RARE PHOTOS OF MC5'S MACHINEGUN THOMPSON AND HIS BANDS

Ms B and MGT Copperfield's NY August 1977

One of the most exciting things for me is when fans send me rare photos of my rock friends. I had the great fortune to meet Ms B, Machinegun Thompson's former girlfriend back in the New Order and Secrets days. She and I met on Facebook and then chatted on the phone for a long time about her personal story about being a witness to musical history in the making.

Ms B told me all about the haps in Hollywood at 404 the apartment where lots of Detroit rockers lived while trying to make it big in the music world.

Cool concert flyer from my home town!

Ms B sent me all these rare and most never seen personal photos and I couldn't wait to share these my readers and Machinegun's too. I have more photos of Sirius Trixon and the Motor City Bad Boys which I posted on MGT's page. You can see them HERE

 Machinegun Thompson

How cool MGT played so fast and furious that he had a drum tech standing by to feed him new sticks when his sticks accidentally flew into the audience or he threw them to the fans.

Rob Tyner and MGT Grande in 1967

THANK YOU MS B!

MC5 ON GOLD:: BEFORE WOODSTOCK AND BEYOND REALITY

Wild Eye GOLD: Before Woodstock. Beyond Reality on DVD, featuring a soundtrack of unreleased music from the MC5.

“…In 1968, filmmaker Bob Levis led a rag-tag band of dreamers, drop outs and drug-happy darlings into the wilderness to make a movie and emerged a month later with ‘GOLD’”, a bizarre and beautiful journey into the mind and madness of the late 1960s – one overflowing with fantasies of revolution, recreation and raunchy free love.

“At once a western, a comedy, a ‘nudie’, a drama and a musical – ‘Gold’ is a profound potpourri made in the spirit of shaking down square society, while systematically shattering every movie rule in the process. But then the film vanished, lost like the generation from which it came, until now…”

GOLD stars improvisational comedian Del Close (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) and Garry Goodrow (Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice).

In the feature Pirate Radio, the character played by actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman is based on Ronan O’Rahilly (‘Radio Caroline’), the producer of GOLD. Ronan managed the MC5 for a time while they lived in the UK.

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY STANLEY T. MADHATTER!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY DEAR FRIEND AND EVENT COORDINATOR! SEE YOU TOMORROW!

XXOO

KIMMER

SCOTT MORGAN JULY 9 AT THE MAGIC BAG

Scott Morgan, founding member of the Rationals and Sonic's Rendezvous Band, is in impressive form on his self-titled release (***, Alive). There's no arguing with Morgan's mix of soulful, blues-drenched originals and well-selected cover tunes, including the Four Tops' "Something About You" and Sam Cooke's "Bring It on Home to Me."

My favorite new Scott song is Lucy May about Scott's Great Aunt who died at 18 years old. Scott wrote the song and it has a special meaning to me.

The group backing Morgan is notably impressive and features Matthew Smith (guitar, piano), Chris Taylor (guitar), Jim Diamond (bass) and Dave Shettler (drums). Scott Morgan and his band, the Irrationals, will perform at a CD-release party at 8 p.m. July 9 at the Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward, Ferndale. 248-544-3030. $10. Advance tickets available call the box office.

With MY FRIENDS Tino and The Howling Diablos.

Tino Gross and Johnny BEE

Review of Scott's New Record:
Michael Toland

For decades, singer/guitarist SCOTT MORGAN has earned his reputation as one of Detroit’s longest standing power rockers, proudly waving the flag for the proto-punk/hard R&B hybrid pioneered by the MC5, BOB SEGER and his own 70s combo (with FRED SONIC SMITH) SONICS RENDEZVOUS BAND. But people forget that he began in the 60s with the RATIONALS, one of the country’s most potent blue-eyed soul bands that was just a hit single away from rivaling MITCH RYDER, a side most recently explored with the Swedish band the SOLUTION. With the Rationals’ legendarily rare recordings finally starting to see the light of day (cf. last year’s two-disk set Think Rational), Morgan drew members from Motor City stalwarts OUTRAGEOUS CHERRY, MAZINGA and his own POWERTRANE to make up the IRRATIONALS, promoting his old music. As is so often the case, the musicians decided to head into the studio and make some new music, the result of which is Morgan’s latest, self-titled LP.

Allegedly the aim was to craft the ultimate Scott Morgan LP, and while it remains to be seen if that’s the case, the record is definitely a strong one. While there’s no mistaking that this is a rock & roll album, it draws most of its strength from Morgan’s taste in R&B and soul: SAM COOKE (“Bring It On Home To Me”), NINA SIMONE (“Do I Move You,” given a psychedelic blues reading), JERRY BUTLER (“Since I Lost You Baby”), the FOUR TOPS (“Something About You”), the Motor City’s own EIGHTH DAY (“She’s Not Just Another Woman”), even BOBBIE GENTRY (“Mississippi Delta”). Morgan and his buds follow suit with originals like the bluesy “Lucy May,” the groovy “Memphis Time,” the funky “Summer Nights” and the soulful “Fallin’ For Ya.” The band dips into the straight power rock bag for “Highway,” the album’s only obvious nod to Morgan’s SRB work.

Given stripped-down, guitar-based arrangements and clear but not slick production, Morgan sings with rough-hewn control, stopping short of wailing but not stinting on passion. Transcendence never quite arrives, but it seems just around the corner, which for a singer of Morgan’s caliber is still pretty damned fine. Some more Detroit crash-and-roil a la SRB would not go unappreciated next time, but it’s still great to hear Morgan refurbishing his rock & soul roots.
Scotts Web Page
Alive RecordsScott on Facebook

STOOGES/NEW ORDER STORIES FROM ANNIE IN HOLLYWOOD!

 

1974 Iggy Flyer from Annie's Collection

I got this great email from Annie in Hollywood who has a lot of history to share on some of our favorite rock musicians (some of my personal friends...). I thought I would share Annie's stories with my readers... KIM

I was close to the Stooges and the New Order. Here's how it went:

Sunset Blvd

I lived in this apartment in Hollywood called the Coronet in those days. When Iggy was deep in his heroin bullsh*t one night he needed money to buy dope so he came over to my place to borrow $25 (sounds like not much now, but minimum wage was $1.65 an hour then so do the math- office girls used to make $50 a week so that was a LOT of cash)

He was gonna leave me his famous pleather leopard jacket as 'colateral' for the loan. He had Max, the famous hollywood dope dealer and Stan Lee (later the lead singer of the punk band The Dickies) with him. I actually knew Stan from high school. When Max realized Iggy was about to hock that famous jacket to me for a hit (the jacket is featured on the Raw Power album cover...) he figured it was worth more than that. He stepped in, gave me back my cash and the group left my place. Stan ended up with that jacket and wore it until it was shredded.

Whatever else, that night, Iggy had noticed that we were in the middle of moving out. The stooges rented the place after I left. I had to come back for one last load (and it wasn't the first yet) but the landlord let them take the place and GAVE them what was left of my stuff.

So the stooges moved into 404 and got given a bunch of my sh*t. I used to go over there and get stuff from them as needed and pick up my mail. I thought it was great that the stooges were living in my old apartment... and truth to tell I never put in a change of address form at the post office so I could use getting mail as an excuse to visit the stooges. I was only 17 at the time, you know? It worked, I did get friendly with them. :)

The Stooges had this road manager at the time, a longtime old friend from Ann Arbor named Doug Currie... who became a lifelong friend of mine. Later, was still living in '404' (as the apartment was known) and the stooges were done and over with.

Then Dennis "Machinegun" Thompson of the MC5 was there (403) and it was now the time of Ron Asheton's New Order. Doug and I had an apartment nearby to them now, and we spent a lot of time hanging out with them while they were in LA around the spring of '75.

In late spring that year the New Order moved back to Michigan, and later I heard they broke up. Sad, because that band was a LOT of fun. I am still in touch with Doug Currie, but that is all.

I stayed in touch with Ron Asheton for years.... only in the last 2-3 years did I stop at least calling on his birthday and I am really cut up over Ron... *sigh* I don't know how much about me Machinegun (MGT) remembers. I have great memories I'd love to share if you care.

One that is hilarious: the weekend that MGT was staying at my apartment, there was a big movement afoot for all of us to scam free tickets to a concert... it was famous British band The Pretty Things.

Eventually, one of the bands from the lineup for the upcoming Pretty Things concert was playing another gig about 40 miles away so me and a friend went out there to hook up with someone connected with that group so we could have an "in" to get everyone (as in all the New Order crew) in to the upcoming gig (at the Shrine Auditorium) here in LA a few days later. Pay dirt.

I met this guy who was working with Blue Oyster Cult (Eric Weinstein) who was hassling me and my friend for being what he assumed was dumb groupie girls and he says you guys don't know real rock and roll... and I said "Sure I do." He said "Oh yeah? Ever herad of the MC5?" (what a silly crazy moment) and I said "Sure I have. They're my best friends. Machinegun Thompson is at my house right now."

Guy pretty much didn't believe me,, but got in our car and came home with us so I could walk him into my living room and introduce him to MGT. The guy was a big fan, and the upshot was he put us down on the guest list for that upcoming show as MGT plus whoever he shows up with.

Eric went on to be a big wheel at Interscope as far as I know... and had something to do with Dickie Manitoba's band the Dictators... (NYC) SO much fun.

So we all went to that show, and not only were the Pretty Things there, but Zeppelin were all backstage, it was a fantastic night.

Also funny that night was that I idly wandered by the backstage entrance at one point and Iggy was out there and wasn't on the list and he called out to me "Annie - tell them I'm OK" and I did so... what a feeling of power to say "yeah, Iggy's OK..." but that's how it was in those days.

Kimmer, I'll write you more stories when I think of them, glad we're in touch. Keep doing what you do and keep on rockin'.

Cheers,
annie

ABANDONED IN DETROIT DURING THE MOTOWN REVUE

Hart Plaza on the Riverfront in Detroit, Michigan

On a warm summer night in the late 1970's I went on an unlikely "date" with a guy named Tom Ford. This guy had dated or tried to date a lot of my friends without much success. He was a handsome somewhat charming guy but things just never seemed to work out for his dates with my pals. (or me either LOL)

One night at a local Ypsilanti club he invited me to go with him to Hart Plaza for the Huge Motown Revue! My favorites were all on the line up. From what I can remember... The Four Tops, Mary Wells (Headliner).

The current version of the Temptations, The Contours, Stevie Wonder, The Velvelettes, Martha Reeves and the Marvelettes, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles were all playing and for FREE! The only star missing was Marvin Gaye. No way was I missing this historic, once in a lifetime show! Now 35 years later I am so glad I was brave enough to tell that guy to take a hike while I stayed and partied!

Queen of Motown Mary Wells

Mary Wells rarely played live anywhere and I knew this was a once in a lifetime chance to see her live. Sadly she passed on a few years later. RIP

My "date" and I sat in the cafe and listened to the little known opening bands. Just as it started to get dark and the big bands started to play we moved to the upper deck and I joined a large group of older ladies dancing to the great music. I was having the time of my young life! Just then, in the middle of the Contours singing "Do You Love Me?" My "date tells me he is leaving! If I wanted a ride back to Ypsilanti I would have to leave Stevie, The Tempts, The Four Tops, and the whole Motown Roster! No Frickin Way!!!

My charming date left me in downtown Detroit and I was thrilled he was gone! What a total drag he was. No wonder all my friends dropped him after a few dates. So here I was on the right upper deck at Hart Plaza (see arrow) dancing and singing my lungs out to all my favorite Motown classics.

The group of women I was hanging out with bought my drinks and fed me food out of their coolers. They were the most charming hostesses of all time! We had such FUN! think this was the most fun concert I ever attended bar none.

The Four Tops

Stevie closed the show with fingertips and I wondered out loud to my group, "How am I going to get back to Ypsilanti?" These lovely girls took up a collection then they walked with me up to Jefferson Ave. There was a taxi parked right out front of Hart Plaza. 

The girls paid the driver and I rode back to Ypsi chattering away at the driver about great the show was. The driver asked how I ended up alone at the show. He asked if my car broke down. I told him the trith, nope the jerk that brought me here left before I could hear Mary Wells sing and there was NO WAY I was leaving until then! 

The driver and I laughed at that jerk of a date and I smiled all the way home, westbound on I94 to Ypsilanti. 

SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL THE DETROIT SISTERS THAT ROCKED WITH ME THAT NIGHT IN DETROIT!

MC5 ALBUM COVER GRAPHIC ARTIST PHOTOGRAPHER: JOEL BRODSKY

  JOEL BRODSKY

Joel Brodsky created this infamous MC5 album cover using one camera! That is miraculous considering the techniques used today. Like the MC5 Joel was way ahead of his time....

 MC5 Kick Out the Jams Live album

 

Jim Morrison by Joel Brodsky

Joel's most famous images were of the Doors and in particular the shirtless Jim Morrison. These are the best images of Jim ever taken in my opinion.

 

You tube is marvelous for preserving our history and educating the younger generations about where it all began.... Great Joel and the Doors article HERE  Joel Brodsky's full bio HERE 1939-2007 RIP Born and raised in Brooklyn, Joel Brodsky graduated from Syracuse University in 1961 where he took his first and only course in photography. After graduation he worked at a local camera store acquiring the cameras he used when he went into business.  Following a brief stint in the Army he worked as an assistant for one of New York’s top fashion photographers where he learned about commercial photography. Married and with his first child, in 1967 he opened his own studio where he shot his first photos that were used on an album.  His fourth cover shooting for “The Doors” was part of a package that got nominated for a Grammy, (it was the first of nine covers he did for the group) and gave him access to many other record companies. In a time when the cover art was the only visual representation of their artists for the record buying public,  Brodsky’s style helped to create an image for many diverse performers; from The MC5 to Aretha Franklin to Judy Collins, from Iggy Pop to Isaac Hayes and Country Joe & the Fish to Gladys Knight & The Pips.   Among the last of his album photo sessions was the first Kiss cover in 1975. Altogether he shot well over 400 covers in that eight year period, and was also the advertising agency for six different labels. Later he worked for many commercial clients including: Revlon, Avon, Dupont, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdales.  

 Iggy Pop by Joel Brodsky  

Joel shot some of the most iconic images of my generation and I am happy to share this story with my readers. Thank you Heather (Fast Film) for sending me the great Joel video...