Interviews
Manifest Destiny: The Search For Truth and Light Through the Gospel of
Rocket From The Crypt
by Garren Hanon
Man has long quested for enlightenment and inner peace, only to
find repression and strife. We observe the truth only as it is
depicted for us, through the dancing shadows on a cave wall--a screen,
a false window. 
We see shadows and believe they reflect real life. The
rough, jagged walls of the cave distort the truth. We must come
together to break this rotting gilded palace of so-called
truth--so-called rock 'n' roll. Only when we concede that we have
dwelled in darkness and been deceived, will we be loose of the chains
and shackles that restrain us from truth, enlightenment, and true rock
'n' roll.
England used to claim that their power and wealth should be
forced upon the world through Manifest Destiny. England has since
fallen as a world power, but recognizes that rock 'n' roll needs a
savior. Thus Manifest Destiny, and all its trappings, fell to many
so-called truth bearers. Some succeeded, and some failed. But rock 'n'
roll has reached critical mass and England has declared a savior.
Elvis was once revered as the savior, but he was exposed as a
false prophet because he did not compose his own message. He was then
sentenced to death upon his throne. "The Killer", Jerry Lee Lewis, was
thought to be his heir, but was cast out of the kingdom for incestuous
longings. The gospel of rock 'n' roll then fell into the hands of the
arc angel, Buddy. For years Buddy Holly has survived as the only pure
message of the gospel of rock 'n' roll. Many artists have since
attempted to resurrect and reinstate rock 'n' roll's social power and
message. The came the gilded age of rock.
The gilded age's most prolific prophet, AC/DC's Bon Scott,
drowned in alcohol and vomit before reaching the world with his
powerful message. Since this time, the world has had to endure a dark
age of rock. That is, until now. I give you, the world, the saviors of
rock 'n' roll...Rocket From The Crypt!
"Thank you very much ladies and gentlemens...we are Rocket From
The Crypt from San Diego, California," declares Speedo. England has
long waited for its destiny to manifest and to embrace rock 'n' roll's
savior. They have now found the new messiah--and it is Rocket From The
Crypt.
The truth and light of the Rocket comes via trumpet, JC 2000;
saxophone, Apollo 9; drums, Ruby Mars (formerly Atom); guitar, ND;
guitar and vocals, Speedo. Lyrics and music composed by 10,000 angels
and backed by a start/stop beat and soul that James Brown would be
proud of.
"England has a different perception of Rocket From The Crypt
than America," says Speedo. "They acknowledge us as being the saviors
of rock 'n' roll. People in England embrace the idea of coming to a
RFTC show and dancing...breaking down the barriers, having a good time
and just losing themselves in the moment. They come out in droves and
we berate them and participate in ridiculing them."
But how about our capitalistic Asian friends in Japan. Do they
see the truth that is RFTC? Do they stay true to their Buddhist roots
and follow the middle path?
"We do well in Japan, too. It's a different vibe. They respect
the band and rock 'n' roll in general. They don't understand the
subtleties because of the language barrier, but they make up for that
by submitting to the band--letting the band steer them, taking them to
a place they've never been before. Their innocence allows them to lose
themselves in the moment."
Frenetic dancing and wanton disregard for one's personal
well-being seems to be trademarks of Rocket followers. Does the Rocket
condone this crazed dancing and reckless self-expression?
"People don't have the right to infringe on somebody else's good
time," Speedo states. "Slamming is cool, just make sure if you're
stage diving you land on someone who is willing to get landed upon."
To live without rock 'n' roll is to live without roots. To have
no moral foundation. To float adrift in a void of meaninglessness,
tethered to no viable tradition. Halloween is a time for celebrating
the harvest. To cast out the demons of the record industry. RFTC is
legendary for their shows on Halloween, where many of Satan's record
industry legions are exercised--allowing clear, positive energy to
flourish.
"Halloween is a tradition of ours," says Speedo. "We play San
Diego every Halloween and have a party. It's just an excuse to have a
great time. We like to dress up and have a good time with our
audience. We've played a Halloween show every year--except last year
because we didn't have a drummer. That's basically the only one we've
missed since we've been a band."
Thus a rock 'n' roll tradition is born.
"After we play a large tour it always feels great to come home. Not so
much from a playing perspective--like it's great to be playing in San
Diego--I think we actually have much better shows out of San Diego
than we do in San Diego. The audience here is a bit--how can I say
this nicely--tired. It's always great to go out and play other places,
but it feels great to come back home."
So what is the formula for RFTC's success, and why are they so
powerful? Ahh, the humble Speedo demures:
"There is no set formula whatsoever in any part of what we do.
We try keeping things fresh--not to dig ourselves into a hole with
repetitive motion that will sink the band by doing everything over and
over again. We do have a recipe, though--one open for anyone's
interpretation. A lot of that comes from the passion of the music and
having a good time. You can't choose your audience, but we're
fortunate to have fans passionate about the music. It would be a drag
to attract fans and have them be people you hate."
RFTC puts on the most amazing live show I have ever witnessed.
It gets to the point of frenzy--like a charismatic Pentecostal church
revival. Speedo professes:
"We're the hardest workin' band in show business! I'm glad
Rocket From The Crypt inspires people to got out learn how to play the
electric guitar. But I don't want to hear them play the electric
guitar. I'm glad you all shout out your favorite Rocket From The Crypt
songs. We won't play those songs. Thank you very much. Give it up for
the band!"
Speedo uses an electric guitar as his vehicle in sending the
message of the Rocket. Yet vehicles break down, and I witnessed such
an act during the 1996 Vans' Warped Tour. Speedo explained that:
"It's funny because people will always mention that. 'Hey, you
broke your guitar!' Like it is a climactic event. When, truth be told,
my strap broke and my guitar hit the stage and broke. It wasn't a bit
intentional at all. I was actually heartbroken when it splintered into
a couple of different pieces. I'd just had it signed by Marco Peronni,
who was the guitar player in Adam and the Ants. I was pretty stoked to
have his autograph on my guitar, and it was a bummer that it broke
like a month later. I actually went out and bought another guitar the
next day. It was a Les Paul with a dragon painted on it. It was
actually owned by a guy named Dave Vain. I guess he was in some sort
of heavy metal band called Vain. I'd never heard them before and it
says, in Chinese, 'Vain'. I'm thinking vein, yeah, cool! But I
realized it's vain not vein. Vain as in vanity, that's not cool. That
guitar I broke two years ago on a member of Pennywise. He was trying
to drag me off the state and I actually busted the guitar on his
chest--and it didn't even phase him! He was having fun and was really
fucked up, and thought it would be fun to drag me off stage by my
guitar. The unfortunate thing was that I did not share in his
enthusiasm. I did not want to be dragged off the stage by my neck by a
guy who is seven feet tall and weighs 300 pounds, and I slammed my
guitar on him. I just got it back from the shop a few days ago. I have
four Les Paul's now and all of them have been broken at least once."
I am a proponent of the stripped-down approach to the sound of
rock. RFTC's equipment has a beautiful Spartan quality to it, which
gives the audience the awe-inspiring music. Speedo elaborates:
"We have been playing long enough that we know what we like. We
just cut out the crap that we don't like. We found some amps and
equipment and guitars that we like and the way they sound. So, all of
the trinkets and bobbles that the manufacturers put on, we have them
taken off. It's more like a workman attitude. It's very much about the
function of the instrument. We don't use any effects when we play
because we choose to be more resourceful about the way we pluck the
wire on the guitar, and just try to do more with less as opposed to
adding."
RFTC inspires millions! Or, at least, inspires in the tens of
peoples. Who inspires them? What records will Speedo be looking for
when RFTC plays at Amoeba Records in San Francisco? Speedo replies:
"We're going to be doing this low-key thing at Amoeba and it's
basically an excuse to buy records. The only time I have to look for
records is when we play at a records store. They have a pretty decent
world music section, so I'll cruise that for some Ethiopian music from
the 70's, some punk re-issues. I don't have that Controllers
re-issue...oh, Quintron--he invented this thing called the
"Drumbuddy". The new album is kind of like an instruction CD on how to
use the Drumbuddy. It's a drum machine that's triggered by light. It's
two coffee cans he sets on a turntable and it spins around. There are
lights inside and holes in the coffee can, so when it spins around it
triggers this thing by the lights and holes. There are sensors that
pick up light to trigger sounds...depending on where the holes are, it
triggers a beat. It's kind of like the technology that brought us the
piano that plays those rolls of paper with the holes in it. I've seen
him play it a couple of times, and it is amazing. It's very organic
and raw, but so cool. You can really do a lot with it. You can even
scratch with it--you just top the turntable and move it or rotate it
back and forth, whatever the light triggers.
The Drumbuddy and 1970's Ethiopia are hotbeds of enlightenment
and truth, as spoken by our savior, Speedo.
The RFTC tent revival is coming our way, people. Cleanse your
soul and become one with the universe. You still have a chance to be
cleansed and healed, and to help resurrect rock 'n' roll. So get your
pomade out and your dancing shoes on because you're gonna move! Come
to the light, my children, and bask in its glory--the glory of Rocket
From The Crypt! Can I get a witness from the congregation? Alright!
Give it up for the band. Give it up for the Rocket!
This interview appeared in section M magazine, Issue #20, May 2001.
