Two more shows for the May tour of Europe by RFTT have been confirmed, both festivals: Lyon on May 19 and Nancy on May 20. The Ubu Projex calendar page, http://www.ubuprojex.net/calendar.html has details of all confirmed dates.
Tags: Barfly, Craig Bell, David Thomas, RFTT, Rocket From The Tombs, Steve Mehlman
The February release on www.hearpen.com is the 1974 debut of the classic version of RFTT (actually v.3.1) at Special Extermination Music Night at the Viking Saloon. The event was the first and last time all three of the legendary Cle Underground bands,RFTT, The Electric Eels and Mirrors, appeared together.
Three previously unheard songs appear in the RFTT set, including the long lost Peter Laughner song, Gasoline.
RFTT this night played as a four-piece: Thomas, Laughner, Cheetah and Madansky. Craig Bell, who had been with the band for a month or so, was forbidden to play in the band by his other band, Mirrors. It is the first performance of So Cold, Down In Flames, Ain’t It Fun, and Never Gonna Kill Myself Again.
John Morton designed the cover art for the release based on his original poster.
A PDF of liner notes is included in the download.
Tags: Barfly, Cheetah Chrome, Craig Bell, David Thomas, RFTT, Rocket From The Tombs, Special Extermination Music Night
Tour dates in May are beginning to be confirmed. See http://www.ubuprojex.net/calendar.html for details.
Tags: Barfly, RFTT, Rocket From The Tombs
Richard’s name is conspicuously absent from official news about recent changes in RFTT. That’s because officially there is nothing to report. The other members of the band, to a man, determined in August / September of 2011 that RFTT would have to undertake the first Barfly tour without him and that his status in the band would, therefore, remain undecided for an unspecified period of time. That remains the official position and no further band discussions have taken place. Should anything be read into this? No. The only people who know the facts of the matter are: David Thomas, Cheetah Chrome, Craig Bell, Steve Mehlman, and Richard Lloyd. Everything else is speculation and yak. Thomas, Chrome, Bell and Mehlman are not talking. What goes on inside of bands is nobody’s business. For any insider to talk to an outsider invites corruption of the truth through personal agenda. We are not publicly elected officials. We don’t owe an outsider anything in terms of accountability. We are not responsible individuals. We are musicians in a band who know things about each other that no one should be privy to. Should anything be read into that? No. It’s the facts and that’s all an outsider is entitled to.
Tags: Barfly, RFTT, Richard Lloyd, Rocket From The Tombs
A band is an idea, not a collection of specific people identified by an historical association. Most ideas are not very good ones. Some are better and more comprehensive than others. I know the idea behind RFTT better than most. To be fair many fans trust that the idea of RFTT will continue undiluted. There are some neanderthals who like the sound of the voices inside their own heads and love the internet as a sounding board for the Yak. It’s always good to see the back of them.
The two new members of RFTT, Gary Siperko and Buddy Akita, are Clevelanders, and in the long line of great guitarists from that town. Each is well suited for the specific guitar position they step into. There is a deep pool of possible choices among the guitarists of Cleveland. The two chosen are in the cream of that pool and we considered them to be the best suited for the specific roles required by the idea of RFTT. That Cheetah will remain a member of the band insures continuity, and he’s a great guy to work with in any case.
The idea of a band can endure all changes if it’s a really good idea. As in Pere Ubu, I am already planning for my replacement in RFTT when that time comes. I am replaceable. All members are replaceable. That doesn’t diminish or denigrate any one person’s contribution or talent or personality. Is Cheetah really replaceable? No. Cheetah is a unique guy. I have stated my respect and admiration for him too many times. Can his position in the band be filled by another and the idea of the band be undiluted? Yes. Am I pleased that he will continue as a non-touring member? Utterly. Am I pleased with the two new guys? Utterly. Now we have at least THREE great guitarists to call on. I say, let’s collect them all! We’ll issue baseball-like cards.
(For you neanderthals, that’s a joke.)
Tags: Barfly, Cheetah Chrome, RFTT, Rocket From The Tombs
Cheetah Chrome, a founding member of the legendary Cleveland pre-punk band Rocket From The Tombs, announced his retirement in dramatic fashion recently.
“I was half way down the steps to the dressing room at the last show of the tour after our set at Maxwell’s in Hoboken,” singer David Thomas said. “‘Wait! Wait! I have something to say,’ Cheetah told us. ‘This is my last show.’”
“We were all not a little bit upset,” Thomas said. “Pissed-off would be a good description.”
“Thinking back on it,” Mr Chrome said, “My advice to others is that just before the encore of your last show is not a good time to make the announcement.”
Mr Chrome intends to retire from the road by the year’s end in order to devote more time to his family and the responsibilities of raising his young son. Not wanting to leave the band in the lurch he promised to fulfill road obligations for the year.
“I know how seriously Cheetah takes his family obligations,” Mr Thomas said. “All things considered we thought it best to re-configure the band sooner rather than later.”
Buddy Akita will join Rocket From The Tombs in the ‘Cheetah Position.’ He’s a member of This Moment In Black History, considered by many to be the best Cleveland band of the last five years. He will pair with the other recent addition to the band, guitarist Gary Siperko.
“I really enjoyed playing with Gary for the short time we had,” Mr Chrome said. “He’s really done his homework, and I think he’s going to add a lot to the band’s future.”
“There was a lot of pressure to resolve the situation,” Mr Thomas said. “I try not to do things too fast on the basis that time will reveal the best solution.”
The best solution came in what’s called the Jim Jones Model. In the mid-90s Pere Ubu guitarist Jim Jones told Mr Thomas that the state of his health would not allow him to tour anymore and he’d have to quit the band. Don’t quit, don’t tour, Thomas told him. Mr Jones remained a non-touring member of Pere Ubu until his death in 2008, contributing material, recording, and occasionally appearing on stage.
“I’m happy to be able to remain in RFTT as a non-touring member,” Mr Chrome said. “I’ve never meant it to be taken as I’m retiring, I mean, writing and recording are things that you don’t just quit doing, they’re in my DNA. I look forward to contributing in that capacity; and I’ll definitely be popping up for gigs now and again.”
Tags: Barfly, Cheetah Chrome, RFTT, Rocket From The Tombs
The Day The Earth Met The Rocket From The Tombs has been reissued by Fire Records on cd & vinyl.
http://www.ubuprojex.net/hearpen/rfttday.html
Tags: Cheetah Chrome, David Thomas, Peter Laughner, RFTT, Rocket From The Tombs
The tour dates are set for the first exploratory US tour. Hopefully a longer US tour will follow after the worst of the winter. A European tour is in the works for May. No plans for the UK – too much trouble, no money and little interest.
The touring band lineup is:
David Thomas
Cheetah Chrome
Gary Siperko
Craig Bell
Steve Mehlman
Gary Siperko is a Cleveland guitarist who has toured extensively throughout Europe and the US with the Progressive Instrumental Garage / Punk Trio ” MOFOS”, and the Cleveland based Cow-Punk band “The Whiskey Daredevils.”
The tour dates are:
Dec 7 Chicago, The Empty Bottle
Dec 8 Newport KY, The Southgate House
Dec 9 Cleveland, Beachland Ballroom
Dec 10 Pittsburgh, Thunderbird Cafe
Dec 11 Philadelphia, Kungfu Necktie
Dec 12 Brooklyn, The Bell House
Dec 13 Hoboken, Maxwell’s
Tags: Barfly, Cheetah Chrome, David Thomas, RFTT, Rocket From The Tombs
The November release at hearpen.com is the 2003 live in a radio studio recording of RFTT. It’s a spectacularly intense recording made at WFMU. Go to http://www.hearpen.com/hr164.html
Philadelphia has been added to the RFTT tour on Dec 11 at Kungfu Necktie. See the Calendar Page at ubuprojex.net for details of this and the other dates.
The final list of dates is:
Dec 7 Chicago, The Empty Bottle
Dec 8 Newport KY, The Southgate House
Dec 9 Cleveland, Beachland Ballroom
Dec 10 Pittsburgh, Thunderbird Cafe
Dec 11 Philadelphia, Kungfu Necktie
Dec 12 Brooklyn, The Bell House
Dec 13 Hoboken, Maxwell’s
Rocket From The Tombs is:
David Thomas, vocals
Gary Siperko, guitar
Buddy Akita, guitar
Craig Bell, bass, vocals
Steve Mehlman, drums, vocals
Cheetah Chrome, guitar, vocals (non-touring member)
Day The Earth Met The Rocket From The Tombs
Rocket Redux
I Sell Soul
Fire Records cover art
Smog Veil cover art
