The Reflections’ Blue-Eyed Soul

There are multiple musical groups that write and perform under the name, “The Reflections,” but there is only one of those groups with Detroit roots and a catchy hit from 1964 that remains the group’s signature number when they perform to this day.  “(Just Like) Romeo & Juliet” was penned by songwriters Bob Hamilton and Read More

The Woolies Hit With A Bo Diddley Classic

In 1967, East Lansing natives The Woolies recorded a cover of the classic Bo Diddley tune, “Who Do You Love?”  This would prove to be the group’s biggest hit, and with many covers of “Who Do You Love?” out there by bands like George Thorogood and the Destroyers and Quicksilver Messenger Service, The Woolies’ version Read More

The Heavy Metal Horror Show : Halloween

When the Motor City Metal record label released Don’t Metal With Evil by Detroit band Halloween in 1985, the glam and hair metal genres were just on the verge of exploding larger than too much hairspray near an open flame.  Halloween had every quintessential element to make you love their 80s metal schtick…they had the Read More

Juan Atkins/Model 500 “No UFOs,” Original Detroit Techno

To say that Juan Atkins is an innovator in electronic music is like saying Beethoven wrote epic symphonies — it’s a hackneyed statement that becomes clearly obvious once you listen. Juan Atkins was the pioneer in an influential group of like-minded musicians (including also Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May) who dealt with the surrounding artifacts Read More

Edwin Starr’s “War” Tops The 1970 Billboard Chart

The song “War” has been through quite a battle itself — after the original Motown recording of the song by The Temptations was deemed too controversial for the group to release as a single (even after fans were writing to Motown asking for that very thing), the song was re-recorded at Hitsville USA Studio A Read More

Martha and the Vandellas – Dancing In The Street First Charts Today In 1964

Martha Reeves wore duel hats when she started at Motown records, being their secretary and also recording demos with other artists on the label. When she and her two friends Rosalind Ashford and Annette Sterling were asked to sing back-up on Marvin Gaye’s ‘Stubborn Kind of Fellow’ in 1961, the trio sang with such verve Read More

The Gories on “BandIn” Detroit

For our second edition of Throwback Thursday, we are focusing on not just a track, but an entire performance from the too often under-appreciated garage rock goodness of The Gories. Mick Collins, Peg O’Neill and Dan Kroha formed The Gories in 1986, their formula being raw and minimal, rejecting the overwrought pop & rock that Read More

Question Mark and The Mysterians “96 Tears”

? and the Mysterians had their first great success as a band when their song, “96 Tears,” was recorded in March of 1966 at Art Schiell’s recording studio in Bay City, located in the back of his house.  “96 Tears” was recorded on the back porch of Shiell’s studio and became the first mainstream hit Read More