Thursday, March 6, 2003
Rochester, MN
By Christina Killion Valdez

Lee Rocker, the rockabilly purveyor, bassist and founding member of the Stray Cats, is back.

In the 1980s, Rocker's unique image and upright bass playing helped propel the Cats to sales of more than seven million records and revived the rockabilly genre. Now he's feeling "bulletproof."

"I really feel like with the guys in the band, for the first time since the Stray Cats, I've got a group of people that make magic together," Rocker said in a phone interview.

He was home in Laguna, Calif., on a short respite after the release of the album "Bulletproof," and before an extended concert tour that will bring him to Rochester next week.

Rocker is booked across the Midwest this month as part of the "Bulletproof" tour. And his music is as fast, high-octane and passionate as it has been for the past 23 years.

"It really is a passion," Rocker said. "I love getting out and playing concerts. It makes all the planes, trains and automobiles worth it."

His 10-year-old son has already picked up a guitar and has been playing "Stray Cat Strut," "It's pretty cool. It blows my mind," Rocker said.

It also speaks to the timeless quality of the music.

"To me rockabilly or blues or bluegrasss or jazz, any real American folk style of music is not trendy. It has a realness to it," Rocker said. "It's played from the heart with soul and passion.

"Listen to some 1970s dance music and man does it sound old. Listen to Gene Vincent sing 'Be-Bop-A-Lula' and it sounds as good as the day it was recorded," Rocker said.

Show after show, Rocker aims to do the same.

"We're going to be out having a great time, putting our hearts and souls into it," Rocker said. "We'll play almost everything off of 'Bulletproof' and some of the stuff I did as a solo aritist over the years, and dig back and play some Stray Cats."