In 1998, guitarist John Mark King, whose only experience as a performer had up to that point been guitar player in a Tuscaloosa, Ala., Ramones cover band known as the Cretins, met Sean Wolfe, the lead singer of Lancaster, Pa.’s, STILETTO BOYS. This was in North Alabama.
The two immediately found they had a great deal in common regarding their taste in music. Sean was an avid connoisseur of Punk Rock with particular interest in 1977 New York and early 80s Power Pop. John Mark was a novice, but immediately fell in love with the trashy sounds of Electric Frankenstein and the Hellacopters and quickly became well-versed in the music of late-60s Detroit and 70’s NYC. But he also explored such earlier sounds as Chuck Berry, Louis Jordan and Jerry Lee Lewis. These artists led him to the Rolling Stones and the Who.
The two quickly started writing music together. But there was no money for a decent recording. And, of course, no drummer. So John Mark bought a cheap drum machine and began programming rudimentary beats. He also downloaded some recording software and figured a way to use masking tape and a stack of pillows to record his guitar. For vocals, he taped his cheap computer microphone to a piece of wood and pulled a sock over it. Bass was recorded with a direct line. No frills.
After several months, the two had a handful of songs and a name, ROCKET CITY RIOT, given by Sean’s then girlfriend. The name was a play on the city’s nickname as a national epicenter of rocket science.
The songs were decent. Most of them. The recordings were not. What the two considered finished products actually qualified as demos. But they believed in the DIY ethic and thought they were doing something worthwhile by creating music in this fashion. So they charged on.
John Mark met Brian Guthrie (brother of the Cocteau Twins’ Robin Guthrie) through Sal Canzonieri of Electric Frankenstein. Brian was starting a new label for Rock and Roll music in his home city Grangemouth, Scotland. The label was to be called Twenty Stone Blatt. RCR sent them a CD of the songs. TSB liked them. Soon thereafter, RCR’s first album was being pressed. It was called We Name the Guilty Men.
Before the release, however, Sean quit RCR. Personal differences. The two had recorded 12 songs together. Sean moved back to Pa. to continue working with the Stiletto Boys. In 2000, they released a Power Pop near-masterpiece entitled Buzzbomb Sounds. They have been relatively quiet since.
We Name the Guilty Men didn’t sell. There were some good reviews. But the record tanked.
The Early Years (1998-1999)
