| The Rockets | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Detroit, Michigan, United States |
| Genres | Rock, Blues rock, Classic rock |
| Years active | 1972–1983, 2010 |
| Labels | EMI, Capital, RSO, Harmony Park |
| Associated acts | Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels, Buddy Miles, Cactus, Bob Seger, Alice Cooper |
| Website | thedetroitrockets.com |
| Members | |
| Jim Edwards - Lead Vocals Jim McCarty - Guitar Johnny "Bee" Badanjek - Drums Marvin Conrad - Bass Danny Taylor - Keyboards |
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| Past members | |
| David Gilbert - Vocals (1976-83) - R.I.P. 2001 John Fraga - Bass (1972-79) - R.I.P. 2010 Dennis Robbins - Guitar (1977-81) David Hood - Bass (1979) Dan Keylon - Bass (1980) Bobby Haralson - Bass (1981-83) - R.I.P. 1999 Marc Marcano - Keyboards (1973-??) Donnie Backus - Keyboards (1979-83) |
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The Rockets are an American rock band from Detroit, Michigan founded by guitarist Jimmy McCarty and drummer Johnny “Bee” Badanjek, both former members of the group Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels.
Along with slide and rhythm guitarist Dennis Robbins, bassist John Fraga, and lead vocalist David Gilbert, the Rockets reached their pinacle of success in 1979 with a Top 40 hit, a cover of the Fleetwood Mac song "Oh Well", and an appearance on the T.V. series The Midnight Special.
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The Rockets were formed in 1972 by former Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels members Johnny "Bee" Bandajek and Jim McCarty. Vocals and drums were handled by Bandajek, McCarty was on lead guitar, John Fraga was on bass and Marc Marcano was on keyboards. Johnny Bee was the driving force and primary songwriter for the Rockets.
In the early days, The Rockets paid their dues playing gigs at venues such as, The Rainbow Room and The Peoples Ballroom in Detroit, and The Rock 'N Roll Farm in Wayne Michigan.
The band took on a new sound in 1976 when David Gilbert was brought in to take over vocals from Johnny Bee and Donnie Backus took over on keyboards. Gilbert had fronted several bands and was the lead singer for Ted Nugent and The Amboy Dukes in 1971, touring with them for a year and a half before forming Shadow which led to a record deal with RSO.
The Rockets made five studio albums produced several minor hits including a rocking rendition of Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well".
Always a popular group in Detroit, and Michigan, The Rockets had gotten some attention outside of the state, but never really got the big break to become a true national act. The first album, Love Transfusion, was released in 1977. It failed to produce any hits. The 1979 self-titled release featured the hits, "Oh Well" and "Turn Up The Radio". This record also featured on bass, David Hood, one of the "Swampers" from the famous Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Alabama. Muscle Shoals was mentioned in Lynyrd Skynyrd's southern rock anthem "Sweet Home Alabama". Also, this Rockets album was dedicated to Skynyrd members Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines and Cassie Gaines, who all perished in Skynyrd's infamous 1977 plane crash. The third attempt came (with the addition of a new bass player, Dan Keylon) in 1980 with "No Ballads", "Desire" was a popular tune from this album. Next came the Back Talk album in '81 (with another new bass player, Bobby Haralson) and then finally Rocket Roll in 1982. "Rollin' By The Record Machine" from this release was the last hit for the band. The final release, Live Rockets, was recorded on New Year's Eve 1982 at the Royal Oak Music Theatre near Detroit.
The Rockets performed for their last two shows at Pine Knob near Detroit on August 28 & 29, 1983. The band splintered and the members all went their separate ways. Bandajek, McCarty and the rest went on to other projects. Gilbert played in several bands and learned the trade of Dryvit. David Gilbert was 49 when he died of liver cancer in 2001. Dennis Robbins went on to become a solo artist signed to Giant Records in the 90's and a multi-platinum hit songwriter, co-writing numerous songs such as "Two Of A Kind (Working On A Full House)", "Get Me To The Church On Cumberland Road", "Do You Love Me (Just Say Yes)", "Too Much Month At The End Of The Money", and more.
Bobby Neil Haralson died in the nineties. John Fraga, bassist, died September 27, 2010 at 69 (born July 1, 1941).
On April 16, 2010, The Rockets were honored at the Detroit Music Awards with the Distinguished Achievement Award. Two former members of the Rockets (Jim McCarty & Johnny “Bee” Badanjek) performed that night with their current band, The Hell Drivers. Shortly after that performance, and after receiving numerous requests from fans who attended The Hell Drivers local club shows for songs from the Rockets, the band decide that it was time revitalize the name, "The Rockets".
On July 2, 2010, the Rockets played their first official reunion show at the Stars and Stripes festival in Mt. Clemens, Michigan in front of 10,000 fans.
On August 21, 2010, the Rockets played their second reunion show opening up for The J Geils Band at the DTE Energy Music Theater. After opening for their old tour mates, comments made in several publications around town touted the Rockets / J. Geils show as the "best of the summer".
The band is now presently sorting through an enormous catalog of songs, most of them written by Badanjek, in anticipation of recording a brand new Rockets album.
On October 1, 2011, it was announced on the Rockets Facebook page that Jim McCarty had decided to quit the band (though no official reason was stated as to why), thus ending the existence of the band and any possibility of the Rockets recording and releasing any new material.
Bootlegs