Rocket 455

Go to Hell (Get Hip)
by Jon Sarre

This band disbanded on the eve of the millennium, and that’s too bad cuz Rocket 455 probably shoulda grabbed more people had they had the chance to hear these Detroit lunks as they repeatedly slam yer head in a metaphorical car door. Altho’ ex-Gorie and future Demolition Doll Rod Dan Kroha was a foundin’ member (and various Rocket 455s became future/occasional Detroit Cobras and The Dirtbombs), as a band they turned their noses up at anything retro, like garage-wise, so instead they souped up Iggy’n’MC5 brain shortwaves and pushed it all over the top with their own noise-damaged je ne sais quoi – call it muddification, or sumptin’ cuz it’s not like things go on too clearly, which is exactly why it’s good. It’s a big ole mess of a sound – Raw Power smeared over broken glass and peanut butter sandwiches. This particular disc is sorta a greatest no-hits comp, chock fulla obscure covers of obscurer bands (best known is The Flamin’ Groovies), a Rachel Nagy (the sexy throat of Detroit Cobras) cameo, a song about some guy named “Johnny Lawless” (Blackie’s brother?), another one about contractin’ scabies, one tender one where the singer wants to be like Tarzan’n’Jane and a buncha others where ya can’t understand what the hell they’re singin’ about and don’t care either. The closer is a Christmas song about how Santa ain’t gonna come this year and features kids singin’ along. Really.
(PO Box 666 Canonsburg, PA 15317)