What began December 27, 2022, on a frosty winter day in Hudson, New York, becomes a reality for 2024 Ridgefield High School graduate Jimy Bishop today, August 16, 2024. On that crisp day in December 2022, Jimy and his band Freedom Rockets began recording their first full-length album “American Trash”. After over a year of navigating the tumultuous waters of the music industry, the record hits all streaming platforms today on Factory Underground Records with worldwide distribution by SRG/ILS Group in partnership with Virgin Music Group (Universal Music Group). The record will also be available on vinyl later this year.
While recording an original album as a high school junior is a fine achievement in and of itself, this album takes on special meaning for Jimy and the band as it was recorded and produced by rock ‘n’ roll icon Tommy Stinson at Bipolar Bear Studios in Hudson, New York. In addition to being a founding and lifetime member of The Replacements, Stinson was a key second–generation ingredient in Guns N’ Roses and served a seven-year tenure with Soul Asylum. Stinson has also led three critically acclaimed bands of his own: Bash & Pop, Perfect and Cowboys in the Campfire.
Long before the American Trash recording sessions which spanned two months, Jimy and Freedom Rockets became acquainted with Tommy due to happenstance and a series of serendipitous meetings which led to Tommy producing the band’s record. Likely the result of the many hours Jimy logged listening to his dad’s record collection as a kid, Jimy became a huge fan of The Replacements. His fandom grew throughout the years as the result of meeting Tommy at his various solo concerts and shows with his post-replacements band, Bash & Pop, when Jimy tagged along with his dad as a kid.
Whether Jimy stood up front during a show or approached Tommy for a post-show autograph, Tommy always made time for Jimy after recognizing him in the crowd at multiple concerts. He was easy to spot at four feet tall wearing a black top hat. Jimy still frequently dons the top hat on stage.
Fast forward to February 2020 when Jimy was thirteen. As the result of a string of fortuitous events, Jimy found himself sharing the stage with Tommy as an opening act at one of Tommy's concerts in Baltimore, Maryland. In recounting the story, Jimy beams that it was a magical evening that ended with him and Tommy talking shop backstage after the show. Tommy told Jimy to keep in touch.
Since recording with Tommy, the band has gone on to perform a number of shows with Tommy including multiple shows at this year's South by Southwest Music Festival (SXSW) in Austin, Texas. Not only did Tommy join Freedom Rockets on stage for their performances at SXSW, but they also served as Tommy’s backup band when he performed some of his Bash & Pop hits.
Often compared to the sounds of Green Day, Fall Out Boy and blink–182, Freedom Rockets has worked tirelessly to make a name for themselves and dreams of one day having their songs permeate the airways just like those bands. Freedom Rockets finds its roots in the sounds of 1980s post punk / alternative guitar bands like The Replacements, Soul Asylum, The Clash, The Neighborhoods, and Big Dipper combined with the pop sensibilities and harmonies of 1970’s bands like Big Star, The Raspberries and Fotomaker and an unmistakable dose of the infectious 1970 punk sounds of The Dead Boys, The Misfits, The Suicide Commandos and MC5.
The band is known for its explosive and quirky live performances packed with a powerful punch of indie, pop, punk, alternative and classic rock sounds. Freedom Rockets is Jimy Bishop (guitar/lead vocals), Adam Machado (drums/vocals), Luke Shenk (bass /vocals), and Mike Mazzeo (guitar/vocals). The songs on American Trash are written by Jimy in collaboration with multi-platinum songwriter Frankie Vinci who was a member of the 1970’s supergroup Fotomaker.
Freedom Rockets is a band that doesn’t take itself too seriously in a world that too often does.