Rocket Ship (Live)

Elbo Finn

Sometime in 2000 I heard about this band called Elbo Finn. They had moved to Portland from Salt Lake City. Purusa wanted to play shows with them, so I booked some. I think “Rocket Ship” might have been the first song I ever heard them play. It was a staple opener of their sets back then. But it didn’t make it on their 2001 EP S.W. 58th, one of the early records that Prepaid Friends got involved with. They became part of the PPF family over the next couple years. In Feb 2002, their former home town of Salt Lake City hosted the winter Olympics and Elbo Finn went back and played some big shows while it was happening. I had heard tale of a live recording of “Rocket Ship” from the biggest of those. That song never got a studio recording and since the band has been inactive the past 10 years, I knew that the best bet to get a song of theirs on this compilation was to inquire about “Rocket Ship (live)”. Elbo Finn agreed.

The guys shared their thoughts about the song recently. Lead singer Jayson Gates: “Rocket Ship as a song, to me, was always about building a wave/swell of noise and melody to bring the energy up. A rocket ship to blast off when the music and drugs hit .” Drummer Maurice Hille: “I love the dreamy build up to the rocking pay off. And the odd chaotic ending.” Guitarist Josh Crowther: “It was a nice opener because we could build a guitar feedback loop and twin it with a synth. Played in F-sharp minor.”