A Rocket to the Moon Artistfacts

2006-2013
Nick SantinoVocals2006-
Justin Richards Guitar2008-
Eric Halvorsen Bass2008-
Andrew CookDrums2009-
Joe CafanoBass2006-2007
Mike CafanoDrums2006-2007
Loren BrintonDrums2008-2009
A Rocket To The Moon were founded in 2006 in Braintree, Massachusetts by vocalist Nick Santino as a musical experiment. He had formerly fronted the local bands The Bad Year and The Midway Class. After using local musicians to begin with, Santino eventually recruited guitarist Justin Richards, bassist Eric Halvorsen, and drummer Andrew Cook as full time members of the band.
The band signed to Fueled by Ramen in August 2008. Pete Wentz, bassist of Fall Out Boy showed interest in signing the band and wanted to do a Fueled By Ramen/Decaydance split but the Decaydance side of the deal never worked out.
A Rocket To the Moon released their first full-length album, On Your Side, on October 13, 2009. The song "Like We Used To" got some attention in 2010 when it earned airplay and made a handful of Billboard charts. The band embarked on their first headlining tour, the On Your Side Tour, in Spring 2011. They were supported by Anarbor, Valencia, Runner Runner, and Go Radio.
The band broke up in 2013 soon after their second album, Wild & Free, was released.

It was something we'd been talking about for a few months, honestly, Nick Santino told Alternative Press. "The music business isn't really that fun a place. It's a lot of sit around and wait for answers from the powers that be. You'll get told a different answer every time you ask something. It got to a point where we were just ready to try something different. We wanted to keep progressing and for our record to do well, but whoever is in charge of that wasn't really helping us out too much."
Here's a breakdown of what each member has done since the band's breakup in 2013:

Nick Santino went solo, initially under the name "Nick Santino and The Northern Wind" and later simply as Nick Santino. His solo work shifted toward a more singer-songwriter and alternative/country style, influenced by artists like Ryan Adams and Tom Petty. In 2015 he formed a group called Beach Weather, known for their 2016 song "Sex, Drugs, Etc."

Justin Richards moved to Nashville and became the touring guitarist for the country duo Dan + Shay.

Andrew Cook also joined Dan + Shay, becoming their touring drummer.

Eric Halvorsen joined the high-energy dance-pop band Cobra Starship in 2014, but they split up a year later.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

More Songfacts:

Mr. BojanglesThe Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

The Texas songwriter Jerry Jeff Walker wrote "Mr. Bojangles" after a weekend in jail where a fellow inmate told him his life story.

Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)Sly & the Family Stone

Sly & the Family Stone's "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" was a huge hit in 1970 and found new life when Janet Jackson sampled the bass riff on her 1989 hit "Rhythm Nation."

Let's DanceDavid Bowie

Stevie Ray Vaughan played lead guitar on the David Bowie song "Let's Dance."

APT.Rosé

The chant in the Bruno Mars/Rosé hit "APT" is "apateu," the Korean word for apartment. It's named after a Korean drinking game called "Apartment" that Rosé told Bruno about.

Down UnderMen at Work

Often heard as a patriotic song celebrating their homeland of Australia, "Down Under" by Men At Work is really about the selling of that country, and it makes a strong political statement.