Horror Punk / Surf Punk
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

Blaster the Rocket Man was a Christian horror punk band from Indianapolis, Indiana. They formed in the early 1990s as Blaster the Rocketboy and signed with Boot to Head Records in 1994. They released two albums before signing with Jackson Rubio Records. The band changed names to Blaster the Rocket Man for their 1999 release The Monster Who Ate Jesus. Their final release was The Anatomy of a Monster, a compilation of material from the band's Boot to Head Records years plus some bonus material.

According to the band's MySpace page, in 1994 Daniel Petersen (aka “Otto Bot”) came up with the idea for a rock opera entitled Blaster the Rocketboy. This never came to be, but instead grew into a punk rock band with the same name. During the band's formation, many changes in the lineup occurred, until it finally solidified with Daniel Petersen on the microphone, his brother Dave on drums, Michael “The Man” Schauss on the bass, and Chris Dickens on guitar. Daniel's brother Dave was only 13 at the time, and he was the main songwriter. In late '94, the band joined Boot to Head Records and put out their first album, Disasteroid, the next year. This cassette tape attracted attention, and a small fan base began to form. The cassette sold out and remained out of print until '98, when it was re-released. This, too, sold out, and the album can now be found on The Anatomy of a Monster, the band's final release.

Soon after, the band released their second album, Succulent Space Food for Teething Vampires, in 1996. The CD did well, and Blaster's fan base was growing. During this time Daniel took over songwriting duties, penning most of the tracks on the record. In 1998, the band went on tour with The Huntingtons.

The band soon switched labels, signing with Jackson Rubio Records and changing their name to Blaster the Rocket Man. With the maturation of their name change came the maturation of their sound. For the first album with the new label, The Monster Who Ate Jesus, the band's music had become tighter, better-produced. They added in some Western, some rockabilly, and blues. In 2000, the band headlined a West Coast tour. While on their way back, the group decided to break up.

Drummer Dave Petersen (aka Heater Hands) went on to join the band Squad Five-O soon after Blaster unofficially disbanded in the summer of 2000. After the split Otto formed the Voice of the Mysterons in his current home of Scotland. Bassist, Mikey Rocket (Michael Schauss), quit the band and over the years to become a teacher, teaching History at Benjamin Bosse High School and leading worship at Faith Bible Church in Evansville, Indiana.

Since the split of Squad Five-0 Dave Petersen joined Philadelphia indie rockers Marah for a short while. He currently plays in Adam and Dave's Bloodline, another Philadelphia rock band alongside Adam Garbinski (formerly of Speedy Delivery, The Huntingtons, One-21, Squad Five-O, and Marah).

Daniel Petersen and various friends of the band got together for a reunion show in Indiana in 2002 (which was recorded and released on the compilation The Anatomy of a Monster in 2002), and again for the Cornerstone Festival in Illinois in 2004, and two more at Cornerstone 2008.

In 2002, the band reunited with Boot to Head Records to release their final album: a compilation including all three of their prior albums, plus live material from a show played in Indiana the same year.

On May 18, 2011 Otto announced, via his Facebook profile, that Blaster the Rocket Man and Voice of the Mysterons had released a split EP via Crossroads of America Records and Flannelgraph Records. This was originally released as a limited 100 press 3“ CD available in October 2010 via subscription only. His announcement made it clear that the release was now available to the general public as a digi-download via Bandcamp. The release featured four Voice of the Mysterons songs, two Blaster the Rocket Man songs, as well as some spoken word by Otto. It was initially a part of the Laminar Excursion Monthly series. Blaster the Rocket Man's songs from this split were later re-released on a 7” split with folk punk band Destroy Nate Allen in 2012 via High Endurance Records.

Daniel Petersen wrote and performed a spoken word piece for the gypsy-folk-punk band Insomniac Folklore entitled, “The Homecoming: A Sermon for Certain Serpent-Servants and Sundry Other Unsavory Characters.” This piece appeared on their June 2011 release A Place Where Runaways Are Not Alone. Adrienne Curry of Insomniac Folklore later adapted the piece into a short play that was performed at Fontbonne University on December 11, 2011. In March 2012, Daniel also recorded a track titled “The Story of Horror Boy” for Insomniac Folklore. The spoken word piece can be found on The Scariest Thing in the Dark EP.

Blaster's sound is often compared to that of the Dead Kennedys or Man or Astro-man?, though headman Otto Bot (stagename for Daniel Petersen) denied any direct influence. A review by HM compared the music to the combined sounds of werewolf movies, Elvis, and the Sex Pistols (among others), further stating that “this is what CREATIVE Christian music sounds like.” The lyrics use horror and sci-fi themes as Christian allegories; HM describes it as using the characters of evil to communicate biblical truth. The Monster Who Ate Jesus includes a number of songs inspired by C. S. Lewis' Space Trilogy. Many included themes disdaining secular humanism. Blaster was also well known for their stage antics, including masks and costumes as well as frequent audience participation. Masks that Otto wore on stage include a werewolf worn for the band's werewolf-themed songs (such as “American Werewolf” and “I Like Lycanthropy”) as well as a fly mask, which he wore for “Human Fly Trap.”

1995 Boot to Head Records (BTH019)
1998 Boot to Head Records (019) (CD reissue)

Otto Rocket - Vocals
Chrissy Rocket - Guitar
Mikey Rocket - Bass
Johnny Rocket - Drums

1. I'm Only Humanoid (Lost in Space) (2:06)
2. King of the Beach (2:01)
3. I Killed the Checkout Girl (The Other Day) (2:01)
4. Vac-u-Suck (2:01)
5. Wolverine (2:38)
6. Hounds o' Hell (2:09)
7. Creature F (3:06)
8. Lucky Dog (1:57)
9. Gimmie a Fright (1:12)
10. 100 M.P.H. Tape (1:11)
11. Casio Polka (0:30)
12. Flesheaters (2:56)
13. Rapeworm (#1 Hit Radio Single) (3:41)
14. Good Citizen (4:22)

1. The First in a Long Line of “Cute” Robots (7“ version) (1:49)
2. B.T.R.B - The Early Years* (17:35)

* “This is the demo of live and practice room recordings that Otto sent me in the fall of 1994, to get b.t.h. to do something with Blaster… this was of course, never meant to be released. However, when I decided to rerelease Disasteroid on CD, I figured I'd let the fans see the true beginnings. Maybe you'll see what i did, maybe not, either way I'm sure you'll have some fun listening to it.” - Caleb / Boot to Head Records, May 1998

1996 Boot to Head Records (BTH010)

Otto Rocket - Vocals
Chrissy Rocket - Guitar
Mikey Rocket - Bass
Johnny Rocket - Drums

1. American Werewolf (2:55)
2. God Free Youth Flying Around in an X Wing Fighter (2:33)
3. Time Machine (3:07)
4. M.R.R. (3:09)
5. Ghouls of the Night (1:49)
6. The 1st in a Long Line of “Cute” Robots (1:36)
7. I'm Only Humanoid (Lost in Space) (1:55)
8. King of The Beach (2:05)
9. All the Way to the Blood Bank (3:18)
10. Vac U Suck (1:33)
11. Voltron (2:07)
12. Creature Feature (2:52)
13. Man Eating Plant (1:33)
14. Good Citizen (1:27)
15. Flesheaters (3:23)
16. Deploy All Monsters (7:22)
17. Cornerstone '97 Live (28:36)

1999 Jackson Rubio Records (JRD116)

Otto Bot - Vocals, book reading, glass breaking, arguments
Heater Hands (Dave Petersen) - Guitars, drums, organ, vocals, sound effects, arguments Oxford Don - Bass, guns logic

Cliffy Huntington - Shouts, handclaps
Steve (Tantrum of the Muse) - Shouts, handclaps

1. Deploy All Monsters Now! (3:34)
2. It Came From Down South (1:22)
3. Hopeful Monsters are Dying Everyday (1:14)
4. Stampede (3:12)
5. Human Fly Trap (Our Hero Escapes from Venus) (2:25)
6. untitled (0:45)
7. Ransom vs. the Unman (1:49)
8. March of the Macrobes (2:51)
9. Cop City (1:37)
10. Lovebots' Revenge (2:03)
11. Disasteroid (1:19)
12. untitled (0:49)
13. Frankenstein's Monster Wants a Wife (2:57)
14. I Like Lycanthropy (2:53)
15. Tundra Time on Thulcandra (1:58)
16. Venus at St. Anne's (2:21)
17. Beehive Behave (1:14)
18. Baby Unvamp (is Making a Comeback) (7:29)

2002 Boot to Head Records (BTH029)

CD+DVD / 2 Discs. Released in a standard 2 disc jewel case. CD (disc 1) includes remastered studio versions of the albums Disasteroid and Succulent Space Food for Teething Vampires. DVD (disc 2) includes live performances, interviews and footage. DVD track listing:

1. Stampede! (live)
2. Hopeful Monsters are Dying Everyday (live)
3. Man Eating Plant (Vegetables are Murder) (live)
4. Ransom Vs. The Unman (live)
5. Lovebot's Revenge (live)
6. Human Fly Trap (Our Hero Escapes From Venus) (live)
7. American Werewolf (live)
8. I Like Lycanthropy (live)
9. Tundra Time on Thulcandra (live)
10. All The Way to The Blood Bank (live)
11. Baby Unvamp (Is Making a Comeback) (live)
12. Frankenstein's Monster Wants a Wife (live)
13. Time Machine (live)
14. Extras

2010 Flannelgraph Records / Crossroads of America (FGR003t)

This was also titled Doctor NoBot and His Anti-Automatons Present: A Macabre Menagerie and Blessed Bestiary — Cunningly and Cussedly Commingled for Your Delighted Dread and Deviant Devotion (Caution: Not Recommended for Listening to Alone or in the Dark)

1. Voice of the Mysterons – Iron-Horned John Awakes and Says ‘Good Day’ to Children Everywhere (0:52)
2. Voice of the Mysterons – Close Encounters of the Ominous Ape-Cat (A Contemplative Nocturne Useful for Passing Sleepless Mid-Nights) (1:44)
3. Voice of the Mysterons – Horror Boy’s Monstrous Thought Revue (2:03)
4. Voice of the Mysterons – Whores on Mars (Are Not Necessarily Necessary) (1:21)
5. Doctor NoBot – A Sermon: The Angel-Brute Consults the Oracle of His Techno-Artefact (1:44)
6. Blaster the Rocket Man – The Detective of Nightmares and the Case of the Polter-Zeitgeist – or – What Weird Forms Creep Into the Big Sleep? (2:46)
7. Blaster the Rocket Man – Death of an Android Gunslinger (A Meta-Galactic Dialogue Followed by a Thrilling Action Sequence and Tragi-Comic Twist) (3:22)
8. Doctor NoBot – Geek Boy Reads From His Notebook (8:50)

2012 High Endurance Records (HER 001)

1. Destroy Nate Allen – We Talk Occasionally on the Internet
2. Destroy Nate Allen – Boobie Bar
3. Destroy Nate Allen – Distracted Nate-O-Bot
4. Blaster the Rocket Man – The Detective of Nightmares and the Case of the Polter-Zeitgeist or What Weird Shapes Creep Into the Big Sleep?
5. Blaster the Rocket Man – Death of an Android Gunslinger

Don't Spit On Me Vol. 2 (1995 Boot To Head Records)
02) The 1st in a Long Line of Cute Robots

Jackson/Rubio's Rockabilly Western Gospel Hymns (1999 Jackson Rubio Recordings)
15) Just a Closer Walk With Thee (4:40)