Biography
Following the dissolution of Blake, guitarist Evan Clarke and drummer David "Gus" Weinkauf joined forces with bassist Jeremy Strachan, a musician Clarke already knew from their time together in the instrumental outfit Blue Light Blockade. The resulting trio adopted the name Rockets Red Glare and began performing live in the winter of 1999. Rooted in the D.I.Y. hardcore community, they gravitated toward the jagged, minimalist approach modeled by Shellac and Slint as well as Mission of Burma and Cerberus Shoal.
After a series of concerts across Ontario and Canada’s east coast, the group entered the studio in 2001. Their debut appeared as a 7" single on the Die!Venom imprint. While promoting that record on the road, Rockets Red Glare shared stages with Death Cab for Cutie and Sweep the Leg Johnny; the latter connection proved especially fruitful when Sweep’s label issued the band’s first full-length album in May 2002.
Outside Rockets Red Glare commitments, the members pursued separate endeavors. Strachan enrolled in music studies at the University of Toronto while also handling bass duties for the Sea Snakes. Clarke took up drumming for Picastro, Holding Pattern, and Jim Guthrie. Weinkauf remained the least visible on stage, devoting his energies to computer programming whenever he was away from the drum kit.
After a series of concerts across Ontario and Canada’s east coast, the group entered the studio in 2001. Their debut appeared as a 7" single on the Die!Venom imprint. While promoting that record on the road, Rockets Red Glare shared stages with Death Cab for Cutie and Sweep the Leg Johnny; the latter connection proved especially fruitful when Sweep’s label issued the band’s first full-length album in May 2002.
Outside Rockets Red Glare commitments, the members pursued separate endeavors. Strachan enrolled in music studies at the University of Toronto while also handling bass duties for the Sea Snakes. Clarke took up drumming for Picastro, Holding Pattern, and Jim Guthrie. Weinkauf remained the least visible on stage, devoting his energies to computer programming whenever he was away from the drum kit.
Albums