I used to be in an 80s rock cover band that I started called Aftershock. I named it that because the songs we played – 80s hair band music – made a huge explosion in the 80s and here we are making a little rumble with those songs some 30+ years later.
We were a good band. Not great, but solid. Musically we were very good as far as talent with all the instruments. And our founding singer, Rob, had an interesting voice quality that set us apart from our peers. I played in this band for about 7 years before hanging it up and “retiring” from the music scene.
Check out this promotional video featuring Rob Rocker (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Dave Hardman (lead guitar), Lance Bledsoe (bass, vocals), and your truly (drums, vocals). We filmed the video at a gig in a bar called Tir na nOg in Raleigh that unfortunately no longer exists. It had a nice dance area, great stage, and really, really good sound equipment. My good friend and fellow musician, Ann Johnson, provided the voice-over talent. Tim Szezesniak and his crew provided the cinematography and audio capture.
I miss the fun of performing and I miss the people I used to hang out with both in the band and at shows. Aftershock was one of three bands I played in (the others being “Cherry” and “Blackstrap Molasses.” These bands had some great friends in them that I will always cherish even if we aren’t connected any longer.
Go see live music. Not just big concerts with touring acts but local bands playing in your favorite bars. They work really hard to entertain us and it’s a lot of fun supporting good people having fun. I don’t stay up late anymore but who knows, you might see me out in the music scene seeing some of my favorite bands and maybe even playing a little drums.