Balloon Boy and the Porcupine Pals

The Band

Balloon Boy and the Porcupine Pals was formed in the summer of 2005. The band members include Tommy Rocket (vocals, bass), Rocky the Crusher (guitars), and the Destroyer (drums). According to Tommy, the band formed to “tell the world about that superhero dude Balloon Boy, and at the same time, rock some tasty rhythms.” 

Tommy Rocket

Contrary to his fake British accent, Tommy Rocket was born in Lubbock, Texas. Tommy describes his upbringing as “basically one song after another.”

I was singing my whole life man, at school, in the bathroom, even at the kitchen table. My dad used to tell me to shut my face but I just kept going for it man. Then I met Rocky and the rest is history.

After recording Antihooliganism, Tommy checked into rehab to fight his ongoing addiction to Pam Cooking Spray.  

Rocky the Crusher

Rocky the Crusher grew up in the west Texas town of Fort Stockton. He learned to play the guitar because there was "nothing else to do in that craphole town I grew up in." 

My mom and me basically lived in this log cabin and the only thing I owned was an old Fender Squire. My old man gave it to me right before he ditched me and mom to go to real estate school.  

When asked what guitarist has influenced him the most, Rocky said, “Elvis man. That guy could really jam. I’ve never been able to play and move my hips like that.”

The Destroyer

The Destroyer is more of a mystery. “I don’t even know that dude’s real name,” reports Tommy.  

One day, me and Rocky were just jammin’ in the garage, you know, and this bloke shows up in a van, and he’s got drums, and he just starts setting up and we’re like, ‘this is capital!’ And after a while, we just started calling him the Destroyer, since he is always like completely kicking butt on the drums.

The Destroyer is not a man of many words, apparently having lost the ability to speak in a freak gasoline/smoking incident. “Who needs to speak when you rock as hard as that dude?” said Tommy.