15th Anniversary Shows! UPDATE

Hi Friends,

The first batch of 15th Anniversary shows start this weekend. The show in Saint Louis is SOLD OUT. But there are tickets remaining for the shows in Seattle, Chicago, and New York. Go to the SHOWS page for links to buy tickets. Don't delay!!! There will only be 15 headlining shows in 2008. That's it people... 15 shows in 2008.

We will be giving away two very cool prizes this year. You can enter the the contest at any of the shows.

GRAND PRIZE #1
CUSTOM BUILT CRESTON "GOLDEN ROCKET" GUITAR!
This guitar was custom built especially for Bottle Rockets for this contest by the one and only Creston Lea.



About the guitar from Creston: The 15th Anniversary guitar began as a piece of 17"-wide poplar. I cut it in half and used one piece to make a bass for Keith Voegele last year. I resawed a 3/16" lid off the other half, chambered out the body, and glued the lid back on. The result is a lightweight, resonant body that nicely compliments the solitary soapbar bridge pickup. The neck is a comfortable medium-C , 1-11/16" wide at the nut, maple with a rosewood board, 10" radius, 6150 frets, and dual-acting truss rod. The nut is unbleached bone, cut the way Brian likes it. Nickel Gotoh tuners. The pickup was made by Jason Lollar, whose P-90s are the best I've ever heard. Standard volume and tone controls, plus a 3-way selector switch that lets you go from cutting twang to dark Hammond organ murk. The color is Freightliner's Convoy Gold topcoated in nitrocellulose lacquer with a 3-ply mint green pickguard. It comes in a Levy's bag embroidered with a filigreed version of my logo.

SEE MORE GUITAR PHOTOS HERE

GRAND PRIZE #2 BOTTLE ROCKETS FOR LIFE!
The Winner will get free Bottle Rockets for life... free albums, free shirts, free shows, free everything. We'll even buy you a beer at shows (assuming you are 21 or older). To start: one copy of every Bottle Rockets album released to date and one of every shirt design we have in stock. Then a free copy of all future albums, a free shirt every time we release new designs, and two free tickets to any show anytime (except private events or festivals where we can't control the tickets... very rarely will this be a problem).

HOW TO ENTER:
You must be present at one of the shows to enter the contest. But you don't need to be present to win. Each person who attends a show in 2008 can enter the contest at the show. We'll have entry forms on the merchandise table. Or you can download the form below, print it, fill it out and bring it to the show. One entry per person per show. On the entry form you can choose which grand prize you want. Give the completed entry form to a band member and that's it. We'll draw a winner for each prize at the final show of 2008.

DOWNLOAD ENTRY FORM HERE

BONUS ROUND!
Want to increase your chances of winning or enter the contest without going to a show? The band will be taking set list submissions for the shows in 2008. You can choose your 20 favorite Bottle Rockets songs + one cover song. The band will choose a set list and play it in order. If your set list is played you will automatically get 20 entries into the contest. These 20 entries can be entered into the drawing for either prize or split between the two. You can submit as many set lists as you want.

To submit your set list go to the the"15th Anniversary Set Lists" topic. You'll have to sign up for the message board if you are not already a member. It'll only take a couple of minutes to sign-up.

SUBMIT YOUR SET LIST HERE

See you soon!!!

More 2008 News!

Well, here it is.

The news you're not gonna like. We're sorry to report, there will be no new album in 2008.
WHY???

We haven't even recorded it yet. We were going to last November, but it just wasn't happenin'. Several reasons why. One being that I was totally burnt out from 14 months on the road. My mood was pretty foul. I just wasn't into it. I'd rather make NO album than make a bad one. Which is exactly what it would've been if we did it at that time. I called it off, dropped out, got a job, and forgot about music altogether. Best thing I ever did. Disappeared into society like Eddie Wilson, masquerading as Joe West.

Then, it all started comin' back to me... Words and Music. Thank God my boys stuck with me. Gave me room, helped me through it.

We're back at it full force now, the new songs are sounding great. Really great. SO great, we realized that there was only one thing to do with 'em... TAKE 'EM TO BROOKLYN!!!

Ladies and gentlemen, we are THRILLED to announce that in the producer's chair will be none other than... ERIC "ROSCOE" AMBEL!!!

The prodigal sons have returned.

We will be recording at Eric's studio in July and the album will be released in early '09 on the lovely and talented Bloodshot label.

The guitars are raging, Roscoe's back, and you're gonna be in trouble,
Hey La, Hey La, Roscoe's back!!!
We will, we will rock you...Everybody...WE WILL, WE WILL ROCK YOU!!!

Nothin' in '08. Deal with it. You'll thank us in '09.

There you have it, the worst news you'll get from us this year and it's STILL good news.

More fun and good news yet to come.

Stay tuned...
Brian

15th Anniversary Shows!

Well, boys and girls, here's some news for ya... Since some clubs can't resist announcing a booked show immediately... some of this is old news... but, here's the first four 15th Anniversary shows.

Saturday - May 3rd
Saint Louis, MO - Duck Room

Saturday - May 10th
Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern

Saturday - May 17th
Chicago, IL - Beat Kitchen

Saturday June 7th
New York - Mercury Lounge

Remember, there's only 11 more of these shows this year. So, If we're in your neck of the woods I recommend making plans ASAP.

As if seeing our lovely bodies isn't enough, here's another reason to come to the shows... WE'RE GIVING AWAY A GUITAR!!! Yep, a custom made guitar, courtesy of Creston Electric Instruments. Its value? FIFTEEN hundred dollars! I'm gonna play it at all fifteen shows, then, we're gonna give it away at the last show of 2008 via a live webcast.

You don't have to be present to win. But, you WILL have to be present to enter. Further contest details will follow, so stay tuned.

The guitar is not finished yet. But, here's some progress photos to kickstart your appetite.

This is gonna be fun, and, the good news has only just begun...

Brian

BOTTLE ROCKETS NEWS FOR 2008!!!

Dear friends,

This is the first installment in what will be a year's worth of news. Some of which you'll love, some of which you won't love as much. But, the news you'll love will overshadow the news you won't love as much. I promise.

The first big news is...
2008 is the 15th ANNIVERSARY of the Bottle Rockets!!! Happy anniversary and THANK YOU to everyone who has supported us for all these years! Where would we be without you? Certainly not still here FIFTEEN years later! You people are the best.

We have many cool things planned throughout '08.

Our first official announcement...
There will be FIFTEEN special "15th Anniversary Shows" this year. That's IT folks. Unless we get some festival, or, opening slot offers we can't refuse, that's all ya get.

Here's the deal...
The anniversary shows will be spread throughout the world, and, will only be announced a few at a time. There will be very worthwhile reasons to attend these shows.

Since we have recently discovered this amazing vehicle known as an AIRPLANE, the shows can and will fall in a totally haphazard fashion. You won't know where the next batch will be until the first batch is completed.

You WILL get plenty of advance warning so you have time to plan ahead. We'll make sure the shows are in lovely, exciting locations and only fall on weekends so you can easily vacation with the Bottle Rockets on their 15th ANNIVERSARY!!!

Will we come to your town? Who knows? You can hold out and hope for the best... or get packin'. Fifteen years into this relationship we think it's your turn to do some of the drivin'. Sounds harsh. But, It'll be fun. We can't wait to see you!

More news and the first anniversary show dates will be announced very soon so keep checkin' in. You just never know what's gonna happen next 'round here. But, I promise it's all gonna be good!

Stay tuned...
Brian

Bottle Rockets show for PBS

The Bottle Rockets will be playing at BBs Jazz & Blues Club on Saturday. The show will be filmed for the PBS music series Lost America. Please come out and say hello... and maybe you'll be on TV!

Saturday, December 1
8pm (doors open at 7pm)
BB's Jazz & Blues

700 S Broadway
Saint Louis, MO 63102

Get directions | View map

Phone: 314-436-5222

Thanksgiving Weekend in STL!!!

Saturday, November 24
Off Broadway
3509 Lemp Avenue
Saint Louis, MO 63118

Come out and say hello.

In Like A Lion...

...Out like a lamb.

The Zoysia tour is over. Last two shows, last weekend. First, Phil Vickman's guitar shop, in Northbrook, Illinois, Fat Tone Guitars, grand opening, Fun gig, with a rocky start, as Keith's microphone was "intermittent", to say the least. Once we got that under control, it was smooth sailin'. It's fun to take the Trashpicker into a guitar shop, 'cause nobody knows what it is. Guitarists had many questions about the 7 knobbed, 4 pickuped, 3 switched wonder. I tried to explain, but, that's a lot of information to take in, at a party that was serving booze. Couldn't resist the opportunity to play the Gretsch Billy Bo for the encores. It's modeled after Bo Diddley's custom Gretsch, and, is the model Billy F. Gibbons currently favors. Weird guitar. I guess if you think Trashpicker's normal, ANY guitar seems weird, in comparison, but, the Billy Bo was WAY "out there". Pretty awkward, but, I managed to half-ass my way through "Waitin' On The Bus", and LaGrange, before calling it a night.

Met the main dude from St. Blues Guitars, who claimed he'd give me one, on some kinda endorsement deal. They are KILLER guitars, but, as time has passed, I feel less inclined to call him up. I can't cheat on Trashpicker. I'm satisfied with a guitar, for the first time in my life, this is no time to confuse matters. "Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery..."

Next, onto the Skokie Backlot Bash, in Skokie, Illinois. Outdoor gig, on a BEE-YOO-TEE-FULL evening. Perfect weather, I didn't even sweat. Nice gig. A solid, good show, a solid, good time.

The Zoysia tour started out with a bang, in June of '06, went around North America twice, once to Europe, and, dwindled down to a couple of easy goin' shows in northern Illinois. No mob scenes by Northbrook and Skokie. We probably were out too long. Started to see the diminishing returns this summer, BUT, the fans who showed up for the late era shows, definitely got to see the hottest version of the band. The crowds got smaller, but, the band got bigger. Maybe we rocked so HUGE, we blew people out the doors? It's all good, overall, a very successful touring cycle. The strategy will be different, next year. I'll leave it at that.

Next band function? Recording a new album.

Stay tuned...
Brian

New Feature!!!

Hello, Friends,

I'm gonna start a "Weekend Update", which, may, or, may not, fall on the weekend (I'm a busy man...), anyway... It WILL be a weekly event. Here's the first installment...

Back from a weekend run. Chicago, and, our friend, Cara Woods' birthday party. Chicago was great. Beat Kitchen, one of my fave clubs in the Windy City. Weather was perfect, crowd was the usual Chicago awesome, load in/out was the "Beat Kitchen Standard" piece of cake. We've been on the road for so long now, I can't tell a good show, from a not so good one anymore, but, I THINK this was a good one (I'm talkin' "technical end" here, ALL shows are good ones, musically speaking, that's just the way we do things...). Had a crazy new distortion pedal, that was kickin' my ass. I fought the pedal, and the pedal won. It was all good though. I had another one to fall back on. The greatest accomplishment of the night, was keepin' Cara's, next night, birthday party a secret (she was at the show, front and center...). We pulled off the "secret", rocked like Scorpions, and had another great Chicago night. Thanks, Chicago!

Now, on to the party... Located in a corn field, somewhere near DeKalb, Illinois. Cara arrived, TOTALLY surprised to find us there. Mission accomplished. Cara's husband, Chris, has the wildest guitar collection I've ever seen. All '80's, hair metal, pointy, jaggedy, shred machines, along with many other "curiosities". We decided it would be fun to play some of Chris' guitars at this show. We told him to surprise us. John got a Kramer. Richie Sambora model. Droopy headstock, 3 humbuckers, star inlays, Floyd Rose whammy bar. Keith got a B.C. Rich bass, pointy, jaggedy, leopard skin paint job. I got the Artist Formerly Known As, The Artist Formerly Known As Prince, "Cloud Guitar". These are instruments, us "vintage nazis" like to laugh at. So garish, so outrageous, so bordering on just plain stupid, UNTIL... You plug them in! Yowza!!! It was the most fun I ever had, playing guitar onstage. I haven't heard the band sound this ass kickin' in a long, long, time. What a beautiful contrast, ridiculous guitars, with 8 foot high cornstalks, as a backdrop. I came away from it, understanding the mind of Billy F. Gibbons, a little bit better. Ate some VERY Atkins-unfriendly birthday cake, slightly unwillingly returned Chris', awesome beyond words, shred machines, and called it a night. Last long run of the tour starts Thursday, in, Maumee, Ohio, then, it's time off, to get to work on the next album. Stay tuned for reports from the "We Finally See The Finish Line" leg of the Zoysia tour...

Brian

Bottle Rockets Favorite Songs

I asked the band to give me a list of their favorite songs and here's what they came up with. You can launch the player in a new window or embed the code into your own website or myspace page. Enjoy!

Free Download "Get Down River"

We are offering a free download of "Get Down River" during the month of June.

[download now]

Or enjoy a live version of the song below.