Rocket From The Crypt

Summer 1990, San Diego, California: a band disunited (Pitchfork) and from there were born 2 new projects led by singer Speedo (John Reis): Drive Like Jehu and Rocket From The Crypt (name that pays tribute to the rock n'roll band of the 80s: Rocket From The Tombs). After the release of a first album ( Paint As A Fragrance ) and the departure of 2 founding members (Sean and Elaina), the break is close but Speedo sees this as an opportunity to evolve... He decided to innovate and include a copper section (first a sax and then a trumpet) in RFTC which already mixed r'n'r and punk rock. At this point, the group began to release many of the 7" (3 titles) self-produced, which made it talk about him. the second album Circa: now! It followed very quickly and immediately the band was courted by the majors. He opted for the very young and permissive Interscope that already hosted Primus or Helmet. The compilation of their 7inches entitled All Systems Go was a great success, allowing them to be seen on MTV... In '95, with Scream, Dracula, Scream!, their 'best seller', it is the consecration: tour with Rancid or Soundgarden, Vans Warped Tour, rotation on MTV thanks to 3 clips... After three very busy years, the re-release of an EP that becomes an album (The State Of Art Is On Fire) and finally a new cake: RFTC that extends the band's career. 2000 is marked by the end of the contract with Interscope and the signature of RFTC on Vagrant, but also by the departure of the drummer Atom Willard (the troupe had not endured the departure of a member for 8 years) who becomes battery technician for Weezer, before joining The Offspring then Angel & Airwaves. The professional skateboarder Mario Rubalcaba (a speed nicknamed Ruby Mars) is re-employing. RFTC continues its journeyman on Vagrant, first with Group Sounds in '01, then in '03 with Live From Camp X-Ray , an album recorded in studio (at Camp X-Ray) but in live conditions. After this album, the band will never be really active again (some concerts are played here and there), Speedo devotes more to his other two musical projects (Hot Snakes and Sultans) and his Swami Records label. Until August '05 when the frontman announced in the wake of the separation of the Hot Snakes that Rocket From the Crypt was also coming to an end and that they would play their last concert on October 31 at the Westin Horton Plaza Hotel in San Diego.
For Halloween '06, a raw version of this filmed concert is published by Swami Records. In order for them to honour their contract, Vagrant still wishes to release this DVD. The project will hang out for a lot of time, especially because of a fire in the studio's facilities for performance editing. It will be only in February '08 that the label will release a CD + DVD from this farewell concert, entitled RIP .