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Puppies, pompadours, and punk-into-pop crossover means the video fro RFTC’s moment of near-miss MTV beach house acclaim, “On A Rope” from 1995’s Scream Dracula Scream, delights more than ever in a decade where a similar alt-rock suspicion over the possibility of mall-rat success is A.) actually not a conflict at all and B.) manifests as guys dressing and playing like lady-hating Dickensian bellhops rather than roly poly extras in some ’60s teens-gone-wild shlock. But while obviously the irony is louder than the kiddie set’s pastel walls, in retrospect the clip’s over-saturated sarcasm feels one shimmy away from a McG clip playing the same shtick straight, meaning it was probably wise for Speedo to rein in his goof as the ’90s wound down, redefining his sense of not taking himself seriously (ever) before the bowling shirts started getting a little too shiny. [YouTube]
Rocket From The Crypt Shake The (Lollipop) Tree
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Best damn take on RFTC I’ve read in a bit. (And what a great, great band, still. John R’s new band — the Night Marchers.)
and if you live in the LA area – Night Marchers are playing tonight at All Star Lanes in Echo Park. See how much more handsome Reis looks these days.
One of the greatest bands in the history of bands.
Hot Snakes started this millennium out reminding everybody what rock really is. Those of us who know took notice and give thanks.
@Delicate: Damn, I will have to wrangle a friend into taking me.
Oh man….was it Ditchdigger they played on the Beach House? That’s a classic….
At the risk of sounding like a lyric from LCD Soundsystem, I was there…at what turned out to be one of the last Drive Like Jehu shows, I think. 94, 95, can’t remember exactly when. And goddamn was that ever something.
Working in an indie record store in San Diego back then was fun. Both Jehu and RFTC shows were amazing for different reasons. And the guys in the bands ridiculously cool too. Man, after seeing this video I miss those bands and that scene. Especially when I see P.O.D. and Pinback still around (both from San Diego as well).
“Especially when I see P.O.D. and Pinback still around (both from San Diego as well)”
Let me clarify, I think the only reason these two bands around is persistence, not talent.
BTW, anyone get the RFTC tattoo? I have the ring but the tattoo was too much for me.
i have the tatoo.
One of my favorite quotes ever is still the Jehu interview where they talk about designing their music for “Maximum physical gratification.”
I saw RFTC open for Foo Fighters in 1997. Until just now, I had forgotten that I even saw Foo Fighters, because Rocket was THAT good. What a band.
@sharky: I can’t agree more. They were one of the first bands I fell head over heels for. I mean I’ve liked bands, but they marked my first downright obsession.
I miss them.
I will take a sock full of quarters to the noggin of the first indie rock cynical ironic bloggeur who posts any negative word about this band here.
That RFTC Beach House performance was probably the only saving grace of world-class tool Carson Daly’s tenure. I have to say, as much as I love Scream, Dracula, Scream, Live From Camp X-Ray still rides high on my playlists.
Not sure if it was just another of one of Speedo’s tall tales, but allegedly this is the second video the band shot for “On a Rope.” The first was supposedly deemed too bloody and graphic by MTV, so they went and made one that was as sunny and clean as possible — puppies and all. I’d love to believe this … but it’s probably crap. Great band, though.