ROCKY KOELPIN & the SATANIC ORCHESTRA - Oh, Betsy (rootsy Neil Young-esque)- CD

Really interesting rootsy Neil Young-esque disc (c. ÒFreedomÓ) from 1996 opens up with a couple of reflective tunes (albeit with nice Moog on them) before going full Crazy Horse on ÔI Wonder,Õ on which gravel-voiced Rocky sings, ÒI was the hottest thing in town, but IÕve achieved invisibility.Ó As we write this, there is some truth to that statement. ItÕs always interesting to end up distributing a disc by someone about whom virtually nothing can be found online. Aside from his obituary, David James ÒRockyÓ Koelpin is one such person. That obit notes that Rocky was passionate about his musical pursuits. Rocky Koelpin and The Otters and his other band, Generic Beans, appeared at clubs, on radio station WMSE 91.7 and on Milwaukee's Summerfest Rock Stage. Milwaukee Journal reviewer, Paul Christianson apparently said, "you either loved him or hated him". He had a brief career as a travel agent, but his meticulous attention to detail and electronics expertise resulted in his favorite employment in The Strategic Sensors Group/Space Systems Division at Honeywell Corporation Ñ his dream job. A description of his achievements at Honeywell left his technologically challenged family lost. When asked what he did, Rocky would reply, "I'm a genius!Ó So here we are with this disc by a beloved (or hated) eccentric, songwriting, guitar playing, undiscovered Ògenius.Ó My favorite track might be the Neil Young-meets-Violent FemmesÕ-ÒHallowed GroundÓ -with-a-Tom Waits-ian-melody, down-home march, ÕSomeday IÕll Lead the Parade,Õ the kind of song which could only be created in middle America, on which Rocky sings: ÔThe sweetest time to rest, all is forgiven from the past; someday, I will, one day I know I will, someday I will lead the parade.Ó Happily, with this disc, RockyÕs invisibility may not remain an absolute truth for eternity, and he might well lead the parade... somewhere.