Celebrating Labor Day through the Anthems of the Rust Belt Part 1: Detroit Rock City

Wherever there is labor, one can immediately find the roots of rock’n’roll’s greatest innovations. Marx was right; there is a deep connection between economic realities and the products of culture that inhabit those realities. The Bolsheviks like Alexander Bogdanov, however, were way off the mark to insist that artworks from societies of Bourgeois Capitalism were useless for the interests of the average Industrial worker. No better example to illustrate the point than the musical culture of America’s industrial epicenter: Detroit, MI.

MC5

In honor of Labor Day, let’s take a look at 1970s Detroit proto-punk, and when discussing the origins of America’s punk rock tradition, one has to start with Detroit’s MC5. I always cringe at the “origins of punk rock” conversation because, most of the time, people debate the issue without ever making sure there is some agreed upon definition for the umbrella term “Punk Rock.” To me, the term applies more accurately to say the Sex Pistols than (and here we go with immediate yells of disagreement) say the Ramones. Punk designates more than a stripped down, up-tempo music genre; it implies a whole package of irony, negation, pastiche fashion, and uncompromising political radicalism. This is why the Pistols defined Punk Rock (for a little less than a year...), and I credit their famous (or is it infamous) manager, Malcolm McLaren (RIP...), who was steeped in French Situationism and the European tradition of nihilism, radicalism, and the avant-garde. With this said, MC5 were also so much more than a hard-playing proto-punk band.

They were the whole thing. If anything was “Punk” at this time, it was Motor City Five. They were known for supporting the Black Panthers and the Panther’s form of Maoist-Marxist politics (I believe their manager, at one point, tried to start a White Panthers organization to support the radical movement), and the band famously played at the riots of 1968 at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. They are the closest thing to “true” Proto-Punk Rock. Although Back in the USA (recorded in 1970; released by Atlantic) was not their 1st full-length, it was their first studio album. One of my favorite tracks is their protest song against the US involvement in Vietnam, “The Human Being Lawnmower”:

Their album, Back in the USA, is a must have for ALL rock enthusiasts, and what better time to rock these tunes than on Labor Day! (Definitely check out the live debut Kick Out the Jams as well.)

dl: http://www.mediafire.com/?dejvyldl2qm (BITU)

dl: http://www.mediafire.com/?z3ltfmtinne (KOTJ)

Can you guess who’s next?

The Stooges

When asked about the 1st American Punk band, I think most people would respond with the answer, Iggy & the Stooges. To me, MC5 was way more “punk”; they are the godfathers, but the Stooges are definitely the drunk & disorderly godmother. When considering the bands as a pair circa 1970, UK rock’n’roll had nothing on the motor city (with the exception of maybe the Deviants or the Pink Fairies, but that’s another post....). These two acts (along with the New York & Cleveland rock scenes) redirected American popular tastes towards sounds of larger & angrier proportions. The Stooges debuted on Halloween in 1967, signed to Elektra in 68, and released their 1st studio self-titled full length in 1969 (which was produced by Velvet Underground’s John Cale). It tanked for the most part, but it has seen a second life with the explosion of punk a decade later. The album definitely dates the Stooges, for one can still hear the conventions of 60s San Francisco fuzz rock. Check out the track “No Fun”:

The Stooges immediately released a 2nd album, Fun House, in 1970 with the addition of a saxophonist (yawn). It was around this time the Stooges began to turn heads in the music world. That year they played the famous Cincinnati Pop Fesitival where famously Stiv Bators (of Dead Boys....we’ll talk about them next time...) handed Iggy a tub of peanut butter that the Stooge’s frontman proceeded to wipe all over his chest. (Of course, this is now an iconic image of the legendary Proto-Punker.) I believe the band was performing the track “T.V. Eye”:

Oh Iggy... (I love the tv announcer’s perspective... classic!)

The Stooges re-signed with Columbia (due to David Bowie’s urging) and recorded their most successful album, Raw Power (1973). Of course everyone, as well as every dive bar jukebox, knows the famous single “Search & Destroy.” I have to say I listen to Raw Power more than any other recording. Musically, it is excellent Proto-Punk Rock. All rock enthusiasts should own it (so get it!!!).

dl: http://www.mediafire.com/?tm5wk2jozjw (s/t)

dl: http://www.mediafire.com/?nnyfvzmiy5d (FH)

dl: http://www.mediafire.com/?etfdm1jny9t (RP)

The Frost

The Frost were a late 60s rock group from Alpena, MI. They released 3 albums and were led by guitarist Dick Wagner (who later played with Lou Reed, David Bowie, and others). They were a lesser known act that was also part of the prolific Proto-Punk scene of the motor city region. Their most famous record was probably Rock and Roll Music, released 1970 on Vanguard. Here’s their opening title track of the album (the sound should be familiar by now):

A great album for one’s collection if you like that whole Detroit rock thing....

dl: http://www.ilivid.com/lp_bna.htm

(wait 20secs before clicking file link...)

Death

Death was a Proto-Punk band of the early 70s formed by three brothers (the Hackneys!) out of Detroit, MI. The wonderful world of Wikipedia informed me that they actually started as an R&B group and then they saw Alice Cooper (another Detroit rocker) in concert and understandably proceeded to change their approach to raw rock’n’roll. Ah Alice Cooper, you have impacted so many of us, and we thank you for that. (“We’re not worthy; we’re not worthy!”) Death recorded very little in their short-lived run. In fact, they entered the studio in 1974 to record an album for Columbia Records, but due to their insisted refusal to change their name, the Corporate slime of a label dropped the band. The album was recently released by Drag City, and it is entitled ...For the Whole World to See. Here’s the opening track:

If you like everything else about this post, then you NEED this album. It’s great!

dl: http://www.mediafire.com/?mmn1ikmndiw

There are so many other great bands of this era & scene to check out: Frijid Pink, Amboy Dukes (even though Nugent is a douche...), Alice Cooper, and many many others... Perhaps I’ll post some more later.... Enjoy! (Oh, and Happy early Labor Day!)