Updates

• Added info on Jimmy Ford, thanks to Volker Houghton. • Extended and corrected the post on Happy Harold Thaxton (long overdue), thanks to everyone who sent in memories and information! • Added information to the Jim Murray post, provided by Mike Doyle, Dennis Rogers, and Marty Scarbrough. • Expanded the information on Charlie Dial found in the Little Shoe post.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Rhythm Rockets

The Rhythm Rockets were a rockabilly band from Miami, Florida. They had an unique sound with hot lead guitar licks and explosive backing music. They never got popular outside Miami, which is a shame (if you hear the recordings you will know why). The Rhythm Rockets were first introduced to me last year by the Ace CD "Miami Rockabilly" that featured 32 songs from the vaults of Miami record labels. Take a listen to "Lucky Day" (I included here the remastered version), Donny Pate plays a hell of an electric guitar that will blow you away! Also highly recommended are "The Slide" (top-notch rockabilly for the late 50s with real rock guitar solos) and the more bluesy "My Love Is Gone". Enjoy!

Download


track list:
1. My Shadow
2. Lucky Day
3. Donny's Boogie
4. Boppin' Strollin' & Messin' Around
5. Everybody's Gonna Do the Rock'n'Roll
6. Here, There, Everywhere
7. The Slide
8. I've Got that Feeling
9. My Love Is Gone
10. Who Knows
11. My Shadow

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is great.Like you said "The Slide".WOW!Thanks a lot.

Mitchhz said...

These tracks are amazing. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

I live in Miami fl and have some info about the Gold Coast Jamboree if you are still interested,but don't care to put it in the comments if you want to send me an email I will forward it to you
rrahjayh@aol.com

1966forever said...

Thanks so much for this - it's been a nightmare trying to find anything by them! Is there anything known about the Rhythm Rockets (I must have turned Google inside out by now!)

Mellow said...

1966forever,

there's only little information out there in the Rhythm Rockets. I have gathered all available info and wrote some liner notes for this disc, which you will find in the download folder.

Regards

1966forever said...

Hi Mellow - I do feel kind of silly for asking redundant questions, as I read the CD insert right after posting. Thanks for putting out such a great CD, to you and all involved - it really was a treat to listen to!

Having said that, I do have one observation: I believe the singer on'the Slide' and 'My love is gone' not to be Donnie Pate, but an unknown (for now? ) female singer. The voice always sounded female to me, not pre-adolescent male.

Further, the lyric in 'My love is gone' goes, "he's gone", and it seems unlkely that a male singer would lament the loss of a male lover. Tell me what you think?

All the best,

Pascal

Mellow said...

Thank you for the nice words and yes, you're right about the singer, I think. I also noticed that female voice on both tracks but had no other explanation than the Donny "theory".

1966forever said...

A commenter who posted under my video of 'the Slide' on Youtube tells me the vocal is by Pate sibling Linda. So that may help a little.

Also, to help fill in some blanks, the drummer's daughter emailed me asking for some more info about the Pates - sadly I had none to give... But she say her father is Lou Giacobbe, and he used to be the drummer.

Yes, years can go by on a blog!

Cheers,

Pascal

Mellow said...

Yes I read it. Asked the guy about it and he told me Derek Glenister, who worked for Rock Star Records, told him this snippet of info. I will contact Mr. Giacobbe's daughter and see, what else we can find out!