| HISTORY  |
1972 |
Everything begins with the CRYSTAL, a group who played in the pubs of Paris (France). The members didn’t look like space aliens yet. |
1974 |
The Crystal changed their name in ROCKET MEN or ROCKETTERS and started to show with their famous alien-look, with silver skin, contact lenses and space suits. They recorded the single ROCKET MAN, produced by Claude Lemoine (producer of the Rockets until 1983). |
1975 |
The grop changed again the name in ROCKETS and recorded the single FUTURE WOMAN; this version is not the one included in their first LP; the B-side includes a non-album track, ‘Sexy planet’. They also released the single SAMOURAI, not included on any of their albums, the B-side was ‘Fils du ciel’. |
1976
|
Rockets, their first LP, was released in France and the group started a series of live shows in which they used vocoder, lasers, smoke and fireworks, gaining immediate success in France and, later, abroad. |
1977 |
The Rockets made their first appearance on Italian TV playing in the ‘Festival di Pesaro’ show. |
1978
|
The LP On the road again was released in a great number of countries; the title is taken from the hit song by the CANNED HEAT. In that year, they toured North America (USA and Canada), while in Italy, the album remained in the hit-parade almost for a year. |
1979
|
The
LP Sound of the future
was released in Italy only; it contains a complete version of Space
rock, Future woman, Don’t be sad Atomic control, not released on
any other LPs. The LP Plasteroïd was released. In Italy it sold 200,000 copies (gold disc). In France, Plasteroïd was also released as a picture disc. |
1980
|
The
LP Live was released in
Italy only; it was recorded on different dates of the ‘Plasteroïd’
tour; it contains two interesting solos, Drum solo and Guitar visions.
Galaxy was released. According to many critics, and also to the ROCKETS, this is their best album ever, and lead the band to the absolute peak of their fame. The album gained the ‘platinum disc’ (1,000,000 copies) and was followed by a gigantic 200-date tour; Taranto show (Italy) was broadcasted on TV. |
1981
|
The LP PI 3,14 was released, with an active collaboration with a few members of VISITORS. This album featured female vocals, ChantalRicci singing on ‘Ideomatic’, and computerized drums. The only single taken from the LP was ‘Radiate / King of the universe’ released in Spain only. |
1982
|
The
Rockets presented the single Radio station / Star vision at the ‘Saint
Vincent’ show (Italy). The LP Atomic was released a few months later, the last album recorded by the real ROCKETS (the ‘Silver Men’ suits and the all-original lineup); the press and people started to ignore the group and their popularity suddenly plummeted. |
1984
|
The
producer Claude Lemoine abandoned the band, Christian Le Bartz left
the stage, becoming the group’s road manager, and Alain Groetzinger
left the ROCKETS altogether. SAL SOLO, ex-leader of CLASSIX NOUVEAUX,
joined ROCKETS (in France, Spain and Germanycalled ROK-ETZ for contractual
reasons), and this lineup recorded the new album, Imperception. The changes in the band led also to a change in their look: simple humans with no silver skin, wearing costumes designed by Victor Togliani. It was the end of the silver space men. The style of their music changed towards that of most British pop bands of that period (less electronic and more soft dance). ’Under the sun’ video clip was used in the Italian ‘Festival di San Remo’ show. |
1985
|
The group released One way and changed their name to ROKETZ (or ROK-ETZ out of Italy). ‘Little’ Gherard L’Her left the band, because he didn’t agree with the band’s new style. The name change marked a definitive change also in their music and look. |
1992
|
The
LP Another future was
released with all-new tracks and a few old ones - remixed. The style
is a mix of dance and rap, but there are also a few tracks done in the
traditional ‘Rockets’ style. The compilation Galactica was released with tracks from the LPs published between 1980 and 1984. |
1992 and 1993 |
Alain Maratrat participated in the writing and recording of material on two CDs by French kid prodigy JORDY (only 4 years old!) produced by his father Claude Lemoine (Rockets’ old producer), entitled ‘Pochette surprise’ and ‘Potione magique’. The single ‘Dure dure d’être bébé’ was very successful in France, Italy and many other countries reaching the top in a few hit parades. |
1996
|
In February, at the ‘Festival di San Remo’ show (Italy), members of the band ELIO E LE STORIE TESE appeared on stage sporting the classic ‘Rockets’ look. Two double CD compilations (Greatest hits and Hits & remixes) were released. The first one including the best ROCKETS material from 1976 to 1982; the second one all of the ‘Greatest hits’ tracks, plus 6 remixes (done in 1996) of more famous numbers. A few remixes have also been included on many other singles in many variations; the original versions of ‘On the road again / Galactica’ and ‘Future woman / Space rock’ have been reissued on maxi-single. |
1997 |
November Friday 28, Fabrice Quagliotti has appeared live in front of an audience, during one of the evening performances at his music pub, ‘L’ultimo caffè’, playing ‘Venus rapsody’ using the ‘mini-moog’ (the keybord used in the majority of the ROCKETS discography). |
1999 |
In January
Fabrice Quagliotti pub has been sold; |
2000
|
In January
has been released in Italy, without authorization from the holder
of the copyrights, a compilation (On the road) that includes songs
from 1977 to 1982 (all formerly released). |
2003
|
The
29th March in Marzabotto (Bologna, Italy) Alain Grotzinger, Fabrice
Quagliotti and the new singer LBM meet the fans in a theatre, in which
there's a concert played
by the Universal Band. Alain and Fabrice, at the end of the show,
played "Venus Rapsody" and "Universal Band" with
the UB... It was great, and maybe the only occasion to see two real
Rockets play again together! |
