If the name Rocket From the Tombs doesn’t ring a bell, probably Pere Ubu and the Dead Boys does. In 1974, the original line-up included Chris Cuda, Peter Laughner, and Glen “Thunderhand” Hach sharing guitar duties; Charlie Weiner on bass and other implements; and Tom Foolery (née Clements) on drums while the classic lineup included David Thomas (then known as “Crocus Behemoth”, Peter Laughner, Craig Bell, Gene O’Connor (a.k.a. Cheetah Chrome), and Johnny Madansky (presently known as “Johnny Blitz”). Laughner and Thomas went on to form Pere Ubu. Laughner died in 1977, of acute pancreatitis brought on by years of drinking and drugging. O’Connor and Madansky joined with singer Stiv Bators to form Frankenstein, which later morphed into the Dead Boys. Both groups used songs first written or performed by Rocket From The Tombs as parts of their repertoires: the Dead Boys were known for “Ain’t It Fun,” “What Love Is,” “Down in Flames,” “Caught With the Meat in Your Mouth” (done by RFTT as “I’m Never Gonna Kill Myself Again”) and “Sonic Reducer”; Pere Ubu went on to reinterpret “Final Solution,” “Life Stinks” and “30 Seconds Over Tokyo.” “Ain’t It Fun” was first released by O’Connor’s later group, The Dead Boys, on their 1978 second studio album “We Have Come for Your Children.” The song was later covered and rose to fame by Guns N’ Roses when they cover the song for their 1993 album “The Spaghetti Incident?”. Rollins Band also covered the song for their album “A Nicer Shade of Red”, a compilation album which was recorded at the same sessions that produced “Nice” in 2001. Read more Rocket From the Tombs – Barfly (2011) ›