| Richard Nicholas Emerson | |
| Landscape: | yes |
| Background: | person |
| Alias: | Rocket |
| Birth Place: | Coventry |
| Birth Date: | 1982 3, df=yes |
| Instrument: | vocals, guitar |
| Genre: | Indie rock |
| Occupation: | musician, songwriter, actor |
Richard Nicholas Emerson, also known as Richard 'Rocket' Emerson or Rocket, is an English musician and actor. He gained prominence as the frontman and principal songwriter for the indie band Pint Shot Riot in the years 2007 - 2013 and was nominated in 2014 for best actor at the Maverick Movie Awards for his acting debut in the independent feature film The Trailer.
Emerson was born in Coventry, on 25th March 1982. He started acting at the age of 12 in various local city and school productions. He was given the nickname 'Rocket' because he used to work in the Coventry pub of the same name (near the railway station). He taught himself guitar at the age of 21 and a few years later he formed the band Pint Shot Riot.[1] [2] [3]
Pint Shot Riot began performing in January 2007, with Richard 'Rocket' Emerson as the frontman (lead vocals and rhythm guitar) and as the main songwriter.[4] In the summer of the same year, they appeared on the BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury Festival[5] and next year, in 2008, they signed a publishing deal with the EA Games / Nettwerk Music Group. Some of their songs featured in Electronic Arts games like FIFA 10, FIFA 12 or Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit.[6] [7] [8] [9]
Emerson studied acting at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York City, in 2010. He debuted in the 2014 independent feature film The Trailer (nominated for best actor at Maverick Movie Awards). He shot a few short films and a US TV commercial, as well as starring in the Pint Shot Riot Starting To Fly music video, as a troubled soldier with PTSD.[10]
Emerson lived in New York City in 2010 and moved to Clifton in Bristol in 2015. Together with his wife Louise, he built a vintage clothing business called "Loot", with several stores, before scaling back to one store in Bristol at the end of 2022 to focus on his acting career. He has two sons called Jude and Sonny.[11]