Biography
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Years Active
1980 – present (45 years)
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Founded In
Orlando, Orange County, Florida, United States
The Rock-afire Explosion is an animatronic robot band that played in Showbiz Pizza Place from 1980 to 1990, and in various Showbiz Pizza locations between 1990 and 1992 as Showbiz rebranded and the band was steadily replaced by Chuck E. Cheese characters. The show was pioneering in many respects to other animatronics shows of the early 1980s, featuring life-sized characters capable of facial expression; some were even programmed in such a way that they could actually play simple melodies on musical instruments. The show was created and manufactured by noted inventor Aaron Fechter, through his company Creative Engineering, Inc. in Orlando, Florida; in addition to overseeing the production of the animatronics, Fechter also provided the voices for several characters.
Several Rock-afire performers went on to careers of their own: Shalisa James is currently a member of the a cappella group Toxic Audio, while Burt Wilson is now better known as Bubba "Whoop-Ass" Wilson, a member of the The Monsters in the Morning radio show—which is now syndicated as well as being available on XM satellite radio. Both Rick Bailey and Jeff Howell are still active as musicians in the Orlando area.
In 2008, Chris Thrash, a Phenix City, Alabama car salesman, opened Showbiz Pizza Zone, an arcade fashioned after Showbiz Pizza, which featured an entire fully operational Rock-afire Explosion, which he funded with money he raised by working multiple part-time jobs. Although Showbiz Pizza Zone closed its doors on May 30, 2010, Thrash maintains the show privately, and he occasionally rents it out for birthday parties.
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