Rocket from the Crypt is an American punk rock band from San Diego, California, originally active from 1990 to 2005, then active during 2011 and again from 2013 to the present.
Hot Snakes are an American post-hardcore band led by Rick Froberg and John Reis, formed in 1999 in San Diego, California. Reis and Froberg had previously performed together in Pitchfork and Drive Like Jehu, after which Reis had found international success with Rocket from the Crypt. Hot Snakes disbanded in 2005 but reunited in 2011.
John Reis, also known by the pseudonyms Speedo, Slasher, and the Swami is an American musician, singer, guitarist, record label owner, and disc jockey. He is best known as the singer and guitarist for the rock band Rocket from the Crypt, which he formed and fronted for the entirety of its career from 1990 to 2005. Prior to this he was the guitarist in the post-hardcore band Pitchfork, and also played in Drive Like Jehu during the early 1990s. In 1999 he formed the Hot Snakes, and in 2000 also formed the Sultans, in which he sang and originally played bass before switching to rhythm guitar. He played in both these bands until their breakups in 2005 and 2007 respectively. He also released a solo recording under the name Back Off Cupids, which was recorded in 1994 but not released until 1999. Over the years he has performed in many other musical acts including Conservative Itch, Stacatto Reads, Custom Floor, and Beehive & the Barracudas. He is the owner of Swami Records, a label he founded in 1999. He frequently works with bands in a studio capacity and releases albums by many southern California groups through his label. He also hosts the "Swami Sound System" program. Reis remains an influential figure in the San Diego underground music community and is currently performing with San Diego bands the Night Marchers and PLOSIVS, with Rob Crow.
RFTC is an album by American punk rock band Rocket from the Crypt, released in 1998 by Interscope Records. It was the band's second major-label release. A music video was filmed for the single "Break it Up" and the band embarked on tours in support of the album, on which they were joined by Chris Prescott from San Diego bands Tanner and No Knife who performed as touring percussionist and keyboardist.
Scream, Dracula, Scream! is an album by American punk rock band Rocket from the Crypt, released in 1995 by Interscope Records. It was the band's first major-label release. Music videos were filmed for the singles "On a Rope," "Born in '69" and "Young Livers," and the band embarked on extensive tours of the US, UK and Europe. They experienced a surge of popularity in the UK, where "On a Rope" entered the music charts at #12 and was a hit on MTV Europe, earning them rave reviews in New Musical Express and allowing them to play Top of the Pops.
The Sultans were an American rock and roll band led by John Reis, formed in 2000 in San Diego, California and disbanded in January 2007. Over the course of the band's lifespan they released two full-length albums on Reis' Swami Records label. The band took pride in their "stripped down" rock and roll approach, using a simple guitar/bass/drum structure and recording quickly using pre-used equipment and borrowed instruments in order to maintain a loose, spontaneous feel.
Mario Rubalcaba is an American drummer from San Diego, notable as a member of numerous rock bands including Clikatat Ikatowi, Thingy, Rocket from the Crypt, Hot Snakes, Earthless, the Sultans, and Off! He has also played on albums by The Black Heart Procession and Pinback and was formerly a professional skateboarder.
All Systems Go 2 is a compilation album by the San Diego, California rock band Rocket from the Crypt, released in 1999 by singer/guitarist John Reis' record label Swami Records. The album collects songs from 13 different recording sessions which were previously only available on 7" vinyl singles, compilations, and as B-sides, as well as some new and unreleased material.
Automatic Midnight is the first studio album by the San Diego, California post-hardcore band Hot Snakes, released in 2000 by Swami Records. Both the band and the album began as a "side project" for John Reis in June 1999, during time off from his main band Rocket From the Crypt. Reis wrote and recorded a batch of songs in San Diego with Delta 72 drummer Jason Kourkounis. To provide vocals for the tracks Reis called in Rick Froberg, whom he had played with in Pitchfork and Drive Like Jehu from 1986 to 1995. Most of the material from these sessions was used to create Automatic Midnight, which became the first release for Reis' newly formed Swami Records label.
Shipwrecked is the second and final album by the San Diego, California rock and roll band Sultans, released in 2004 by Swami Records. When the band reconvened to record the album in November 2003, original guitarist Andy Stamets chose not to rejoin the group. Singer/bassist John Reis took over the guitar position and his brother Dean Reis joined the band on bass, taking the stage name "Black Velvet."
Cut Carefully and Play Loud is an EP by American punk rock band Rocket from the Crypt, released in 1999 by Flapping Jet Records. It was the band's last recording with drummer Atom, who left the group shortly thereafter due to disagreements over the professional direction of the band.
Group Sounds is an album by the San Diego, California rock band Rocket from the Crypt, released in 2001 by Vagrant Records. It was the band's first album for the label and their first with new drummer Ruby Mars.
Hot Charity/Cut Carefully and Play Loud is an album by American punk rock band Rocket from the Crypt, released in 2002 by Swami Records. It combines two of the band's out-of-print vinyl releases, the 1995 LP Hot Charity and 1999 EP Cut Carefully and Play Loud, into a single release on CD. It includes liner notes by singer/guitarist John Reis detailing the recordings of both releases.
R.I.P. is a live album by the American punk rock band Rocket from the Crypt, released on February 26, 2008, by Vagrant Records. It is a recording of the band's final performance on October 31, 2005, at the Westin Hotel Ballroom in San Diego. It also includes a DVD of the entire performance, including several songs not included on the CD.
See You in Magic is the debut album by the San Diego, California rock band The Night Marchers, released in 2008 by Vagrant Records and Swami Records. The Night Marchers are the latest musical project of singer/guitarist John Reis, previously of Pitchfork, Drive Like Jehu, Rocket from the Crypt, the Hot Snakes, and the Sultans. Reis announced the group's formation in August 2007, after all of his previous acts had broken up by January of that year. The band also includes Beehive and the Barracudas guitarist Gar Wood, CPC Gangbangs bassist Tommy Kitsos, and former Delta 72 drummer Jason Kourkounis. Wood and Kourkounis had previously recorded and performed with Reis in the Hot Snakes. The band members are credited on the album using pseudonyms that they had used in their previous acts: Reis is credited as "Speedo", Wood as "Dner", Kitsos as "Skitsos", and Kourkounis as "Jsinclair".
The Night Marchers are an American alternative rock band formed in 2007 in San Diego, California, United States. The band is composed of singer/guitarist John Reis, guitarist Gar Wood, bassist Tommy Kitsos, and drummer Jason Kourkounis. Reis, Wood, and Kourkounis had previously performed together in the Hot Snakes, while Kitsos previously performed with CPC Gangbangs. The Night Marchers' debut album See You in Magic was released in 2008 through Vagrant Records.
All Systems Go 3 is a compilation album by the San Diego, California rock band Rocket from the Crypt, released by Vagrant Records and Swami Records August 28, 2008, nearly three years following the band's breakup. It collects songs recorded from 1997 to 2000 on 8-track in the band's practice space. Many of the tracks were previously unreleased and became available for the first time on this album. All Systems Go 3 includes contributions from original drummer Atom Willard as well as Chris Prescott and Tony DiPrima, both of whom filled in after Willard left the group in 1999.
Andy Stamets is an American guitarist who was a member of Rocket from the Crypt, Beehive & the Barracudas, and the Sultans.
Jason Crane is an American drummer and trumpeter notable as a member of Rocket from the Crypt, The Black Heart Procession, and Beehive & the Barracudas.
The discography of Rocket from the Crypt, a San Diego-based alternative rock band active from 1990 to 2005, consists of seven studio albums, two EPs, one live album, two DVDs, twenty-eight singles, and eight music videos.
