Rocket 88 is the name of a United Kingdom-based boogie-woogie band formed in the late 1970s by Ian "Stu" Stewart, Charlie Watts, Alexis Korner and Dick Morrissey.[1]
The band is named for the 1949 Pete Johnson instrumental "Rocket 88 Boogie" and is also the title of their 1981 live album, recorded by the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio.
The continuation of an ad hoc band formed by Stewart, Watts and Bob Hall, George Green, Colin Smith,[2] John Picard,[2] the band featured many top British musicians from different backgrounds who would meet up whenever possible during the late 1970s and early 80s for what was in effect an ongoing jam session. Other "regular" members of the band included the above-mentioned founding members, plus Jack Bruce, Danny Adler, Don Weller, Colin Hodgkinson, Zoot Money, Chris Farlowe, Hal Singer, Mickey Waller, Pete York, Dave Markee, Harvey Weston, Charlie Hart, Willie Garnett and Malcom Everson. Jack Bruce would play stand up bass, with bleeding fingers, in local pubs in South London such as the Half Moon in Putney. There other Stones such as Jagger would pop in and play. Jagger did not get to do vocals but would play an often un mic'd harp.
Album
The band recorded a live album, Rocket 88 at the Rotation Club, Hanover, while on tour in Germany, in November 1979. It was released in March 1981 on the Atlantic Records label (SD 19293). Ian Stewart wrote the sleeve notes on the back cover of the album, giving not only a brief history of the band, but also an interesting history of boogie woogie and rock 'n' roll in general.[3]