Rocket to Russia (Queers album)

Infobox Album
Name = Rocket to Russia
Type = Tribute Album
Artist = The Queers


Released = 1994 October 22, 1998 2001 (reissue)
Recorded = 1994 at Flat Iron - Chicago, IL
Genre = Pop-Punk, Punk rock
Length =
Label = Selfless Records SFLS-28-1 Clearview Records CRVW-28 Liberation Records L-37838
Producer = Ben Weasel
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|2|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0nfrxq9jldse link]
Last album = "Love Songs for the Retarded" (1994)
This album = "Rocket to Russia" (1994)
Next album = "Shout At The Queers" (1995)

"Rocket to Russia" is a Ramones cover album by pop-punk band The Queers. [http://www.thequeersusaband.com/sfls28_1.php the Queers - USA Band ] ] This one of a series of full-length Ramones cover albums (which also included "Ramones" by Screeching Weasel, "Leave Home" by The Vindictives, "Road to Ruin" by The Mr. T Experience) released by Selfless Records in the mid-1990s. [http://wc04.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0nfrxq9jldse allmusic ((( Rocket to Russia > Overview ))) ] ]

Queers vocalist and guitarist, Joe King, has repeatedly stated that the Ramones are one of the biggest influences on the band. [ [http://www.potatogibberish.com/music_thequeers.htm Potato Gibberish ... just another punk comic ] ] [ [http://www.truepunk.com/interviews/the_queers/ TRUEPUNK.COM - Interview with punk rock and roll band The Queers ] ] [ [http://www.thequeersrock.com/interviews.html the Queers - Interviews ] ] He wanted the Queers to sound "in between the Ramones and the Beach Boys." [ [http://www.thequeersrock.com/interviewsflecks.html the Queers - Interviews ] ] However, he was not thrilled about recording a Ramones album, stating that "they're usually perfect to begin with." [ [http://www.thequeersrock.com/interviews10things.html the Queers - Interviews ] ] At the time, the band did not have anything released except "Love Songs for the Retarded" and making the album helped them get by financially. [http://rnrj.com/i_queer.htm RNRJ - Joe Queer Interview ] ]

This album has been praised for faithfully reproducing the sound of the original "Rocket to Russia". It was called "an impressive feat of mimicry" and "a nice tribute to the [Queers'] obvious heroes." However, this quality is also the album's weak point because it is redundant.

Joe King has regretted making this album and expressed outrage at Clearview Records for unpaid royalties from reissues. In 2006, the band would have similar troubles with Lookout! Records and rescind their master rights from the label.

Track listing

# "Cretin Hop"
# "Rockaway Beach"
# "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow"
# "Locket Love"
# "I Don't Care"
# "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker"
# "We're a Happy Family"
# "Teenage Lobotomy"
# "Do You Wanna Dance?"
# "I Wanna Be Well"
# "I Can't Give You Anything"
# "Ramona"
# "Surfin' Bird"
# "Why Is It Always This Way?"
# "Blabbermouth" (Liberation Records reissue only)

Personnel

*Joe King - Guitar, Vocals
*B-Face - Bass, Vocals
*Jay - Drums
*Ben Weasel - Vocals on "Surfin Bird"

Notes