He is the singer who helped uplift Swinging Stars’ music when he became the band’s vocalist at 16, the Wooden Stools musician who would have made it into the original Exile One line-up but missed out because his mom thought he was too young to be based in Guadeloupe at the time.
More popularly known as Rocket, Brian Rock has always been one of the better vocalists to come out of Dominica.
He’s been doing his thing with a Chicago-based band for years now, but has just released his first solo CD – Hang in There.
“No matter how things are rough, hang in there,” is the message he’s sending through the title track.
Rocket is looking for that one big hit to put his years of dedication to the artform of music into proper perspective.
Brian is in Dominica at the moment promoting the CD which features largely Reggae Music.
It is available both online and locally.
On the live circuit he’s known to multi-task playing bass and singing at the same time (no easy feat), but on his own album he played all the instruments except the horn section.
Speaking to Dominica News Online on Monday, Brian said although he has been playing reggae from 1975, he does include Dominican music especially cadence and zouk, when he plays his live gigs.
He’s hoping to show his prowess at the World Music Creole Festival at some stage, to allow Dominica to see how much he has developed from his young days with “Wooden Stools”.
The 53-year-old Rastafarian from Roseau has during his more than 40 years in the music business rubbed shoulders with some of the world’s greats.
“I hit some big times you know but I always kept it kind of on the down low,” Brian told DNO.
He grew up listening to the Rolling Stones as a little boy.
So imagine his joy when later as a full blown musician he was able to get into studio with that world famous group.
“I played bass on one of their songs, a song called ‘Too Much Blood’. Then Bruce Springsteen, on his big album Born In The USA – there’s a song called ‘Cover Me’, I played bass on that with him,” Rocket recalls fondly.
He speaks of playing as well with Carly Simon and some of the big reggae acts including Toots and the Maytals, Culture, Burning Spear who he was on tour with at one stage, and the late Jacob Miller.
Rocket recalls rubbing shoulders with Third World, one of his favourite bands.
“I used to tell them about Dominica, and they came down to Dominica, and the next time they saw me they were like BOY DOMNIKA NICE,” he remembers jovially.
Father of three Brian “Rocket” Rock says he intends returning to Dominica to resettle by 2015, and is certain that his American-born wife will enjoy the island as much as he does.
“My wife who is American, everyday she reads Dominica News Online, she knows more about Dominica than me,” he told DNO while laughing heartily. “She would come and tell me stuff and ask me ‘where is Vieille Case …”
She is currently on island accompanying her husband during a weeklong visit to his homeland the Nature Isle.
Rocket’s new CD has a total of 11 tracks, including “Treat Me Good”, “We Can Win”(a song he’s hoping the Obama reelection campaign will adopt), “When Jah Call” and “Malcolm, Marcus and Marley”.
Samples of Rocket’s music can be found here: http://www.rocketreggae.com
See video from album below.
Nice roots reggae tracks,,,Nice one brian,well done and you know i will link up with you to Promote and give your tunes airplay on our station.
Jah Bless.
Before Exile One there was Voltage 4.They practise in a house on Church Lane Goodwill.Every one who played a part in D A music used to hang there.
What would you know about that,,, lol that was in the early 70’s,because i was living on Federation Drive,also enjoying the practice music of Gaylords (GPU) in Pollidor Garage (Greens & Canal Lane)
CHINEE.
Nice videos, good luck Brian my boy keep dem coming. Dominica really got tallent. Nice you mention that eh ‘D W’, Ask Stretchers he sent me to see his boy Eddie Adams in Denver once, front man lead vocals bassist, nuff bouyon, zouk and reggae all night, he also plays timbales, bongos and sax in front of him. I dig dem D/a man got tallent, pleasure to know them.
One Love.
Obama can use “We ca win” or go back to “Yes we can” But he have shown us he cannot.
J.J.John Charles, Thank you for your courage, your honesty and your integrity!
There’s nothing better on earth than to do what God has purposed for you. The love my dad has for music and for being true to himself is that light that has guided him to this point in life. I am proud and overjoyed at his accomplishments and pray for his continued success!
Akenya, Well said. I Love that.
when one have his mind set on what he loves to do,
nothing can take that away from you,i can still remember Lennox Rocque boasting about you, when he encouraged me to check you guys out in Moja Nya,at the western front in cambridge, iwas impressed with you bassing and singing, you have to be one of the best i have seen doing that.i must get your CD. good work my boy, YOU ARE A MUSICIAN;
Thank you everyone for your comments….You can get the cd “Rocket-Hang In There” at “Grafix” in Roseau or http://www.rocketreggae.com. You can also download it on CDbaby.com. Thank you for supporting me and reggae music.
Nuff respect to de I. You kept it going. Hope to see you some time this summer in NY.
Congrats to you Brian. Great work. Keep it up. Where can one buy the cd.
Brian is in Dominica at the moment,so I am sure he will let you know where to pick up a CD.
If you are in the US you can purchase the CD online at http://www.rocketreggae.com
read
A TRUE MUSICAL SOLDIER. KEEP ON ROCKING ON MR. ROCK. ALL THE RECOGNITION YOU ARE GETTING IS WELL DESERVED.
Congrats is in order my Brother, see you soon in Chi-Town, oh by the way,I hope you had fun back home, and I also hope you bring de ting back…call you soon my Bro!!! One Love!!!
Ah wah ting you are ask de bredthren foo bring back. Are you mad man. Ah set you are try fi set de man up in the name of friendship. Shouldn’t write statements like that in this technological intertnet world.
I am not being bias because he is my brother, but I can tell you for sure, he is good. When he left Dominica at the age of seveteen, my Mom put me in charge, he went to school for Architural Drafting, but that soon became a thing of the past. His main focus was music and of course to my parents disappointment (Philip and Maudlin(Fingal) Rock he decided to form his band, Moja Nya. For me it was fine, because I believe you need to pursue your dreams. Today he is one of the best. The people in Chicago and all over the midwest just love him, to them he is a star I know you will love his music too. It’s a good CD, my favourite CD of course. A true Dominican at heart, he plans to return to Dominica with his wife to retire.
Correction after reading over . Typo I meant Architectural drafting.
Congrats Brian!
Congratulations Brian. So proud of you. all the best,always.
Respect Due to Rocket a talented trail blazer. Love & respect everytime.
Hi everyone – Rocket’s site is http://www.rocketreggae.com – thanks!
Nice. You go Rocket!
Brian, congratulations!
I’m looking forward with great enthusiasm to giving it a listen.
There is a definite richness in your music history from King George the V Street to Chicago.
Keep on Hanging in There, My Friend.
can we get a pic of that CD on line?
all the best bro. go do your thing.
You should be able to.
This is nice. I really enjoy seeing Dominica with so many artistes representing and doing what they believe in.
Rockets is the ONLY bassist who can sing lead vocals to reggae and bass at the same time.i havent seen that being done.Others have done it but they were never the lead vocalist. this CD is long awaited and anticipated. Regretably, i did not see you this time around. Keepup the Jah works my Bro.
Maybe the ONLY in the USA but check out what’s going on in Berlin, Germany…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyroVNMaje0&feature=relmfu
He is still in Dominica so there is still some time to see him
Good luck to you my brudder. We have so much talent people from Dominica man.
One of these days…