ROCKET 88's

Last Updated: NOVEMBER 2007: appeared recently in Events List

MUSICAL STYLES:
Classic Rock and Roll and Boogie Band with a full Horn Section

BAND MEMBERS:
Brent Bailey, Greg Weichel, Jim Usher, Rob Roy, Jude Waldman, 
Jan Schoute , Shea Bailey 

Click here to view Playlist , Discography, Reviews and Influences

The Rocket 88s is a group of musicians based in and around Peterborough, Ontario who get together when they can to rehearse, record and put on shows.

It is hard to say exactly who is in the band, because the line-up is different every time they play, and many of the Rockets play with other bands - sometimes more than one. But we can say that every Rocket concert is an event you will never forget. 

Over the years, the individual members of the Rocket Revue have performed, recorded and toured with many of the true 'greats' of our time: The Band, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Garth Hudson (The Band), Ron Collier (Duke Ellington Band), Kris Kristofferson, Jonny Johnson (Chuck Berry), Jack DeKeyser, Prince, Johnny Winter, Jeff Healey, Ronnie Hawkins and many more.

THE ROCKET 88's has GUESTED WITH: 
Al Black, Buzz Thompson, Andy Pryde, Jerome Godboo, Rob Roy, Ryan Weber, Sam Weber,
Jack de Keyser, Pat Rush, Dennis Delorme, Justin Hiscox 

PETERBOROUGH Venues that THE ROCKET 88's has PERFORMed in: 
The Legendary Red Dog, Market Hall (The), Trentwinds (The) 

View more about The Rocket 88's at www.rocket88s.ca 

Contact Information FOR THE ROCKET 88'S:
greg@rocket88s.ca  

Date: 2006-12-24
Author: Paul Rellinger

For all life's uncertainties, Greg Weichel is sure of one thing -- he will one day cruise the streets of Peterborough behind the wheel of a 1951 Oldsmobile Rocket 88."I will be getting one some day," says Weichel, his conviction clear in his voice.

In the meantime, the thoughts of the founder of the Rocket 88s -- the band was named out of his love for the classic car of the same name -- are centred on the more immediate, and arguably more realistic, goal of staging one very hot performance this Saturday night (Dec. 30) at The Market Hall. To do just that, Weichel, trumpet in hand, has enlisted two special guests in the form of Juno Award-winning blues guitarist Jack De Keyzer and Victoria-born harmonica player extraordinaire Jerome Godboo. Rounding out the ensemble are various off-and-on Rocket 88s members, including brass mates Jim Usher (tenor sax) and Rob Roy (trombone), Brent Bailey (keyboards), Jan Schoute (guitar/vocals), Jude Waldman (drums), Sha Bailey (percussion), Sam Weber (guitar/vocals) and Ryan Weber (bass/vocals). That is one very big band with one equally large presence.

"This band is just filled with weapons," enthuses Weichel."I've been in bands which had just one singer. If that singer didn't want to do a gig or couldn't make it, you were stuck. With this band, we've a number of great singers, so there's a real versatility that way. As a result, the Rocket 88s became kind of a revue more than anything else."

It was back in 1999 that the Rocket 88s were born with Weichel at the helm. After working on arrangements and rehearsing, the band's first gig was actually a three-performance 24-hour marathon, starting with a private party for Ronnie Hawkins after a Festival of Lights performance followed by an hour on The Red Dog stage and, the next day, the band's own appearance on the stage in Del Crary Park.

That was then and this is now, and now has the Rocket 88s performing less frequently but with no less passion for their craft. That, assures Weichel, will be fully evident this Saturday.

"We've put this show together the way we want to...it'll be fun with lots of family and friends there, so I'm really looking forward to it," says Weichel, noting there's a possibility portions of the performance may be recorded for a future live CD release.

"The Rocket 88s have played with Jerome's band and have played with Jack's band. We've only had the two of them together once before, so this is pretty rare."

As for any worries that the night before New Year's Eve will prove to be a tough sell in terms of getting a crowd out, well, there are no worries."There are a few things going on New Year's Eve in terms of live music but not a whole lot, so I'm pretty confident we'll fill the place," says Weichel.

The Rocket 88s are billed as a "swingin', rockin', blues band" -- and there's a reason for that, explains Weichel."When you come to a Rockets 88 show, you hear 75 to 80 years of music...blues, jazz, early rock 'n' roll, classic rock, all of it. It's very hard to define our sound because there are so many influences. But it's good because there's something there for everyone."

At the centre of the Rocket 88s' sound is the horn section, with Weichel, Usher and Roy knowing what the other is going to play well before a note is sounded, and then complementing it perfectly, be it in unison or splits. For his part, Weichel learned and honed his craft under the tutelage of Ron Collier, a protege of the great Duke Ellington.

"He kind of took me under his wing...I was very fortunate," notes Weichel, adding, as a horn player, there's always work, if not with the Rocket 88s than with any one of a number of other bands looking for the full sound unique to a brass section."I'd love to be able to do this (perform) every day but...," says Weichel, leaving unspoken the fact that there are bills to pay and his day job is a necessary fact of life he shares with the masses."I love to play and I'm very proud of this band. For those reasons, I'm really looking forward to Saturday. It will be fun."