Rescued Cards Launch Party
Rocket from the Crypt, back in 2002 Hold onto your space helmets, Rocketeers: Rocket from the Crypt are getting back together. Last week, the iconic local band announced plans for a five-date European tour for April 2013 and suggested that more shows may be in the offing. Still, it’s uncertain whether the band will play a hometown show.
“There’s nothing planned right now,” singer-guitarist John Reis tells CityBeat. “But that’s not to say that we won’t.”
Reis says Rocket decided to reunite because they’ve been getting more requests to play again, and his recent run with Hot Snakes has been going well. Rocket’s taking things slowly, he says, with no plans to play new songs or book a major tour. Yet.
“If we’re going to keep playing beyond these couple shows, we gotta reaffirm that this feels good and this feels fun and natural, and I’m confident it will,” he says.
Rocket broke up in 2005, but they reunited briefly earlier this year to perform on the Nick Jr. TV show Yo Gabba Gabba! They announced their European tour dates in a post on their Facebook page, and in a cryptic, tongue-in-cheek Q&A, they said they’re working on a new album produced by Dave Grohl. Asked if that last part was true, Reis strongly suggested that it’s not.
“I have no idea one way or the other. I just know that it is definitely something that I said,” he says. “I said we were doing it, but I’ve said a lot of things. I’ve said a lot of things that have been complete fabrications, in order just to be entertaining.”
Reis says that some local fans felt a little “disrespected” because Rocket hasn’t booked a San Diego show, but he’s keeping casual about the whole thing. The band chose to tour in Europe because Reis wanted an excuse to visit Barcelona, where the tour ends on April 6.
“I can’t think of any other place I would rather end a tour and be forced to stay for a couple days,” he says. “It’s one of my favorite cities in the world.”
In other Reis-related news, his band The Night Marchers are releasing new album, Allez Allez, via Swami Records on Jan. 22. Listen to a new song, “All Hits,” at soundcloud.com/swami-john.
Email peterh@sdcitybeat.com or follow him on Twitter at @peterholslin.
