SKYROCKET! is perhaps the most wickedly original party band to emerge from any music scene, let alone a city like Austin where original music rules. Two things make SKYROCKET! stand out: 1) The players. All of them are recording artists in their own right. Maybe you've seen them before, on tour, on TV, or performing around Austin. 2) The songs. It all started when this handful of the city's most successful and well-loved songwriters discovered a common passion for '70s "solid-gold" music: Disco, glam rock, soft rock and soul one-hit wonders. One forgotten hit led to another, then the '70s led to the '80s, and the song list grew, cherry-picked for the ones most likely to get screams of sudden recognition from the audience. Calling themselves The K-TEL Hit Machine, They caught on quickly as one of the freshest, funnest dance bands around. By the end of 2005, they had even charmed city's impossible-to-charm music critics at the Austin Chronicle's holiday bash, and the band's popularity SKYROCKETed from there, hence the name change.

WINNER: 2007 SXSW AUSTIN MUSIC AWARD 'BEST COVER BAND'


WINNER: 2006 AUSTIN CHRONICLE CRITICS CHOICE AWARD

BEST OF AUSTIN, 2006: "Best Reason To Pawn Your Karaoke Machine"

"That [SKYROCKET!] is one of the most beloved bands in originality obsessed Austin should be no surprise to anyone who's seen them do "Hot Legs." Or packed into Antone's for their ELO tribute. Or salivated over their looming "Eighties explosion. What started as a goof among friends has certainly grown – have them quote their fee sometime – but hasn't really changed; it's still a bunch of friends, who happen to be some of Austin's most talented musicians, getting together to jam on songs they all grew up on. The songs may be other people's, but what makes Skyrocket so delicious is that they do them with a style all their own." --Austin Chronicle

BENJAMIN HOTCHKISS
vocals, percussion, guitar
Austin's premiere frontman. Has been writing and performing since the early 1990s. Has a theater degree and has appeared on Austin Stories and The Pickup Artist.

DARIN MURPHY
drums, vocals, guitar
Former theater student and DJ. Has been writing and performing since the late 1980s. Once landed an acting job on Broadway playing John Lennon. Occasional blogger for the Huffington Post.

JOHNNY GOUDIE
keyboards, vocals, guitar
Performing and writing since the late 1980's. Has worked with Lars Ulrich, Patty Griffin, Aimee Mann, Jane Wiedlin and countless others.

KYLE CRUSHAM
guitar, keyboards
Youngest bandmember and 21st century man with a keen ear and good taste in gear. Has appeared with Charlie Sexton as well as Darin, Benjamin, and Paul.

CORY GLAESER
bass guitar, vocals
Wisconsin transplant who graces the Austin scene by being great at several instruments. Fronts Sheboygan and has played with Darin, Fastball, The Real Heroes and the Total Foxes.

PAUL ENGLISH
guitar, vocals
Discovered while roadie-ing for the Duckhills. Has appeared on original music by Darin and Benjamin. Recently released his first solo CD, Havenville.

TRISH MURPHY
vocals, guitar, percussion
Austin's queen of musical cooking. Has written for Pat Green and performed alongside Bonnie Raitt and Kathy Valentine. Recently starred in a Chevy commercial. The camera loves her.