Up to that point Mike Bishara, Mario Martorano and George Naguib were the only individuals with actual experience playing with professional bands.  Typical of musicians, all they wanted to do was play music and enjoy the experience.  Everything else was secondary.  The band needed someone with business acumen, vision and energy.  And they found one in Samir Raouf.  Son of an eminent physician, Raouf had been Mike’s friend since they were 8 years of age and was the catalyst behind their first professional engagement.  Gregarious, intelligent and incisive, Samir was just the kind of person that a band needed to make things happen.

By the time Samir had assumed the role of manager, word had leaked out to the entertainment venues that ‘. . there was this terrific band’.  The prestigious Heliopolis Palace Hotel had a cozy nightclub (in addition to the many ballrooms) that featured small bands.  Their interest was communicated to Samir, who managed to get the band a contract to play 5 nights a week.

Samir was a colorful character, to say the least.  Determined to be credible, despite his young age, he bought himself a pair of very dark sunglasses and wore them at all negotiations.  He confided to Mike “I have to look mysterious and dangerous so that they will be in awe of us and treat us well.  Some fear is needed.”

Little would prepare the young musicians for the hotel manager’s reception.  After leading them to the nightclub, he looked around and saw them position their instruments on the bandstand.

“Who’s your pianist?” he asked.  With perfect innocence, they replied, “We don’t have one.  We use the accordion.”

“Well, you’re not playing here unless you have a pianist.”  He gestured towards a long, gleaming black piano.  “This is a Steinway grand.  Someone will be playing this or else you can pack up and leave.”  In total panic, Samir asked Mike: “the accordion has a piano keyboard on the right hand.  Can’t you play the piano and simply fake using the left hand, playing only with your right?”  With all the impetuousness of a 24-year-old, Mike agreed to try.  And the band was on its way.  The nightclub was jammed just about every night, helped by the fact that airline personnel from all major international carriers slept at that hotel during overnight stays.  The dance floor was packed, and the band started to pick up more tunes by listening to stations such as the Voice of America on their short-wave radios.  They also started to pick up some international songs, to lend variety to their repertoire.

But the public craves change and gravitates towards what is novel and unusual.  And change came about in the guise of an Italian crooner by the name of Sandro.  Sandro was a charmer with the ladies.  No frenetic gyrations for him.  Instead, he played dreamy music in which he attempted to verbally seduce the adoring females by singing a song that promised that he would transport them ‘far away.’  They loved it.  He also used a novel electronic device (which we now call ‘reverb’ that, when switched on, would give the impression that his voice was coming from a faraway valley.  Before too long, the Heliopolis Palace nightclub was quite empty, with a fickle audience craving a new experience at Mena House, Sandro’s venue 15 miles away.  Predictably, the band was told that their contract would not be renewed.  The exhilaration of flying high with rock & roll came crashing down to earth.

Shaken, but not cowed, the band huddled together.  “We’re too limited playing rock & roll,” they said.  “We need to play a variety of genres: rock & roll, French songs, Italian songs, Latin-American music, instrumental jazz, and so on.”  After a couple of days of brainstorming, they came up with the formula that would propel them to the top within 4 short years.

The band would play non-stop, with a 15-minute break after the first two hours.  Asaad would play the electric guitar and sing all American/English vocals.  That included rock & roll, swinging and dreamy American ballads and other such music.  Mario would play rhythm guitar and sing all Italian and Latin-American music.  And Oscar, who turned out to have an excellent singing voice would play the drums (he had already bought a set and was progressing by leaps and bounds) and handle all French vocals.  George Naguib would put on an occasional floorshow of sorts, saying jokes, imitating famous actors/singers. Marcello would play bass and sing Italian and Latin-American songs.  And Mike would continue ‘faking it’ on the piano and doubling on accordion.  One of the singers would take the lead (three songs at a time), then another singer would replace him, thereby giving him a rest (of sorts).

The band also found that they could sound like a bigger combo if all band members provided vocal harmonies to accompany the lead singer.  It took a lot more work, but it made the band sound as if the were ten persons, rather than five.  It took longer to rehearse, but the results were gratifying.

Opportunities came their way.  Cairo society was still enthralled by what they remembered of the five dynamic young men and kept Samir Raouf busy booking them for society dances, weddings and gala events.  It was fun, and the money was surprisingly good.

Opportunities came their way to play at well-established nightclubs as a featured novelty band.  This included the prestigious “Auberge des Pyramides” (3-4 miles from the Pyramids), the Casino Abdine,  and other nightclubs (not all at the same time).  They also took part in competitions (such as the ‘Grand Prix du Disque’ and encouraged budding rock & roll dance couples to compete.  Oscar’s ballet training had made him into quite a mimic.  He even put on a floorshow in which he imitated Elvis Presley, swiveling hips and all.  It earned a full-page photograph in the magazine.  They also (later on) played at King Farouk’s old houseboat on the Nile.  It had been converted into a supper club/night club and the Skyrockets played alongside Cuban and Italian bands.  A truly exhilarating experience, since they would be exposed to a broad spectrum of musical styles.

And the beat went on.  Mike was finishing his Aeronautical Engineering studies at Cairo University, while Asaad was completing his Bachelor’s degree in communications at the American University at Cairo. Samir was completing his Architectural Engineering degree at Ein-Shams University.  Marcello and George had full-time jobs.  Life was hectic, but rewarding.

Than came the Mukattam Casino, managed by a suave, dapper Italian, Count Labriola.  Samir Raouf donned his dark glasses, spoke with the Count, and the Skyrockets had a first-class venue at the crest of the imposing Mukattam Hills.  But first, they had to boost the band to 7 persons, including a trained Italian vocalist and a saxophone player.  Mike had played alongside excellent classically-trained musicians, and his knowledge of high-caliber singers and instrumentalists resulted in the hiring of individuals who could be best described as ‘legendary.’  In addition to Mike, Asaad, Oscar, and Mario Martorano, three outstanding musicians joined the group.  Pasquale Ricciardi was known in Egypt as “The Man with the Golden Voice.”  An easy-going person with a great sense of humor, he took on responsibilities as a vocalist that allowed virtually non-stop singing.  In addition, the band members were thrilled when the best bass-player in Egypt, a disciplined, classically-trained bass player by the name of Mario Gamboni joined the group, as did a dynamic saxophone player by the name of Luigi (Gigi) Mellili.  Rehearsals continued after the evening was over and it was not uncommon for everyone to get home at 4:00 a.m.   The three seasoned professionals were beacons and anchors to the enthusiastic, but relatively inexperienced Skyrockets.  But they helped instill a work ethic that remained throughout their coming years.  They also counseled Mike, the frequently impatient and hard-driving bandleader, on “how to take care of his musicians.”  Wonderful individuals, every one of them.

By now the Skyrockets were beginning to acquire a reputation for clean living and serious dedication to music.  And Samir Raouf came up with a location that was to virtually define the band.

A young Egyptian businessman by the name of Abdel-Hameed had opened a nightclub on the banks of the Nile.  It was a startup venture and he named it “Casino el Shagara” (to pay homage to the sturdy tree centered in the dining room (the casino is still there, as is the tree); the Skyrockets are no longer there; Abdel-Hameed died some years ago).  But the casino with the beautiful riverside view remains, as does the tree.

It took some time for the word to get around.  Young Egyptians were still thronging to the Mena House to hear Sandro croon.  “How are they going to hear that we’re alive?” lamented the band members.  The only means of advertising was through the print media.  Television had not even arrived in Egypt in 1959.  But destiny has a sense of humor.  George Naguib had heard a song by a calypso singer by the name of ‘The Great Panther.’  The song, called “The Big Bamboo” was a wacky exercise in double-entendres.  Nothing obscene.  Just a little bit naughty if one wanted to let their imagination take to the air.  The singer recounted how his lady friend was enamored with ‘the big bamboo.’  Naughty, but never dirty.  The band heard it, copied the lyrics, rehearsed it and started to play it as part of their repertoire.  One evening, with the hall about one-tenth full, two attractive young princesses from the departed royal family came to have dinner with their friends.  They heard the song, laughed a lot, and asked for a few repeats.  Nothing more was said.  They left, after complimenting the band.

They returned the next evening, with an even larger party.  The Skyrockets turned up the steam.  And attendance at the Shagara continued to grow.  In two months time it was jam-packed.  The band’s rendition of ‘The Big Bamboo” eventually was eclipsed by the many other pieces of music.  The formula remained the same.  Non-stop music, each vocalist taking three songs to allow for a rest of vocal chords, and a mixture of styles to suit just about every taste.

By that time, the Skyrockets had developed a reputation.  Sandro was almost exclusively Italian music.  But these young Egyptians ‘knew it all.’  They played across all genres.  By that time Gigi Mellili, the virtuoso saxophonist, had continued to other ventures and the band recruited another professional sax player: Giuseppe “Beppy” Filinesi.  Beppy combined the discipline of the classically trained professional, with the youthfulness and ‘joie-de-vivre’ of the combo musician.  And the band continued with their ethic: they played for fun and needed neither liquor nor drugs to enhance their performance.  All they needed was an appreciative audience.

Samir also came up with a prize assignment: playing for afternoon dances at the newly-opened Nile Hilton Hotel.  They were the only local band to play there, since the Hilton organization had their own bands that they placed world-wide.  So the band played in a sumptuous roof garden in the afternoon, then rushed down the road to play at the Shagara in the evening,

In the meantime, Mario had received a shock: his Lebanese wife had decided that she wanted to live in Lebanon, so she absconded with their little son, Bruno.  Mario was distraught.  He tried to reach her and in the end, very reluctantly, left for Lebanon to seek her out, never to return again.  After some panic-driven searches, the Skyrockets found their man.  Another Italian from Alexandria.  His name was Giulio Santoro and he was one of those vocalists who are incapable of sounding bad.  His silky-smooth voice was effortless.  And he was a very handsome young man, much to the delight of the young ladies on the dance floor.  The Skyrockets were soaring! 

In the meantime, Mike had ‘met his fate’ (love of his life is a better description: he and his wife Aspasia, a beautiful Egyptian Greek, are still married after 48 years.)  They married, had a 3-day honeymoon at Alexandria’s San Stefano Hotel and returned to Cairo to resume his life, he as an engineer/musician and she as an ‘orchestra wife’ to a man who worked 17 hours daily.

But there was a new development.  Somehow word of the band had reached Italy, of all places.  An Italian gentleman by the name of Antonio Gerini wrote a letter offering the band a 2-month engagement at the Pipistrello.  But the band could not travel because Mike’s employment as a full-time engineer.  The band reluctantly declined the offer.

But a predictable event was to happen.

Asaad and Mike were also at a crossroad.  Asaad, a stellar, top-level student at AUC, was offered a scholarship to study drama at the prestigious Yale Drama School in New Haven, Connecticut.  He was all of 20 years old, and already offered a Master’s degree scholarship at Yale, of all places!   Asaad’s ultimate goal was a career in drama.  He could not turn the offer down.  The band was a wonderful experience, but he had to prepare for his future.  Mike was in the same boat.  He had graduated in 1957 as top of the Aeronautical Engineering class, earned the Abu Zahra prize for Aeronautics and still loved his chosen career of engineering.

Asaad left, amid tears from the band, studied, excelled and took the rocky road to a career in Hollywood.  Today he is a noted director, lives in a beautiful Los Angeles suburb, and is highly regarded in the industry.  He rotates his life between his California home, a beautiful villa in southern France, and Egypt.  He is truly happy and successful.

Mike also made preparations to leave for graduate studies in Aeronautical Engineering in the USA. He was accepted at the University of Virginia, eventually earning a doctorate from there.  He pursued a career in engineering education in Virginia. He left for the U.S. and pursued his studies there.  He and Aspasia had a son who graduated in computer engineering at the University of Virginia, and lives in Colorado, with his son, Christopher.

Giuseppe Filinesi ultimately left for Greece with Vasso, his wife.  He died about 5 years ago and left a son, Renato and a daughter, Paola.

Mario Martorano’s wife had remarried and moved to Lebanon.  Mario emigrated to Australia, met a wonderful lady by the name of Enid; the both live happily in Queensland.  Mario’s son Bruno became a banker and lives very happily in Europe.

Samir Raouf graduated from Ein-Shams University with a degree in architectural engineering and enjoyed a successful professional career with the Egyptian Tourist Authority, where he was responsible for many of the Egyptian exhibitions overseas.  He and his spouse have two daughters, Dina (married and living in London) and Sherine (married and head of Egypt’s top design firm), living in Cairo.  After retirement, Samir completed doctoral studies and established Design Coordinators, a Cairo firm specializing in design projects.  His youngest daughter, a university-educated designer is now president of the firm.  He lives in the Cairo suburb of Garden City and enjoys vacations in southern France.

George Naguib moved to the U.S. with his wife Alice.  They lived in Los Angeles, where George engaged in business travels that took them to many corners of the world.  They had two sons, both of whom live in the Los Angeles area.  After Alice’s death, George moved back to Egypt where he lives with his sisters in a Heliopolis suburb.