Andrew Wedderburn – Vocals, Guitar • Aaron Smelski – Guitar
Matt Swann – Bass, Vocals • Joel Nye – Drums
Hot Little Rocket are one of the longest running and most beloved bands ever to emerge from the Calgary rock and roll scene. For almost ten years their unforgettable songs and jarring live performances have stuck in the ears and hearts of indie rockers all across the country.
They've piled up road experience like some kind of loud, skinny hockey franchise – back and forth across Canada more times than they can count (sharing the stage with Modest Mouse, The Weakerthans, The Constantines, Eric's Trip and Hot Hot Heat along the way). They packed themselves and their guitars across the Pacific Ocean for a two and a half week residency in Beijing, playing to tens of thousands of outdoor festival-goers, the Canadian consulate, and even a bar full of Chinese skinheads (no bones broken, no black eyes). Until someone else claims otherwise, they're calling themselves the first Canadian indie band to ever play in China.
After the initial release of Laika in 2000, their second LP Danish Documentary (2001, endearing records) reached #17 on the Earshot national charts. FFWD Magazine called their third album Our Work and Why We Do It (2003, Flemish Eye) "the best record ever made in Calgary". This album marked their first entry into Earshot's top ten, and peaked nationally at #9.
In February of 2006 Hot Little Rocket spent a week in Chicago with legendary recording engineer Steve Albini (Nirvana, Pixies, PJ Harvey, The Stooges... that Steve Albini) and came back with their best album to date (not to mention becoming much better poker players). "How To Lose Everything" is set for a June 2007 release by File Under: Music records. That signature 'Albini' sound captures the strength of HLR's stage show like never before, leaving the listener with the overwhelming feeling that the band is about to fall off the stage on top of them.