Detroit Rock City

by Steve Miller

  Gary Quackenbush: Musician. Guitarist, SRC.

  Billy Goodson: Scenester.

  Glenn Frey: Musician. Guitarist, Eagles. Sang backing vocals on Bob Seger’s hit “Ramblin Gamblin’ Man.”

  Wayne Kramer: Musician. Guitarist, MC5, Gang War, Was (Not Was), solo.

  Becky Tyner: Wife of Rob Tyner.

  Bill Graham: Iconic music promoter, stable of venues that included the original Fillmores. Deceased.

  Michael Davis: Musician. Bassist, MC5, Destroy All Monsters. Deceased.

  Steve Mackay: Musician. Saxophonist, Charging Rhinoceros of Soul, the Stooges.

  Arthur Kane: Musician. Bassist, New York Dolls.

  Jim McCarty: Musician. Guitarist, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, the Rockets, Cactus.

  Lester Bangs: Journalist, Creem magazine. Deceased.

  James Williamson: Musician. Guitarist, Chosen Few, the Stooges.

  Dave Alexander: Musician. Bassist, the Stooges. Deceased.

  Ron Asheton: Musician. Guitarist, bassist, the Stooges, Destroy All Monsters, New Order. Deceased.

  Jimmy Recca: Musician. Bassist, the Stooges, New Order.

  DJ Dianna, aka Dianna Frank: Scenester.

  Niagara: Artist, musician. Vocalist, Destroy All Monsters, Dark Carnival. Girlfriend of Ron Asheton.

  Tony DeFries: Head of MainMan, which briefly represented Iggy and the Stooges.

  John Kordosh, aka John Amore: Musician, journalist. Bassist, the Mutants. Wrote for Creem early to mideighties.

  Cathy Gisi: Journalist. Wrote for Creem mid-to late seventies.

  Robert Matheu: Photojournalist. Shot for Creem and numerous other rock magazines. Author of The Stooges: The Authorized and Illustrated Story and Creem: America’s Only Rock ’n’ Roll Magazine.

  Nikki Corvette: Musician. Vocalist, Nikki and the Corvettes, Nikki and the Stingrays, Gorevette.

  Todd Rundgren: Musician, producer. Produced Grand Funk Railroad, We’re an American Band and Shinin’ On.

  Art Lyzak: Musician. Vocalist, the Mutants.

  Mike Rushlow: Musician. Bassist, the Pigs, the Boners, Rushlo-King Combo.

  Bob Mulrooney, aka Bootsey X: Musician. Drummer, vocalist, Coldcock, Ramrods, Bootsey X and the Lovemakers.

  Skid Marx: Musician. Bassist, Flirt, Seat Belts.

  Nick Kent: Journalist. New Musical Express, The Face.

  Dave Hanna: Musician. Guitarist, the Boners, the Ramrods, Space Heaters.

  Scott Asheton: Musician. Drummer, the Stooges, Sonic’s Rendezvous Band.

  Barry Kramer: Cofounder, editor, Creem magazine. Deceased.

  Ric Siegel: Journalist. Part of the crew that started Creem.

  Greg Errico: Musician. Drummer, Sly and the Family Stone.

  Peter Rivera: Musician. Drummer, Rare Earth.

  Gil Bridges: Musician. Saxophonist, Rare Earth.

  Alice Cooper: Musician. Vocalist, Alice Cooper, solo.

  Bob Ezrin: Producer. Alice Cooper, Detroit, Kiss, Lou Reed, Peter Gabriel.

  Glen Buxton: Musician. Guitarist, Alice Cooper. Deceased.

  Mark Parenteau: Disc jockey. WABX.

  Gail Parenteau: Promoter. Married to Mark Parenteau.

  Michael Bruce: Musician. Guitarist, Alice Cooper.

  Jim Kosloskey: Musician. Guitarist, the Frut.

  Cindy Lang: Alice Cooper’s girlfriend for a while.

  Dave Marsh: Journalist, author. One of the first Creem writers, went on to join the enemy, Rolling Stone. Books include Born to Run: The Bruce Springsteen Story and Before I Get Old: The Story of the Who.

  Tony Reay: Cofounder, editor, Creem magazine.

  Charlie Auringer: Photographer. Creem magazine.

  John Angelos: Musician. Vocalist, Ted Nugent and the Amboy Dukes, the Torpedoes. Deceased.

  Gilda Radner: Comedian, actress. Detroit native, was among first cast of Saturday Night Live. Deceased.

  Kim Fowley: Raconteur, musician, producer.

  Ben Edmonds: Journalist. Creem magazine.

  Bob Seger: Musician. Vocalist, guitarist, keyboards, Bob Seger and the Last Heard, Bob Seger System, solo, Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band.

  Toby Mamis: Journalist, promoter. Now road manager for Alice Cooper.

  Tom Weschler: Photographer, road manager for Bob Seger.

  Dick Wagner: Musician. Guitarist, the Bossmen, the Frost, Ursa Major, Alice Cooper, Peter Gabriel, Lou Reed, solo.

  Mark Farner: Musician. Guitarist, bassist, the Pack, Grand Funk Railroad.

  Terry Knight: Disc jockey, manager, musician. Vocalist, the Pack, managed Grand Funk Railroad. Deceased.

  Don Brewer: Musician. Drummer, Grand Funk Railroad, Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band.

  Dave West: Equipment guy, made amps for Grand Funk Railroad.

  Jim Atherton: Manager. Terry Knight and the Pack.

  Dave Knapp: Terry Knight’s brother.

  Tom Wright: Photographer, promoter.

  Michael Quatro: Promoter, musician. Vocalist, keyboard player, Michael Quatro Jam band, solo. Brother of Suzi and Patti Quatro.

  Jerry Vile: Musician, journalist, artist. Vocalist, the Boners, editor of White Noise fanzine.

  Bob Heath and Bill Spiegel: Radio producers for WLW in Cincinnati, helped make the Cincinnati Pop Festival go down in 1970. It was the first rock concert ever taped for future national broadcast, preceding ABC’s In Concert, which debuted in 1972.

  Tom Copi: Photographer.

  Dallas Hodge: Musician. Guitarist, Catfish Hodge Band.

  Steve Hunter: Musician. Guitarist, Detroit, Lou Reed, Alice Cooper, Peter Gabriel.

  John Sauter: Musician. Bassist, Detroit.

  Terry Kelly: Musician, Guitarist, Detroit Wheels, Cactus. Deceased.

  Dave DiMartino: Journalist. Wrote for Creem in the late seventies and the mideighties.

  Marcia Rabideau: One of the MC5 girls.

  Richard Haddad, aka Shemp: Musician. Bassist, SRC. Deceased.

  Mark Manko: Musician. Guitarist, Catfish, Detroit.

  Bob Crewe: Producer. Mitch Ryder.

  ACT II

  Chris Panackia, aka Cool Chris: Soundman. Worked every venue in Detroit for thirty years.

  Tom Gelardi: Capitol Records promo man. Known as the guy who tossed the Beatles first US single away and claimed “they’ll never make it.”

  Cary Loren: Artist, musician. Guitarist, Detroit All Monsters.

  Mike Skill: Musician. Guitarist and bassist, Romantics.

  Gerald Shohan: Musician. Guitarist, Coldcock.

  Johnny Thunders: Musician. Guitarist, vocalist, New York Dolls, Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers, Gang War, solo. Deceased.

  Bobby Hackney: Musician. Bassist, vocalist, Death.

  Mike Murphy: Musician. Drummer, vocalist, the Denizens.

  Vince Bannon: Promoter, musician. Guitarist, Coldcock, the Sillies, booked Bookie’s, City Club, and a number of other venues in the city.

  Jimmy Marinos: Musician. Drummer, Romantics.

  Don Davis: musician, producer, songwriter. Penned “Who’s Making Love,” which Johnnie Taylor turned into a hit. Head of production at Stax.

  Doug Banker: Manager, promoter, musician. Manager of Ted Nugent.

  Gloria Bondy: Scenester, musician. Sang backup for the Sillies.

  Tim Caldwell: Scenester, psycho-intellectual.

  Tex Newman: Musician. Guitarist, RUR, Shock Therapy, Country Bob and the Bloodfarmers.

  Gary Reichel: Musician. Vocalist, Cinecyde.

  Charlie Martin: Musician. Drummer, Silver Bullet Band.

  Skip Knape, aka Skip Van Winkle: Musician. Keyboardist, bassist, vocalist, Teegarden & Van Winkle, Bob Seger.

  Drew Abbott: Musician. Guitarist, Third Power, Bob Seger, Silver Bullet Band.

  David McCullough, aka Dansir: Crew, Bob Seger.

  Jamie Oldaker: Musician. Drummer, Bob Seger, Eric Clapton.

  Craig Frost: Musician. Drummer, Grand Funk Railroad, Silver Bullet Band.

  David Tedds: Fan, record industr
y guy. Executive producer of the Grand Funk Railroad reissues by Capitol Records in the early 2000s.

  Linda Barber: Journalist. Wrote for Creem magazine in the seventies and eighties.

  John Brannon: Musician. Vocalist, Negative Approach, Laughing Hyenas, Easy Action.

  Cathy Gisi: Journalist. Wrote for Creem magazine in the seventies and eighties.

  Susan Whitall: Journalist. Editor of Creem in the seventies and eighties.

  Bill Holdship: Journalist. Wrote for Creem, Rolling Stone.

  Mike Kelley: Musician, artist. Drummer, vocalist, Destroy All Monsters. Deceased.

  Jack Smith: Artist, photographer, filmmaker. Considered by many as the father of performance art films for his 1963 miniflick Flaming Creatures, which predated and influenced Warhol and Waters. Deceased.

  La Monte Young: Artist, composer, musician. Cited by Lou Reed in his liner notes to Metal Machine Music.

  Jim Shaw: Tastemaker extraordinaire. Deceased.

  Sue Rynski: Photographer.

  Larry and Ben Miller: Musicians, Destroy All Monsters. Brothers of Mission of Burma’s Roger Miller.

  Harold Richardson: Musician. Guitarist, Gravitar, Easy Action, Negative Approach.

  Freddie Brooks: Scenester. Briefly managed Sonic’s Rendezvous Band.

  Lenny Kaye: Musician, journalist. Guitarist, Patti Smith Group. Wrote the liner notes for psyche comp Nuggets.

  Patti Smith: Musician, author. Vocalist, Patti Smith Group, solo. Married to Fred “Sonic” Smith from 1980 until Fred’s death in 1995. Books include Just Kids (2010).

  Jim Olenski: Musician. Guitarist, Cinecyde.

  Peter James: Musician. Guitarist, Ramrods, Nikki and the Corvettes.

  Michael Profane: Musician. Guitarist, the Sillies.

  Steve King: Musician, producer. Guitarist, the Pigs, the Boners, Ramrods, Rushlow-King Combo, producer of Eminem.

  Andy Peabody: Musician. Vocalist, Coldcock.

  Paul Zimmerman: Scenester, journalist. Editor of White Noise fanzine.

  Steve McGuire: Musician. Bassist, the Traitors.

  Jack Tann: Producer. Worked with Don Was at Sound Suite. Was and Tann formed the Motor City Revue, a fairly failed stab at marketing the emerging punk rock scene in the late seventies.

  Lenore Paxton: Musician. Jazz pianist, vocalist.

  Scott Campbell: Musician, promoter: Vocalist, the Sillies. Booked and ran sound at Bookie’s.

  Rick Metcalf: Cartoonist, scenester.

  Frank Gagen: Musician, club owner. Leader of a local big band, also owned Frank Gagen’s, a supper club that eventually became Bookie’s.

  Bookie Stewart: Bought Gagen’s in the early seventies. Deceased.

  Michelle Southers: Scenester.

  Kirsten Rogoff: Musician. Keyboardist, Algebra Mothers, the Sillies.

  Tesco Vee: Musician, journalist. Vocalist, Meatmen, Blight. Cofounder, Touch and Go magazine and Touch and Go Records.

  Rich Cole: Musician. Bassist, Romantics.

  Bill Kozy: Musician. Guitarist, Meanies, Speedball.

  Irene DeCook: Fashion designer. Created leather outfits for the Romantics. Also appeared as Irene the Leather Weather Lady in Howard Stern’s book Private Parts after the two met during Stern’s time in Detroit.

  Joel Zuckerman and Arnie Tencer: Managers of the Romantics.

  Wally Palmar: Musician. Guitarist, vocalist, Romantics.

  Gary Buermele, aka Gary Brimstone, aka Brim: Drug dealer, hanger on. Deceased.

  Jerry Nolan: Musician. Drummer, New York Dolls, Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers. Deceased.

  Billy Rath: Musician. Bassist, Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers, the Stooges.

  Walter Lure: Musician. Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers, the Waldos.

  Keith Jackson: Musician. Guitarist, the Gerbils, Shock Therapy.

  Katy Hait: Photographer, musician. Vocalist, Sillies.

  Sirius Trixon: Musician. Vocalist, Motor City Bad Boys.

  Diane Koprince: Chili Sister.

  Brian Mullan: Promoter, scenester.

  Glenn Johnson: Musician. Drummer, Mr. Unique and the Leisure Suits.

  Johnny Ramone: Musician. Guitarist, the Ramones. Deceased.

  Dave Rice: Musician. Guitarist, L-Seven, the Linkletters, Algebra Mothers.

  ACT III

  Larissa Strickland: Musician, scenester. Vocalist, L-Seven, guitarist, Laughing Hyenas. Deceased.

  Chris Moore, aka Opie: Musician. Drummer, Negative Approach.

  Rob Michaels: Musician. Vocalist, Bored Youth.

  Marc Barie: Scenester.

  Sherrie Feight: Musician. Vocalist, Strange Fruit, Spastic Rhythm Tarts.

  Andy Wendler: Musician. Guitarist, the Necros.

  Corey Rusk: Musician, record label owner, promoter. Bassist, Necros. Took over Touch and Go Records in 1981 and turned it into one of the largest independent labels in the world. Booked the Graystone Hall, the Freezer, and numerous other venues in Detroit.

  Hillary Waddles: Scenester.

  Gloria Branzei: Scenester.

  Jon Howard: Scenester.

  Cary Safarian, aka Scary Cary: Promoter; Managed Graystone Ballroom. Currently in prison.

  Rob Miller: Scenester, owner and cofounder of Bloodshot Records.

  Mike Hard: Musician, actor. Vocalist, God Bullies, Thrall, Brainsaw.

  John Speck: Musician. Guitarist, vocalist, Hoarse, the Fags.

  Doc Dart: Musician. Vocalist, Crucifucks.

  Scott Schuer: Musician. Guitarist, L-Seven.

  Margaret Dollrod: Musician. Vocalist, guitarist, Demolition Doll Rods.

  EWolf: Photographer, musician. Drummer, Angry Red Planet, Dirtbombs.

  Ken Waagner: Promoter, manager.

  Charlie Wallace: Musician. Vocalist, effects, guitarist, ADC, Fractured Cylinder.

  Norm Zebrowski: Musician, Scenester. Vocalist, Disinfect.

  Lacy X: Musician. Vocalist, Son of Sam.

  Rachel Nagy: Musician. Vocalist, Detroit Cobras.

  Kevin Monroe: Musician. Bassist, Laughing Hyenas, Mule.

  Mike Danner: Musician. Drummer, Laughing Hyenas, Big Chief.

  Preston Long, aka P. W. Long: Musician. Vocalist, guitarist, Wig, Mule, P. W. Long’s Reelfoot, solo.

  Jim Magas: Musician. Vocalist, electro manipulator, Couch, cofounder, Bulb Records.

  Dave Feeny: Musician, producer. Keyboardist, guitarist, Hysteric Narcotics, the Orange Roughies, Blanche, founder, Tempermill studio.

  GG Allin: Musician, performance artist. Deceased.

  Jim Kimball: Musician. Drummer, Laughing Hyenas, Mule, Jesus Lizard, Denison Kimball Trio.

  Peter Davis: Booking agent, Creature Booking.

  John Szymanski, aka John Hentch: Musician. Keyboardist, guitarist, the Hentchmen.

  Mick Collins: Musician, producer. Guitarist, vocalist, the Gories, Blacktop, the Dirtbombs.

  Jason Stollsteimer: Musician. Guitarist, vocalist, Baby Killers, Von Bondies, the Hounds Below.

  Dan Kroha: Musician. Guitarist, vocalist, the Gories, Rocket 455, Demolition Doll Rods.

  Peg O’Neill: Musician. Drummer, the Gories.

  Alex Chilton: Musician, producer. Guitarist, vocalist, Box Tops, Big Star. Deceased.

  Dave Buick: Musician, founder of Italy Records. Bassist, the Go.

  Tim Warren: Founder, Crypt Records.

  Tav Falco: Musician, actor. Vocalist, Tav Falco’s Panther Burns.

  Meg White: Musician. Drummer, White Stripes.

  Troy Gregory: Musician. Bassist, guitarist, vocalist, Witches, Dirtbombs.

  Karen Neal, aka Queen Bee: Musician. Bassist, Inside Out, Thrall.

  Andrew WK: Musician, producer. Vocalist, keyboards, Wolf Eyes, solo.

  Twig Harper: Musician, various instruments with Scheme, Mini-Systems, Nautical Almanac.

  Aaron Dilloway: Musician. Guitarist, tape manipulator, madman, Wolf Eyes, Galen, Universal Indians.

  Pete Larson: Musician. Cofounder, Bulb Records.

  John Olson: Mus
ician. Electronics, Wolf Eyes.

  Rusvelt: Owner of Blondies.

  Steve Nawara: Musician. Guitarist, Electric Six, Detroit Cobras, Rocket 455, the Go, Ko and the Knockouts.

  Greg Schmitt: Musician, photographer.

  David B. Livingstone: Musician, producer. Guitarist, God Bullies.

  Bob Madigan: Musician. Vocalist, Slaughterhouse, Cum Dumpster. Deceased.

  Kevin Reis: Musician. Bassist, Laughing Hyenas. Deceased.

  Anthony DeLuca: Musician. Drummer, Swirlies, Blake Babies.

  Jack White: Musician, producer. Vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist, White Stripes, Raconteurs, the Dead Weather, solo.

  Bobby Harlow: Musician. Vocalist, the Go, Conspiracy of Owls.

  Tom Potter: Musician. Guitarist, vocalist, Bantam Rooster, Dirtbombs.

  Neil Yee: Manager, booker, Gold Dollar.

  John Krautner: Musician. Bassist, guitarist, the Go, Conspiracy of Owls.

  Chris Fuller: Manager, Electric Six.

  Matthew Smith: Musician, producer. Vocalist, guitarist, Outrageous Cherry.

  Martin Heath: CEO, founder, Lizard King Records.

  Ben Blackwell: Musician. Drummer, the Dirtbombs.

  Timmy Vulgar: Musician. Guitarist, vocalist, Clone Defects, Human Eye. Timmy’s Organism.

  Ko Melina: Radio personality, musician. Bassist, guitarist, vocalist, Ko and the Knockouts, the Dirtbombs. Has show on Little Steven’s Underground Garage.

  Dan Trager: A&R, Sub Pop, signed the Go.

  Jim Diamond: Producer, musician. Bassist, Dirtbombs, owner of Ghetto Recorders.

  Joe Burdick: Musician. Bass player, vocalist, the Dirtys.

  Marc Watt: Musician. Guitarist, the Dirtys.

  Eddie Sights, aka Eddie Baranek: Musician. Guitarist, vocalist, the Sights, Ko and the Knockouts.

  Tyler Spencer, aka Dick Valentine: Musician. Vocalist, Wildbunch, Electric 6.

  Marcie Bolen: Musician. Guitarist, Von Bondies, Slumber Party, Silverghost.

  Larry Hardy: Founder, In the Red Records.

  Long Gone John: Founder, Sympathy for the Record Industry.

  Violent J: Musician. Insane Clown Posse.

  Shaggy 2 Dope, aka Joseph Utsler: Musician. Insane Clown Posse.

  Kenny Olson: Musician. Guitarist, Kid Rock, Twisted Brown Trucker Band.

  Mike E. Clark: Producer. Insane Clown Posse, Kid Rock.

  Jeff Ehrenberg: Musician. Drummer, Starlite Desperation.

  Gregg Kostelich: Founder, Get Hip Records.

  Rick Rubin: Weirdo, record producer.