If you were a child of the 80’s you probably remember Showbiz Pizza Place. And if you remember Showbiz Pizza, you almost certainly remember the animatronic house band – The Rockafire Explosion. As kids, we sat and watched in awe as a musical mix of lifelike animals played the piano, beat the drums, and strummed the guitar. There was a cheerleader that sang songs and a wolf that told bad jokes. Of course, the star was a hillbilly bear that was endearing to most – and frightened others. (My brother nearly leaped out of his high chair to escape “Billy Bob” during one visit.)
Awhile back, a documentary was produced called The Rockafire Explosion which explored both the origins and final days of the popular robot band. The story of several guys that wound up with their own Rockafire band made it a must-watch film. One of the guys featured was Damon Breland of southwest Mississippi. I recently featured him on an episode of Rediscover America Live where we talked about the good old days, and had a preview of his Rockafire Explosion band to bring back some great childhood memories.
