By ROBERT KINSLER
Special to the Register

Almost midway through 2003, it's already clear that Lee Rocker has released one of the year's best rock albums.

Best known as the bassist for the Stray Cats, Rocker has fully emerged from the shadow of the '80s most famous rockabilly revivalists thanks to the release of "Bulletproof" on 33rd Street Records (Tower Records' label). The 14-song collection features the Laguna Beach resident playing his upright bass, as well as keyboards, and handling most of the lead vocal duties.

"Bulletproof" is a stunning collection of spirited originals and creative reworkings One music writer has called "Bulletproof" a masterpiece. In an age of over-produced and overly calculated rock, this startling return to rock's roots by one of its best-known proponents rings true across the disc.

"With this CD, I definitely recorded in a different way than I had done before," Rocker said this week. "One of the things is I took a lot more time: a year and a half."
Rocker explained that on previous albums, he might have set aside three to six weeks to go into the studio to record and complete an album. With "Bulletproof," he opted for a more intermittent schedule, mixing concert dates, recording sessions and planned breaks to listen to the music away from the studio setting. He also decided to record more songs than he would put on the finished CD.

"I recorded 20 tracks and then weeded down to the 14 that worked best together," he said.

When deciding which covers he would put on the album, Rocker took the same approach. While he had to like the song, it also had to fit in with the rest of the material.

"With Carl Perkins ('One More Shot'), I was fortunate to have worked with him as a friend. With the Johnny Cash song ('Frankie's Man'), I just loved the thing.
"With 'I'll Cry Instead,' Carl had introduced me to George Harrison. We had met in 1985 when we did a TV show ('Carl Perkins and Friends: Blue Suede Shoes' is now available on DVD and features Perkins, Rocker, Harrison, Eric Clapton, Cash, Roy Orbison and others). He knew of the importance of the Beatles, but he fancied himself as a musician more than a star.

"After George died, I went back and listened (to my Beatles collection). I wanted to find something I could rockabilly."

Indeed, Rocker and his wonderful band (guitarists Brophy Dale and Tara Novick, and drummer Jimmy Sage) infuse energy and spontaneity into the wide range of rockabilly on the disc. Rocker is one of only a handful of rockabilly artists to have worked with some of the pioneers of early rock, and their mentorship is displayed on high octane originals such as "Evil" and "Blue Suede Nights," as well as the rollicking cover of the Lennon and McCartney gem.

Rocker, with guitarist Brian Setzer and drummer Slim Jim Phantom, rocketed to stardom in the early 1980s as the Stray Cats. In July, Rocker will reteam with Setzer and Phantom to celebrate the trio's 25th year as a band.

"Brian, Jim and I grew up together (in Massapequa, N.Y.) and went to school together. It's been about 10 years since we've done an official Stray Cats show."
Why bring together one of the '80s most influential outfits to perform at a quirky festival in Hidden Valley Park in Irvine?

"The Hootenanny Fest, I've done that eight out of nine years. It's an O.C. event; it's about this kind of music."

In addition, Rocker will be touring this month with the same top-notch band featured on "Bulletproof," including guitarists Dale and Novick, as well as drummer Sage. He kicks off his next tour with a show at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano on May 30.

"I'm very happy where things are now," said Rocker, 40.

Rocker will perform at the Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, at 8 p.m. May 30. Tickets are $15. Call the Coach House at (949) 496-8930.

He also will play June 7 at Beach Fest at the Shoreline Marina Green in Long Beach. The Stray Cats will reunite at the Hootenanny music fest in Irvine on July 5, while Rocker will play with his own band at the fest the following day.