The State of Art is on Fire
Encyclopedia
The State of Art is on Fire is an EP
by the San Diego, California
rock
band Rocket from the Crypt
, released in 1995 by Sympathy for the Record Industry
. It was the band's first release to include trumpet
player JC 2000
.
The EP was first released in 10" vinyl format in April 1995. The vinyl release is unusual in that side A is played at 33rpm and side B at 45rpm. The CD version, released in November 1996, contains 2 bonus tracks originally released on the vinyl single Rocket from the Crypt Plays the Music Machine. The EP is one of the few Rocket from the Crypt recordings to include a lyrics sheet.
The State of Art is on Fire was the first of 3 releases by Rocket from the Crypt in 1995. The LP
Hot Charity
and album Scream, Dracula, Scream!
were both also recorded and released that year, and singer/guitarist John Reis
would later refer to these three records as a "trilogy".
Side B (45rpm)
* Tracks 7 & 8 comprise the 7" Rocket from the Crypt Plays the Music Machine and appear on the CD release only.
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
by the San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Rocket from the Crypt
Rocket from the Crypt
Rocket from the Crypt was an American rock band led by John Reis, formed in 1989 in San Diego, California and disbanded in 2005.The band gained critical praise and the attention of major record labels after the release of their 1992 album Circa: Now!, leading to a recording contract with Interscope...
, released in 1995 by Sympathy for the Record Industry
Sympathy for the Record Industry
Sympathy for the Record Industry is a mainly independent garage rock and punk label formed in 1988 by record industry anti-mogul Long Gone John...
. It was the band's first release to include trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
player JC 2000
Jason Crane
Jason Crane is an American drummer and trumpeter notable as a member of Rocket from the Crypt, The Black Heart Procession, and Beehive & the Barracudas.-Musical career:...
.
The EP was first released in 10" vinyl format in April 1995. The vinyl release is unusual in that side A is played at 33rpm and side B at 45rpm. The CD version, released in November 1996, contains 2 bonus tracks originally released on the vinyl single Rocket from the Crypt Plays the Music Machine. The EP is one of the few Rocket from the Crypt recordings to include a lyrics sheet.
The State of Art is on Fire was the first of 3 releases by Rocket from the Crypt in 1995. The LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
Hot Charity
Hot Charity
Hot Charity is an LP by the San Diego, California rock band Rocket from the Crypt, released in 1995 on the fictitious record label Perfect Sound Records...
and album Scream, Dracula, Scream!
Scream, Dracula, Scream!
Scream, Dracula, Scream! is an album by the San Diego, California rock band Rocket from the Crypt, released in 1995 by Interscope Records. It was the band's first major-label release. Music videos were filmed for the singles "On a Rope," "Born in '69" and "Young Livers," and the band embarked on...
were both also recorded and released that year, and singer/guitarist John Reis
John Reis
John Reis is an American musician, singer, guitarist, record label owner, and disc jockey. He is best known as the singer and guitarist for the rock band Rocket from the Crypt, which he formed and fronted for the entirety of its career from 1990 to 2005...
would later refer to these three records as a "trilogy".
10" vinyl version
Side A (33rpm)- "Light Me"
- "A+ in Arson Class"
- "Rid or Ride"
- "Human Torch"
Side B (45rpm)
- "Ratsize"
- "Human Spine"
CD version
- "Light Me"
- "A+ in Arson Class"
- "Rid or Ride"
- "Human Torch"
- "Ratsize"
- "Human Spine"
- "Trouble"* (originally performed by The Music MachineThe Music MachineThe Music Machine was an American garage rock and psychedelic band from the late 1960s, headed by singer-songwriter Sean Bonniwell and based in Los Angeles. The band sound was often defined by fuzzy guitars and a Farfisa organ...
) - "Masculine Intuition"* (originally performed by The Music MachineThe Music MachineThe Music Machine was an American garage rock and psychedelic band from the late 1960s, headed by singer-songwriter Sean Bonniwell and based in Los Angeles. The band sound was often defined by fuzzy guitars and a Farfisa organ...
)
Performers
- Speedo (John ReisJohn ReisJohn Reis is an American musician, singer, guitarist, record label owner, and disc jockey. He is best known as the singer and guitarist for the rock band Rocket from the Crypt, which he formed and fronted for the entirety of its career from 1990 to 2005...
) - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, lead vocals - ND (Andy StametsAndy StametsAndy Stamets is an American guitarist notable as a member of Rocket from the Crypt, Beehive & the Barracudas, and the Sultans.-Musical career:...
) - guitar, backing vocals - Petey X (Pete Reichert) - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Apollo 9 (Paul O'BeirnePaul O'BeirnePaul O'Beirne is an American saxophonist notable as a member of Rocket from the Crypt.-Musical career:...
) - saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, backing vocals - JC 2000 (Jason CraneJason CraneJason Crane is an American drummer and trumpeter notable as a member of Rocket from the Crypt, The Black Heart Procession, and Beehive & the Barracudas.-Musical career:...
) - trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, backing vocals - Atom (Adam Willard) - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Album information
- Record label: Sympathy for the Record IndustrySympathy for the Record IndustrySympathy for the Record Industry is a mainly independent garage rock and punk label formed in 1988 by record industry anti-mogul Long Gone John...
- Produced by Long Gone JohnLong Gone JohnLong Gone John is an American entrepreneur who is best known for his record label Sympathy for the Record Industry and his vinyl toy company Necessaries Toy Foundation. He lived in Long Beach, California for 30 years, but relocated to Olympia, Washington in 2007.-History:Long Gone John was born...
- Back cover photo by Craig I. Dragfest
- Insert artwork by Patrick Hamou