The Michigan Music Blog

2012-01-31T20:07:00.000-07:00

Motown Grand Piano Restoration

Hail, hail to Sir Paul of Liverpool!

It was announced recently that the grand piano located in the Motown Museum known as Hitsville U.S.A., would be under going a restoration. This has been made possible by none other than Paul McCartney. Paul's gesture came after a July visit of the museum while he was in Detroit for his latest concert tour.

The piano will be shipped to New York and the restoration will be done by specialists at Steinway & Sons.

After the restoration is complete, the piano will be unvailed in March during the museum's fund-raising event which will be attended by Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr.

Motown Piano Heads to NYC for Rehab

2011-11-04T11:24:00.001-07:00

SMOKEY ROBINSON, MR. SWEETNESS

BY CHARLIE GLAZE

In the world of music, there are many memories of songs and the artists that bring them to us. If you were lucky enough to grow up in Michigan during the reigning moments of Motown, you had more than you could endure. Just turning on CKLW was an experience that lead to a lifetime of happiness thru the soulful sounds of the many artists that laid the foundations of what would be the greatest music of all time, Motown. Coming thru those airwaves were the likes of The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Martha Reeves and The Vandellas and a host of other talents that would put Detroit on the musical map world wide.

My first impressions of this unrelenting onslaught of soul was the sweet sound of Smokey Robinson and The Miracles. I think the first song I ever remember by Smokey was, “Ooo, Baby, Baby” and it took my breath away. Never had I heard anything so soulful and sweet in my young life. Smokey would go on to time and again blow me away with hit after hit. “Tears of a Clown”, “I Second That Emotion”, “Just a Mirage”, “More Love”, and on and on. These are the songs that helped to shape my perspective on life as a youth growing up in Michigan.

Motown in general had an attitude about it that couldn't have come from any place on earth other than Detroit. Didn't matter if you were black or white, this was music that could be felt in the depth of your heart and soul, or you just plain weren't breathing. There were so many great vocalists that came out of Hitsville at the time. David Ruffin, Marvin Gaye and Levon Helms to name a few, but the one who stood out for me was Smokey. The minute he opened his mouth, he made it possible for you to feel every emotion that he himself was feeling. He painted a musical portrait that you could actually envision as you closed your eyes and listened to his smooth as velvet voice. You could feel the tears of a clown run down your cheeks as the musical poet told his story. I don't believe there is another person alive that has the soft, smooth, emotional and soulful presentation that Smokey can deliver.

It was not till years later that I found out that Smokey and his Miracles not only sang some of the best romantic ballads of the century, but he also was the main composer and producer for the Motown hit machine. It was expected of the artists of Motown that when they were not in the studio recording, they were working elsewhere, such as writing, production, choreography or even office help. Diana Ross, for instance, used to spend time at the reception desk.

Smokey Robinson continues to make music today and sounds as sweet as ever. My advise is that if you have not listened to the music of Smokey, today would be a good time to start.

SMOKEY MYSPACE	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles Video: Shop Around
SMOKEY WIKIPEDIA

2011-11-04T11:22:00.000-07:00

"BUT DAD, IT'S SMOKEY!"

BY HANK AUGUSTYN

It was 1960 and I was eight years old. Detroit was a great place, even greater in the summertime. As for my friends and I, our world was the block on which we lived, it was the entire universe, or so we thought. Exploratory expeditions onto blocks north and south were tempting but we knew the risk. The group in that world might not take kindly to invaders from another. No matter, we had plenty of room to roam without venturing off into spaces unknown.

Yeah, summers were the best. No school and warm nights with open windows. Fans whirring faintly and subtle sounds from the street. Occasionally after supper, one would hear the musical jingle of the Mr. Frostee truck in the distance. This would immediately send me scrambling to find a dime for an ice cream bar before the treat-mobile passed the house. Sometimes at night, armed with flashlights and empty cans, we would search the watered lawns for night crawlers. Life was good, but about to get even better.

Uncle Ted built a radio as a final project at the end of his RETS course (Radio & Electronics Training School). It was a fine piece in a Bakelite housing with knobs that had points (sort of like arrows) and a gold, dial face that had “R.E.T.S.” written across the top. It was a picture of beauty. A truly remarkable appliance, I thought. Things like this were only obtainable at Montgomery Wards or Hudson’s downtown. Yet here it was, built to perfection, but where would we put it? There wasn’t much use for another radio so it got tucked away on the dresser in my bedroom. Curiosity got the better of me and one night I clicked the button “on”, turned the other dial, and the whole world changed.

Robert E. Lee and Jack the Bellboy appeared. They transported me to a place farther away than any city block and introduced me to the Miracles. “Shop Around” was the very first sound that I heard coming out of this box and I was amazed and excited, to say the least, a “miracle” for sure. I couldn’t get enough and I pleaded to listen for just a little while each night when I went to bed. Grandma indulged me and Uncle Ted would tiptoe in to turn off those rock-n-roll lullabies after I drifted away to sleep.

It was a force of thousands…The Drifters, Chubby Checker, Dion & the Belmonts, and, of course, Elvis. Great stuff but nothing hit me like that soulful shakin’ of the Miracles. “My Mama told me, you better shop around”: the backbeat, those harmonies and that smooth voice singing the lead vocals. Who is that? Why, it’s William “Smokey” Robinson. Life was never the same.

I think life actually began then. Smokey was an incredible talent from Detroit, the Motor City. Back when Dodge Main was cranking out the street steel and Smokey was cranking out the street music. Tamala Records was a small store front where Smokey worked his magic. He penned songs not only for the Miracles but other artists at Tamala as well.

There were small neighborhood bars on practically every street corner. Once in a while on the especially warm nights the Glass Bar on Mt. Elliot would leave the front door open. We would sneak up to listen for any music that might be coming out. Gary “US” Bonds was good but all I wanted to hear was “Shop Around”. Dennis, the neighbor kid, was in Junior High and he had a transistor radio. “Duke of Earl” was his favorite, but he liked the Miracles too. Those sweet sounds came from passing cars (convertibles were the best), from porches down the street, and from those tiny transistors carried by groups of girls on their way to school. It was all great but nothing came close to the magical audio box that was at my beckoned call both day and night.

It was all remarkable. 1963: “You really Got a Hold on Me” and “Mickey’s Monkey” were the best, I couldn’t get enough. By the time 1965 came around “Going to a Go-Go” had me thinking “this is no passing fancy”, and just when I thought it couldn’t get any better…bang, “Ooo Baby, Baby”. That did it. Smokey has been called “America’s poet laureate of love” and I can see why. Just about the time my hormones started rearranging themselves, Smokey came out with that tune and the opposite sex took on a whole new meaning.

A teenager’s first love affair usually has music playing some significant role somewhere. Whether it’s the sentimental “our song” commemorating a first encounter or some other special event, a song can tug at the heart. It said all of what we wanted to say but didn’t know how. First loves can be awkward and nobody, but nobody said it better for all of us beginners than Smokey. He softened hearts and blazed trails that would never have been open otherwise. 1967 was the best year ever and Smokey was there. It was “More Love” and more Smokey. The summer of love as it is called, it was the summer of Miracles for me.

The smoothness continued with “Cruisin” in the ‘70’s. Smokey was older as was I, as were we all. But he was better; don’t know if the same could be said for the rest of us. The soul is in the music and the music is definitely in the soul.

When a Miracle’s song comes on the radio I still rotate that volume knob clockwise as fast as I can. Back in the day, I filled every open space in my room with “Mickey’s Monkey”, every crevice with “Tears of a Clown”. And when “Shop Around” was the back end of a twin-spin, well it was “give it all she’s got, captain”, rattle the widows and let those eardrums marinate…then came the voice from the other room, “turn that #@*% down!”…”but Dad, its Smokey!”

2011-11-04T11:01:00.000-07:00

It All Begins With The MC5

BY CHARLIE GLAZE

I don't remember the first time, or how many times I saw the MC5, although I know it was at least five or six. I do remember the last time I saw them, at the Point Edward Arena in Sarnia, Ontario on May 19, 1971. It was a memorable time because we were so geeked to see them locally as we lived right across the border in Marysville, Michigan and they had never played so close. They ended up showing up late because they had trouble getting across the Blue Water Bridge because of their involvement with John Sinclair and the White Panther Party. When they finally hit the stage, all hell broke loose. They began with an apology for keeping everyone waiting and then let everyone know exactly why they were late as they whipped the crowd into a frenzy before beginning another unbelievable hard charged rock and roll show that only the MC5 could produce.

I decided that the opening article that I write for this site could only be about my thoughts on the MC5. Although Michigan is rich with musical talent, and to be sure, there have been other performers who have certainly far surpassed the short success of the MC5, in my mind, not one has represented the ultimate attitude of Michigan as did the MC5. Michigan and specificity Detroit are known throughout the world as the Motor City. A town build with an industrial attitude that transcends not only its music, but also its sports, including the Tigers, Red Wings, Pistons and Lions. A lot of bands including Bob Seger, the Stooges, Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent, Kid Rock, Eminem and the White Stripes, not to mention the fabulous Motown artists, have helped to build the unique sound of Michigan music, but the band that hit the nail on the head, was the Motor City Five. Just one listen to their live recording of “Motor City Is Burning”, will bring a chill to your bones, especially if you lived through the 1967 riots in Detroit.

The MC5 made their home base at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit. Known as the house band, they played host to some of the best known bands of the day, including the likes of Cream, Iron Butterfly, Big Brother and the Holding Company featuring Janis Joplin. The Five were known to blow most if not all off the Grande Stage. Detroit was their town and they were not going to be out done by anybody on their turf. When the MC5 took the stage, they did so with an enormous amount of high-energy. It was like at any minute you were about to witness an explosion. The Grande Ballroom was the site of their now famous live recording of the historic album, “Kick Out The Jams”. Recorded live at the Grande on October 30-31, 1968 it instantly became the anthem of every Michigan rocker. I think every kid in Michigan knew we had something special, something unique going on in Michigan when it came to our music. Nobody played it harder or with more energy than the bands that were coming out of Michigan. And, the band that set the pace, was the MC5. On the west coast, they had the Buffalo Springfield and Country Joe and the Fish, and in Detroit, we had the MC5 and the Stooges. It was in your face rock and roll at its beastly best.

Over the years I have witnessed many awesome and great bands, but when it comes to high-energy stage presence and ability to make the crowd believe they were truly a part of the show, my vote goes to none other than the MC5. The legacy of the MC5 continues to live on in the hearts of Michigan music lovers everywhere.

Check out the following sites to learn more about the MC5 and get up off of that thing and get a copy of “Kick Out The Jams” and feel the power of Michigan Music at it's best.

Re-designed Blog

2011-10-23T21:41:00.000-07:00

I just redesigned this blog due to a change in my URL. I was previously michigansmusic.com and recently changed to michiganmusic.net. You can look forward to new articles and comments in the near future. If you would like to add to the Michigan Music site in the form of an article related to Michigan Music, please comment on the blog and leave your contact information so I may get with you on the options. We are always in the market for great articles about bands and musicians past and present. Thanks, Charlie