30
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We are celebrating 30 years of The Rockits. It seems as though time stands still remembering concerts with The Rockits at: Servite High School, La Habra Stadium, University of California at Irvine, Sioux City… It is difficult to believe that The Rockits have endured 30 years as successful entertainers. In honor of this occasion original founding members: Stephen Hager, Larry Duffy, Larry Andreozzi, Tom Messina, Paul Turney and Joe Truxaw are embarking on a 2 year journey and they want you to join them. A 2-year tour will begin in Orange County, California treating their fans to a new show, which includes fresh material as well as all The Rockits old hits. The tour will move on to New York then London, England where the lads will record a new album before returning to the states and Orange County for the last leg of the tour. The new recording will most certainly be a smash hit and the greatest Rockits Record of all time. On this tour the lads will be joined by world-class jazz saxophonist Robin Rader. Her well known chops will complement the “If you don’t want to rock then get off the stage” style of The Rockits. Dave O’ Connell of Hot Tip and The Resouls fame will also come on board with his back pocket full of hot chops and vocals. Other original members: Wally “Gator” Younger, Paul McAndrew and Harry “Mess” Mestyanek will join in on the tour for special performances.
The Rockits history begins long before the band formed. The individuals in The Rockits had successful solo and band careers before coming together as the band we know today. Larry Duffy, Tom Messina and Greg Portillo formed The Inner Light band in grammar school and fine-tuned their music ability early on. During this time Larry Duffy invented and perfected the “Wailer Chord”. Prodigy is not a word these boys like to hear but by the time Larry and Tom came of age their musical skill was already of some notoriety in the local region before joining The Rockits. Steve Hager, Gary Duperron, Tom McKnight and for a brief period Michael Price on bass formed The Knostalgic Knights. With inspiration from Larry and Tom The Knostalgic Knights went on to a famed career. They were the first of the regional bands to make serious recordings and broke into the music scene with their hit “Don’t Howdy Dowdy”, inspired from Ringo's lead vocal on The White Album song “Don’t Pass Me By”. Paul Turney, Wally Younger, Paul McAndrew and Joe Truxaw rocked with their band Hyde. Their live show was unsurpassed and ahead if it’s day using a sophisticated light show and special effects including fog machines. Hyde’s live performance most likely inspired other acts of the day such as Alice Cooper and Black Sabbath. Larry Andreozzi was the classically trained Rockit studying voice with the world renowned Leonard. He toured as a soloist with the Guadalupe Choir and performed in off Broadway musicals such as West Side Story. Harry Mestyanek was also classically trained in surf music. He sang and hung with all the California hodads from San Clemente and San Onofre. He was the Duke of Earle that brought “Surfer Joe” to the Rockits and was instrumental in the harmony sound of The Rockits. It is no wonder that The Rockits were destined for success with such strong established artists coming together. Not only were these guys great musicians but also most of the boys had some background in theater and television performance making The Rockits shows really come alive. Joe Truxaw also was well versed in the technical aspect of sound and effects adding another dimension to the band.
One sunny afternoon in October of 1973, Larry Duffy and Steve Hager were on their way to the McCoy pool house to jam with Tom McCoy. On the journey Larry and Steve discussed the possibilities of starting a new act. They would need a name. Steve offered “The Rockets”. Larry invented the “its” spelling. The Rockits! Now they needed players.
Larry, Steve and Tom McCoy enjoyed playing music together and decided to help put together an act to perform at a Servite High School pep rally. The performance was a one-act play entitled “Johnny B. Goode” which was a take on “A Christmas Carol” complete with Chuck Berry and Beach Boys songs. The trio played 2 other gigs together with various band members. With a borrowed amp and a keyboard from David “Hot Ass” Gibney the “Silver” Rockits played the first rock and roll show in the history of Rosary High School, an all girl Catholic school in Fullerton, California. Another show was performed for the Southern California Cheerleading Conference in Santa Barbara, California, which included school mate Mike Quijano. These were unbelievable shows and to say they were well received is an understatement. Tom McCoy had his eye on theater and planned to tour Europe the following year with the Up With People troop. Tom is now the head of McCoy Rigby Entertainment producing national tours.
Many of the Lads were schoolmates at Servite, an all boy Catholic High School in Anaheim, California. Hard labor as punishment was common. In lieu of detentions, for example, boys were required to rake rocks from the vacant area next to the school for a future football field and track. A professional touring band called Mag Wheel and the Lug Nuts was scheduled to play a big concert at the school. The band was amused when they learned of the rock-raking punishment and made derogatory remarks about the school’s dean of discipline at a promotional rally for the concert. The dean of discipline, whose name was Mr. Rick Rock and the administration, fired the band on the spot. Who would fill the bill at the big concert on such a short notice? Timing is everything. The Rockits: Steve, Larry, Tom, Larry, Wally and Paul McAndrew had already started rehearsing and had a first performance scheduled at Marywood High School, an all girl Catholic school the following week. The Rockits were also booked for the big concert thanks to Mag Wheel and the Lug Nuts. The concert proved to be the largest and most successful Servite concert to date and made The Rockits a band in demand. What took place over the next few years were things that dreams are made of.
The Rockits were an instant success. They were in demand and they carried a full concert schedule throughout the year. After the first year of concerts, Paul McAndrew took a year break from The Rockits and joined Tom McCoy to tour Europe with the Up With People troupe. Harry Mestyanek came on board full time and the boys kept on going. Kevin Wilson assisted the band as master of ceremony at special concerts and helped book the band on bills with other successful bands of the day such as Oingo Boingo and John Mayall. There were radio interviews, television shows and plenty of buzz in the press. It was time for a big hit. The following year Steve Hager, Joe Truxaw, Wally Younger with help from Paul McAndrew, started Chateau East Sound Productions and constructed a recording studio with the assistance of the Chateau East gang. The production company recorded and produced several acts in their early days such as: Let’s Eat, John Stamos, The Kracks, Hot Tip and Metalica. They expanded the facility to include Orange County’s first record manufacturing plant. The Rockits now had a home for their creative talents. The lads went into the studio and had a smash hit with their first Flynn-Curtis penned song “Moped City”. With support from the congregation at Loyola Marymount University, this first hit remained on the Doctor Demento top 10 list for several weeks. This recording can be heard on The Rockits Greatest Hits Vol. I.
The Rockits continued to perform over the next 25 years in various formats with an array of special guests and world class entertainers and musicians such as: Mitchell James, (the other) Steve Hagar, Bob Billmeier, Dave O’Connell, Penny Watson, Kent Smith, Tom McKnight, Mitch Atkins, Arne Vasquez and Elvis to mention only a few.
The original members are back in the saddle and are on their way to creating another wave of hits with a new show and a new record. The Rockits want you to come aboard and join then on this 2-year journey and once again have the time the time of your life enjoying friendship and fun.
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