A lot of bands in Detroit play rock, but Rocket 455 plays Detroit rock — as in high-energy street rock. With the best two-guitar frontline in the city and some asphyxiating mike cord antics from their singer, Rocket blasts off as the true progeny of the other Motown sound (besides techno). When hot-roddin’ kids from Australia or France or Japan think of Detroit rock, this is the blare that they’re hearing.
This article appears in May 5-11, 1999.