R.I.P. Copper Rocket (2006-2009)

July 17, 2009    By: Geoff J @ 4:22 pm   Category: Life,Rock 'n' Roll

Those of you who have been around a while may remember this post from three years ago where I was seeking suggestions for the all-Mormon cover band I had joined at the time. There were some really funny band names there so that thread is worth re-reading. Anyhow, the band eventually settled with the largely meaningless and safe name “Copper Rocket“. We practiced a lot and gigged a little over the next few years. When we did gig we mostly ended up playing outdoor events like block parties.

Copper Rocket was a fun band but we never really achieved liftoff. First, we could never settle in on a genre so the set list ended up being all over the place. The bigger problem was that we all have grown-up lives to lead and no one was able or willing to get out there and find us gigs. So we held on for a quite a while because we became friends but a few months back our drummer had to quit and that gave the bass player an out to call it quits too. At that point Copper Rocket finally crashed to earth for good.

But since we did slap together a quick demo I figured I would immortalize our little all-Mormon cover band in Arizona here at the Thang by posting those songs. (As usual I played sax in this band and handled most male lead vocals) Here they are in MP3 form:

Secret Agent Man (The band joked that we should call it Secret Asian Man because I slurred the title line. Over time the joke kinda stuck)
Back on the Chain Gang
Obladi Oblada
Video Killed the Radio Star (We sort of morphed the orginal version with the The PotUSA version)

Rest in peace Copper Rocket.

I may get the itch and start a new band again some time, but then again maybe I won’t…

Help us name the new band

August 12, 2006    By: Geoff J @ 4:55 pm   Category: Life,Rock 'n' Roll

A couple of months ago I got a call out of the blue from an LDS guy I’d never met before. He told me his name was Rick and that he was trying to put together an all LDS rock/ska band here in the Phoenix area. (I still haven’t figured out exactly how he tracked me down but I think it had to do with this blog…) Anyway, one thing moving to AZ took away from me was my membership in a band. I’d played in at least one rock band basically without a break from 1991 until moving here; but moving away from San Diego in 2004 ended that streak. I did travel back to San Diego for one farewell gig in 2005 but that was it and I have been beginning to miss it all. So when Rick called I was very interested on all sorts of levels: a) He was into ska and every band I’ve played in over those years has done some ska; b) He was taking care of the details to get us going (the hard part ); c) I liked the idea of playing with grown-ups now that I’m a grown up and all. I was actually the youngster in my last cover band and it worked really well; d) I was intrigued by the fact that Rick played trombone and he had a trumpet player lined up too — I play sax and sing but have never played in a band with a full horn section like this; e) I was intrigued by the fact that all seven potential players in this new band were LDS — I hadn’t tried that since my Sam I Am days at BYU. (more…)

A Mid-summer Memory

October 10, 2005    By: Kristen J @ 11:58 pm   Category: Life,Rock 'n' Roll

It’s late, I’m hunkered down in my studio/closet making jewelry and listening to music on my computer. Normally I listen on headphones but tonight something makes me let the music flow freely out into the night air. (more…)

With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility

September 29, 2005    By: Kristen J @ 12:40 pm   Category: Life,Rock 'n' Roll

I’m not one to toot my own horn, but since I’m usually trying to convince everyone what a dork I am I thought it might be a breath of fresh air for all of us if I tell you about one of my more awesome characteristics. (more…)

New Cool Radio Blog Thang

September 10, 2005    By: Geoff J @ 4:05 pm   Category: Rock 'n' Roll,The Thang

I just finished installing radio.blog in my sidebar and oddly enough it appears to work. I figured this would be a nice addition here at the Thang since we are sort of a blog about Mormon theology, Mormon life, and of course, Rock ‘n’ Roll. Not that I anticipate a lot of posts specifically on rock ‘n’ roll but the subject comes up often enough that I figured this might be a good idea for our blog. (more…)

Cover Tunes

August 24, 2005    By: Geoff J @ 11:14 pm   Category: Rock 'n' Roll

Action is pretty light again this week in the ‘Nacle so I thought some light fare might be in order here as well.

I mentioned a cover band I used to play with in a previous post. But my (primary) former originals band, Noisepie, also did lots of covers. Of course we would “Pie” the songs up and make them our own. This post is mostly an excuse to show off some of these songs. I wish we had recorded more of our cover songs because some were pretty classic (you’ll have to ask if you’d like me to ramble on about that), but at least I have these for posterity’s sake. (I might have put this post up at Kulturblog if it weren’t so shamelessly self-aggrandizing…). Anyway, here they are with links to the MP3s: (more…)

It’s hard to think important thoughts when there are so many trivial things to think about

August 4, 2005    By: Geoff J @ 11:19 pm   Category: Mormon Culture/Practices,Rock 'n' Roll,The Thang

I’ve written quite a few songs in my day and I like some of my old lyrics are better than others. Before I left BYU I wrote the chorus of a song I intended to use with my BYU band Sam I Am. Here’s how the lyrics went: (more…)

BYU Rock Star (sorta…)

July 11, 2005    By: Geoff J @ 10:33 pm   Category: Rock 'n' Roll

In the Fall of ’91 I was freshly home from my mission and a transfer student at BYU. I had a couple of items high on my list of priorities: One was to find a smart, funny, gorgeous girlfriend and the other was to start a rock band. (The latter presumably would add to the success of the former.) I succeeded at both by my first month. You know the hottie girlfriend I found as Kristen J and the band I started was called Sam I Am. (more…)

Rock and Roll Chops and Veils of Forgetfulness

July 5, 2005    By: Geoff J @ 5:54 pm   Category: Mormon Culture/Practices,Rock 'n' Roll

I’ve been planning to report on how my gig in San Diego went, but I was sort of looking for an angle. When Jeffrey Giliam questioned the reason we have to go through a veil of forgetfulness when we come to earth in the comments of another post I decided I might try to kill two birds with one stone. (more…)

San Diego BloggerRocker June 24th

June 17, 2005    By: Geoff J @ 1:24 pm   Category: Rock 'n' Roll

Here’s an invite to all Bloggernaclites in or around San Diego to come check out the farewell performance of a cover band I have been playing in (on and off) since 1995. Kristen and I will be there and it ought to be pretty fun. Here is the flier: (more…)

Satan’s Tongue

June 9, 2005    By: Kristen J @ 11:57 pm   Category: Rock 'n' Roll

I have a secret. If you saw me walking around Target, little ones in tow, you would probably think I was the last person in the world who harbor any mysteries. You see, I look a lot like your typical SAHM, the kind sometimes discussed with derision on some blogs. You know the type, t-shirt, Capri’s, hilights, surrounded by small children who are usually having a melt-down about something. You probably think after looking at me for a few seconds you know how my brain works, my hopes, and dreams, but I might surprise you a little bit. (more…)

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