Detroit, Rock City

A little over a year ago, I was on my way back to Miami from Rhode Island, where I’d gone to experience a December that seemed more December-ish. Well, I got all that and more. A storm dumped a couple of feet of snow over most of the northeast. My flight got rerouted and re-rerouted until I finally ended up with an eight-hour plus layover in Detroit. With no other options, I bit my tongue, got onboard and flew to Motown.

Once there, I had to find something to do rather than hang around the airport. I decided to take a taxi ride downtown and have myself a look around. I knew there was no way I could do any major traveling, so I grabbed a paper and a cab and headed to the general downtown area.

Twenty dollars and a short time later, I was comfortably in a bar having a burger and a beer. Some band I’d never heard was playing on the jukebox. The waitress told me it was some local band. I don’t remember who it was, but the point is that it got me thinking about the music over the years that has come out of the Motor City. Off the top of my head, I could only think of the bigger bands: Iggy Pop, the MC5, the White Stripes, KISS, etc., etc.

Once I got home, I sat down with Google and searched Detroit music. I hit an avalanche of music I never knew existed. This was before I got into MP3 blogging, but it was an introduction of sorts for me. Independent music is alive and well in Detroit.

I hope the music I’ve got today serves as an appetizer and encourages you to dig a little deeper. Sympathy for the Record Industry has released (among many other excellent disks) a Detroit-centric collection called Sympathetic Sounds of Detroit, which is a great place to start exploring Detroit music. The songs I’m posting - if I remember - came from various Websites and are not on the Sympathy collection. Following the songs, is a list of the sites I have bookmarked and encourage you to support not only Detroit rock and roll, but all local music. Plus, you can download music from some of the sites.

Tainted Love (Soft Cell cover).mp3 The Meanies
Making Love (KISS cover).mp3 Seduce
Fire Up.mp3 Feisty Cadavers
Dumb Girls.mp3 Benny & the Jets
Cigarette.mp3 Charlie Don’t Surf
Green.mp3 Backyard Superstars

Motor City Rocks
Detroit Rock and Roll
Motor City Rock 1980-1990

*** NOTE ***
Since I hung out over the holidays, I’m taking my vacation a little late. I’ll be gone the next few days. For those of you who are my loyal, albeit anonymous, readers, I’ll be back in about a week. Stay safe.

posted by aikin @ 10:18 PM