The Bottle Rockets were an American rock band formed in Festus, Missouri in 1992, and was based in St. Louis, Missouri. Its founding members were Brian Henneman (guitar, vocals), Mark Ortmann (drums), Tom Parr (1992–2002, guitar, vocals) and Tom Ray (1992–1997, bass guitar); the most recent lineup consisted of Henneman, Ortmann, John Horton (joined 2003, guitar) and Keith Voegele (joined 2005, bass, vocals). Most members of the band have contributed to their catalog of original songs, as have Robert Parr (Tom's brother) and schoolteacher Scott Taylor (who writes lyrics for some of Henneman's tunes). As noted in the New York Times by William Hogeland, the Bottle Rockets' songwriting has been likened to Woody Guthrie's folk style in spirit, smarts, and satire. The band's lyrics encapsulate the common experiences of the everyman, and are set to rousing and searing rock 'n' roll. The band has been named as one of the leaders of the '90s alt-country/roots rock revival, alongside Uncle Tupelo. The strong social commentary of their songs reflects the influences of Woody Guthrie, Neil Young and The Replacements. History The 1990s For much of the Nineties, Missouri's Bottle Rockets were the torchbearers for smart Southern-style rock.—Mark Kemp, Rolling Stone The Bottle Rockets released their self-titled first album in 1993. The Brooklyn Side followed on East Side Digital, in 1994, to resounding critical acclaim. In 1995, the Bottle Rockets then signed with Atlantic Records, which re-released The Brooklyn Side. The single "Radar Gun" was a hit on rock radio—reaching No. 27 on Billboards rock chart—and the band toured extensively to support the album. The band appeared on the television show Late Night with Conan O'Brien performing one of their original songs as well as being featured in a comedic skit. The relationship with Atlantic Records turned out to be difficult. Most of the original staff who promoted The Brooklyn Side had been laid off or fired from Atlantic. The release of the Bottle Rockets' next record, 24 Hours A Day, was delayed until late 1997. The band parted ways with Atlantic in 1998. The Bottle Rockets are featured in the PBS documentary The Mississippi River of Song: The Grassroots of American Music. In the series, which is narrated by Ani DiFranco, Brian Henneman says that he and the band are "reporters from the heartland" writing stories about their friends. The Bottle Rockets performed live at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC