The 55's biography
The 55's are:
mother
elvis valentine
stumbling greg rocket aka el nino aka blondass
rambling al rocket aka 5 string al
'67% of people make love on the Sabbath'
(anon)
The rambling rocket brothers met some years ago in an institution (writing songs and playing live came naturally). Inspiration was never a problem (the smell of coffee in the morning, the feel of a good carpet on bare feet, schoolgirls and young librarians) and the will to succeed in popular music was always an unspoken bond.
Some years later the rocket's decided it was time to form a rock and roll combo. They decided to base the band in Edinburgh, as it is one of their favourite cities. The people of Edinburgh they had met, though much the same essentially as most of the peoples of Europe, were more primitive and with them they felt more comfortable and advanced.
'my head above the bronco's neck
my back 45 degrees to his,
i can't swallow'
(flavours of marlboro country p24)
The 55's couldn't care less about their music, about which they are passionate. The 55's are interested in sin.
One might wonder at the odds of finding the greatest singers, guitarists, bass guitarists, and drummers in one group. The 55’s certainly were amazed. This special little rock group began playing ‘sutra rock’ around Edinburgh in the summer of 2002. In 2003 they visited a blue shed in glasgow where they were given magic powers and returned with music on disk.
The 55's rocked and rolled all over this old land and enjoyed extensive radio airplay on shows such as 'The Session in Scotland' and 'John Peel'.
Their debut album 'Cobra' was unleashed in 2004 to widespread acclaim. Yet this was not enough and after several years the rocket brothers split and The 55's were no more. Yet their spirit lives on in the dark corners and sleazy venues of Scotland's capital
Last updated July 2008
footnote: Elvis and 5 String Al are churning out some delightful noises in Edinburgh supergroup The Blessed Order Of Fallen Stars. Greg Rocket has been resurrecting some old time gospel sounds and Mother can often be found behind drum kits, and in front of bars, in some of Edinburgh's seeder quarters. September 2008