio singers, a stand-in model band and changed our name."
In 2001, RFTC switched to Vagrant Records, subsequently recording 2001's "Group Sounds" and 2002's "Live From Camp X-Ray." Despite the acceptance of both albums by critics and fans, the six musicians in Rocket From the Crypt found different forms of expression.
Reis concentrated on his label, Swami Records, also recording and touring with Hot Snakes and the Sultans. Other members spread throughout the San Diego music scene and beyond.
Over the past few years, Rocket shows have been few and far between, with the last recorded output coming on "Camp X-Ray." Reis is surprised at the public outcry upon hearing RFTC will be unplugging the amps for good.
"I don't know why people have such a hard time believing it's for real," said Reis. "Maybe because people know we don't hate each other and we're still really good friends. Maybe on a bad night we're still pretty good. This might not necessarily be everybody in the band's opinion, but since we're not working on anything new and we're resigned to playing the same songs we've been playing for the last 15 years, there really can't be much of a future in that. Rocket From the Crypt is not going to be playing at the Dream Catcher lounge. That's not our destiny."
Without dedicating their lives to Rocket, Reis feels it's better to hang it up: "We're at this point where I don't think we could ever get back to where we were without completely turning our lives over again. And no one is willing to do that. Been there, done that. Loved it. Had a great time. Saw the world. If we did have a mission, I'd say that we definitely accomplished it."
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT LINEUP
John "Speedo" Reis – lead vocals, guitar
N.D. – guitar
Petey X – bass, vocals
Apollo Nine – sax, percussion, vocals
JC2000 – trumpet, percussion, vocals
Ruby Mars – drums
RFTC DISCOGRAPHY
"Live From Camp X-Ray" (2002, Vagrant)
"Group Sounds" (2001, Vagrant)
"RFTC" (1998, Interscope)
"Scream Dracula, Scream!" (1995, Interscope)
"Hot Charity" (1995, Interscope)
"The State of Art Is on Fire" (1995, Interscope)
"Circa: Now!" (1992, Interscope)
"Paint as a Fragrance" (1991, Headhunter)
GOING A FEW ROUNDS WITH SPEEDO
Rocket leader John "Speedo" Reis took a few minutes to face the speed round of questions during his recent interview. Under the hot glare of the spotlight, he kept his cool:
Favorite Rocket tune to play live: "I like the talking between the songs. The banter."
Best San Diego venue to play: "The Casbah is the best place."
Favorite guitar to strap on: "I have a (Gibson) Les Paul that weighs 75 pounds. It's injected with brass to give it more sustain. And then I have a (Gibson) SG that weighs like four pounds and is made of mostly balsa wood. I would go for the brass-injected Les Paul, but I think I need a tripod for it."
Which is more satisfying, running a label or being in a band: "Hard to say because they are so different, but there is nothing more satisfying than making music."
Where Speedo chills: "I'm kind of a 'pier' guy: sometimes the Shelter Island pier, sometimes the O.B. pier; if I can afford the gas, the I.B. pier, Crystal Pier sometimes."
Speedo's favorite mode of transportation: "Kayak. Sit-on-top kayak. The Swami-mobile is great (Reis' big van with his record-label logo painted on the side), but it cost me $87 to fill it up the last time. There's no way I can spend that much money just to drive to the Pannikin."
San Diego band most likely to carry on in the RFTC tradition: "I would hate to pin our fate on anyone else. But I really see The Locust as a band that's playing a lot of shows. They have the entertainment factor in the sense that they have a stage persona. They seem to be conscious of more than just the music, the imagery of the band. They're intense and they're a really hard-working band. Sonically, we're a bit different, but they have the same work ethic."
Why stay in San Diego: "It's the best place in the world to live. I've seen a lot of other cities and spent more than just a day in them, and there's so much to offer here. That said, I can understand why people come here and might not like it. If you're into leisurely living, if you like the beach, if you like the sun, if you like cruising around in a loincloth in your dune buggy, then it's a great city to be in."
– CHRIS NIXON
