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Roger Rocha is an American songwriter, guitarist and vocalist.
He is perhaps best known as the guitarist for the group 4 Non Blondes who had a hit with “What’s Up?” It reached number fourteen on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and went gold, was number one in Germany and Ireland and number two in the U.K. and Australia. The band toured with Prince, Neil Young, Pearl Jam, Aerosmith, Big Head Todd &the Monsters and did a completely sold out headlining tour of Europe.
Then there was Mockingbirds, who created a classic CD, if you can find it. In 1998 to 2002 Roger played with El Destroyo who toured extensively with Violent Femmes and later made a CD produced by the Femmes Brian Ritchie who also played bass.
Roger is currently singing and playing guitar with the psychedilic blues chamber-pop/rock group the Goldenhearts.
Recently we received a rave review at "The Neave"avant-gard music blog.
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…Roger Rocha and the Goldenhearts' Living Spirit
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" I never thought I'd be sitting in a pleasantly grimy bar/music venue, sipping on a non-alcoholic beverage (since I was working a gig) and hear this shouted above the fray: "Has anyone seen the binkey?! We can't find the binkey!" The "binkey" in reference is, of course, a child's pacifier (for the child-illiterate). But, as usual, I've gotten ahead of myself again; maybe I should take it from the top.
Roger Rocha and the Goldenhearts know how to set the mood. Before they took the stage, autumnal fake flowers were strewn about and Roger Rocha himself played a lacquered white guitar with a butterfly clipped to the peghead that could not be ignored. Roger Rocha is best known as the guitarist for the 1990s heavy-hitter 4 Non Blondes and his flair for ambience may be attributed to good genetics; Rocha is the grandson of one of the pioneer Color Field painters in the Abstract Expressionism movement, Clyfford Still.
When describing his artwork, Still details the fusing together of color, texture, images, and shapes into a living spirit, and that's precisely what The Goldenhearts accomplishes: Rocha's beautifully pitched yet demurely irregular vocals and impeccable guitar skills fuse with Ari Gorman's driving bass, Chad Tasky's delicately bitchin' percussion, and last but certainly not least Emily Palen's commanding violin to create music that is a complete entity in and of itself-all you need is here, all you'll ever want is just waiting for you to find it. One part fifties retro, one part nineties ju-ju and a heaping dose of harmonizing rock 'n roll, this is how pop music should be played-pop music that expects more from itself and raises the bar. Their set was amazing, and Emily positively blew my mind (plus, I'm pretty sure my two male companions at the show want to marry her) with her unparalleled talents. If their song Kiss Me Darling doesn't find it's way onto your top-rated iTunes...well...let's just say I'll be surprised and disappointed in you!
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"Cutting through all the chaos and confusion with guitar, violin, cello and drumset seems like a logical solution to the current electronic overload for the Goldenhearts. (No pun intended.)
Acoustic instruments. Ancient, really...think about it - when the pink clouds rise and the sea turns red, what will we have but a bunch of dead wood and guts. And it's all very electric really. The brain is a tempest of lightning and thunder - electrons and sparks. The body a Tesla coil waiting for a good switching.
Check out Roger Rocha & the Goldenhearts for a reminder of the simple beauty that comes with putting a dream down on paper, or CD rather."
---(Jed Ribbkins 2008, Musty Sorie, NC, by the south lake at midnight)
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Roger Rocha & the Goldenhearts's Friend Space (Top 37)
It was awesome seeing you with the band the other night. I am gonna try and make it to the Utah tonight, but if I don't I will definitely be there for your feat. next week :)
Hi Hi Hi...
Remember when we used to make a video every week?
We took em all down last year. Some fans got pissed. We put back some of the faves.
And now...
We're gonna do it again! Not once a week, for god's sake, that was STOOPiD. But every once in a while....
Next up? "I'm BiPolar Cuzz Of You". Should arrive some time in the next week.
Peace!
-Obedient Waves
Hey cuz! How's life? I'm loving ur music! I love the blues. Me and the wife would love to come out to san francisco sometime. She's been already so she's one up on me. Any plans for thanksgiving?
Great job last night! Always impressive, and the trumpet player was a great addition. Tell Ari to add me; he's one of my favorite bassists in the world!
Just wanted to let everyone know that we'll be broadcasting the Brian Tairaku Ritchie and Shakuhachi Club SFO rehearsal on Thursday, October 2, at around 2:30 or 3:00 PM Pacific Standard time. Raw and natural! Tune in and say hi!!!
This will be on my Mujitsu channel on Justin TV at:
Ciao, sei un mio amico Myspace, forse pure un mio Amico, quindi volevo informarti che da buon vecchietto son finito a fare il consulente e, stai attento, il Presidente Onorario del Dress:Code....una specie di rinco, in pensione, al quale chiedono consigli e poi gli dan la pacca sulla spalla, magari pure un dolcetto, ma morbido, per via dei problemi di masticazione! e la cosa bella è che son contento! basta menate...FINALMENTE! yahoo.....da Dabliù!!
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