HAILEZ COMETZ ROCK THE JOINT Cover Band from Philadelphia, PA

John Melinchock has been the lead guitar player and lead vocalist with Bill Haley's Comets Featuring Al Rappa The Original Walking Bass Man From Bill Haley and His Comets, since 1990. That puts him second in line for longevity in the band next to Al Rappa who has been there since 1955. John has certainly done his homework. He has studied all the great Comets guitarists that have gone before him: Danny Cedrone, Franny Beecher, Nick Masters, Bill Turner and all the rest. He says "When I started with the band, I copied the guitar solos note for note. I would sit and listen to live recordings for hours at a time and decide which solo I would do on what song from which player. I never, at that time, considered adding anything of my own. Then, one day on stage, I started to add my own thoughts to the songs. I don't know why it just happened. I was really surprised at the response. Some were saying how they thought the band sounded like what it probably would be like if Haley was still around. Don't get me wrong I still play the Rock Around The Clock solo note for note like Danny Cedrone. It's too perfect to add or subtract from." He adds, "Being accepted as a Comet by the fans has been a great joy of my life. I feel a responsibility to the music every time I get on stage. Rockin' out with one of the greatest and truest rock and rollers of all time just makes the music pour out. I want to thank Al Rappa for making this all happen. Long live Rock and Roll. Long live Al Rappa. Long live Bill Haley's Comets." *****Newspaper review***** Comets bring back rockin’ Peninsula memories Aug. 1, 2007, Door County Advocate, Fish Creek, Wisc. By Joe Knaapen, assistant editor After Bill Haley’s Comets intoned their anthem —“1-2-3 o’clock, 4 o’clock rock”— enough people danced in the aisles of Door Community Auditorium to sell out the next segment in the 2007 summer version of the roots of Rock ‘n Roll. The Comets, founded in the 1950s by the late Haley, put on a solid show of ’50s hits July 25 at DCA. The founding father, Haley, died in 1981, but his legacy is carried on by Rappa, the bass player with an inimitable style who started touring with the band in 1956. Rappa acquired the rights to the name and continues to play the hits that made Haley — and his contemporaries from Elvis to Little Richard — great. Rappa is celebrating his 52nd year touring as many as five nights a week across the U.S. While Rappa is the man with the credentials that make him a grandfather of rock, his sidemen make the music come to life. John Melinchock does more than yeoman work as lead guitarist — looked like he borrowed licks from everybody, Les Paul to Stevie Ray Vaughan.