The Grouchy Gaijin's Thoughts on Music and Such

My sister sent me some pictures the other day that I thought would make a decent blog post.

I grew up in Detroit Michigan which aside from being a really aggressive place that is also famous for bad cars (Can you say Ford?) is famous for some really great music.

I was thinking about all the bands that came out of Detroit; it is really a staggering number.  It makes you wonder if there is something in the water.

Stevie  Wonder's (official site) former home on Greenlawn  The Wiki Encyclopedia entry for Stevie Wonder Superstitious is a favorite.

Gladys Knight's former home on LaSalle (official site) The Wiki Encyclopedia entry for Gladys Knight. (When I was a kid I thought her band was called "The Pits" - then I learned it was the Pips only to learn that they weren't the band at all - they were the backup singers and dancers.)

The wicked band that played on all most all of the Motown hits was the Fabulous Funk Brothers I highly recommend the documentary Standing in the Shadow of Motown

Florence Ballard's former home on West Buena Vista  The Wiki Encyclopedia entry for Florence Ballard. The Florence Ballard Fan Club Did you see Dream Girls? - then you know who Florence is.

Marvin Gaye's former home on Appoline  The Wiki Encyclopedia entry for Marvin Gaye. Heard it through the Grapevine is one of the best songs ever written - in my opinion.

Smokey Robinson's former home on Belmont

Smokey Robinson's entry in the Wiki Encyclopedia Smokey Robinson at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame One of my all time favorites.  Hearing the Stones cover of Going to a Go-Go on Still Life ( the 1981 US concert album )made me curious about Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.  Basically I like everything I've heard by Smokey - that is pretty unusual.

Side note my sister saw the Stones in '75 and they sucked.  When the Stones came around in '81 all of my buddies were getting tickets - I passed only to find out Keith had kicked whatever drug he had been abusing and the Joe Lewis arena had better acoustics than the old Cobo hall - bummer I missed a chance to see Mick Jagger run around like a rooster on LSD in person .

The list goes on and on - Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent (review here), Iggy  Pop, Bob Seger, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels (I'm not sure why but his site is listed under a German domain) MC5 (for a really good cover of Kick Out the Jams check out Blue Oyster Cult's Live LP Some Enchanted Evening),  Kid Rock, Eminem (not my kind of music, but he has made a mark)

If you ever have the chance to see Alice (review here) do so!  The ticket is well worth the money!

If you are going to get a Bob Seger album be sure to give Live Bullet a listen.  After 30 years it is still one of my favorites (Actually it is the only Bob Seger album I like.)  Side note my sister worked with Chris Campbell who was married to Chris Campbell the bass player for Bob Seger.  (I don't know if she spells her name the way he spells his - but after Live Bullet she could quit the phone company).

I saw Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels in 1978 at a free show for the March of Dimes Walk for Man Kind - it sucked.

Two kids from Whittier Junior High School made it onto the back of the Kiss Alive album cover UPDATE I stand corrected. Dan Kiewicz let me know that those guys were from Carl Brablec High in Roseville.  Not Whittier Junior High as I thought for the last 30 years or so.  Thanks Dan. What is that blue haze in the air?

The original Grouch's trash can (like Oscar the Grouch, get it?) on Ledgecliff.

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