Detroit Rock City Panel Discussion 7/17/13

cmelo · Post by **cmelo** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 7:54 pm

subpopfan1 wrote:so in my humble opinion, i 100% recommend this book to anyone with a passing interest in the past 50 years of Detroit rock and roll. the insight into the white stripes is key and i'd say coupled with Everett True's is the most in-depth and accurate reading you'll get about the band in book form. if anyone has any more specific questions, i'll be more than happy to answer them.

*Thanks.*

Kali Durga · Post by **Kali Durga** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 8:01 pm

subpopfan1 wrote:if you're at all interested in getting a legitimate telling of how things like the mc5 and the grande ballroom eventually led to the white stripes and the gold dollar...this is it. no one will ever do a BETTER job at this.

I definitely agree with this part ^^. And I've certainly been around long enough to know that most musicians (and painters, and writers, and comedians, and etc.) really enjoy drugs. I can understand how off-stage adventures with drugs and other zaniness would stand out more in the memories of these people than time in the studio and rehearsal space. But for some of us, the creative side is more compelling to learn about than the zany stuff. Personally, music is a huge part of my life despite a complete lack of any ability to create or perform it, so hearing about the processes that musicians go through-- be it what goes through their head when writing a song, the technicalities of recording, what happens during shows from the perspective of the stage, whatever-- fascinates me to no end. So I can't help but wish there was a least a little more of that in this book.

I will say that learning Mick Collins is a furry is one of my favorite parts. Brings a whole new meaning to a few songs on Consistency Is The Enemy.

Hamptonio · Post by **Hamptonio** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 8:11 pm

yeah, i can't imagine 'please kill me' without the drug stories.
i just may have to pick this one up now.

subpopfan1 · Post by **subpopfan1** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 8:44 pm

Jettkoral wrote:I do have an actual question: Jason had a quote in the book about a version of 'Watcha Doin' where Jack had 'so many guitar solos it sounded like a White Stripes album'

Have you ever heard this particular version? I am a big fan of the go, and I would like to know if this is noticeably different than the release Sub Pop version.

As someone who's dealt with him quite a bit, I can say that anything out of Jason's mouth is usually 50% bullshit. What most folks don't know about the Go album Whatcha Doin is that some of the songs (I can't remember specifically how many) were recorded in Jack's living room as demos to try and get the band a spot in the Detroit Rock City movie. I realize how funny this now sounds. These home demo sessions were probably September or October of 1998. If you got the Go cassette boxset on Burger, the version of "Turn Your Little Lightbulb On" is from that session. Also, this was the only song Jack completely wrote on his own for the Go and is definitely worth seeking out.

Anyway, they go to Ghetto to record the proper album a few months later (January '99?) and at some point Matt Smith decides that some of these early demos are better than the studio versions. I've no doubt this clearly added to Jack's frustration with the entire process. Maybe 3 songs that ended up released on the LP actually have alternate, proper studio recordings. The only one I know for certain is "Meet Me at the Movies" which has a pretty insane JW guitar solo on it. If folks are lucky, maybe we'll play that at the event next week.

So is there an entirely different version of the first Go LP? No. Are there some alternate versions/takes/mixes? Yes. Does it sound like a White Stripes album? No. I know I was pretty bummed when I finally heard Whatcha Doin when it came out...it felt like all the intensity and ferocity that version of the band had live was just completely neutered in the mix. It seemed to be a pretty common opinion around Detroit at the time. I'm not quite sure what folks think about it now.

Jettkoral · Post by **Jettkoral** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 8:49 pm

Kali Durga · Post by **Kali Durga** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 8:51 pm

Now that's interesting. The Go is the one band Jack's been in that I haven't really checked out yet and now I feel like I need to.

Jettkoral · Post by **Jettkoral** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 8:52 pm

Kali Durga wrote:Now that's interesting. The Go is the one band Jack's been in that I haven't really checked out yet and now I feel like I need to.

I'll send you some stuff. Give me a few hours.

Kali Durga · Post by **Kali Durga** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 8:55 pm

Bless you, my child.

subpopfan1 · Post by **subpopfan1** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 9:59 pm

http://trembleunderboomlights.blogspot. ... uthor.html

for more insight into the book, here's an interview i did with the author, steve miller. pretty interesting stuff.

Alabama Woody · Post by **Alabama Woody** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 11:38 pm

subpopfan1 wrote:http://trembleunderboomlights.blogspot. ... uthor.html

for more insight into the book, here's an interview i did with the author, steve miller. pretty interesting stuff.

Great interview.

orangeshoeskid · Post by **orangeshoeskid** » Fri Jul 12, 2013 12:41 am

As someone that doesn't have any wealth of knowledge or area of expertise on any subject, whether its music or anything else. I love reading these types of interviews and seeing what crazy amounts of information and stories Ben and these others have. I have a great respect for anyone that dedicates themselves so much to knowing every little detail of something like Detroit music. Hoping I can make it on the 17th.

Kali Durga · Post by **Kali Durga** » Fri Jul 12, 2013 2:36 am

^^ I hope you can, too, 'cause I really want to hear about it.

subpopfan1 wrote:http://trembleunderboomlights.blogspot. ... uthor.html

for more insight into the book, here's an interview i did with the author, steve miller. pretty interesting stuff.

As with musicians, it's definitely always interesting to me to learn a bit about what was going on in a writer's (or, in this case, journalist's) head as they're putting a bunch of words together to create something cohesive, so thanks for giving us that. Very cool to me, too, that one of the biggest things he got out of creating the book is the same I got out of reading it-- An appreciation for Mick Collins. I just recently checked out the Dirtbombs (sorry for being late to the game) and am totally hooked on Mick's voice. Definitely want to explore more of his music and learn more about him.

Just out of curiosity, how many other online criticisms of the drug content of the book have you seen besides mine? In all honesty, I didn't mean for my comments to come off as a complaint. It was just an observation. Who knows? Pointing it out might make some people even more interested in reading the book.

Also, do you have any idea why Miller used a White Stripes photo taken at a venue in Georgia, instead of one from a Detroit venue?

Alabama Woody · Post by **Alabama Woody** » Fri Jul 12, 2013 2:46 am

I would like to go to this. I have not read the book but I bet listening to them then reading the book would be a lesson learned that would stick with me.
I wonder if they will sell the book at TMR during the event.

orangeshoeskid · Post by **orangeshoeskid** » Fri Jul 12, 2013 2:52 am

Just bought two tickets. Quite excited and will make it a date night with the wife.

sjcapps07 · Post by **sjcapps07** » Fri Jul 12, 2013 7:35 am

orangeshoeskid wrote:As someone that doesn't have any wealth of knowledge or area of expertise on any subject, whether its music or anything else. I love reading these types of interviews and seeing what crazy amounts of information and stories Ben and these others have. I have a great respect for anyone that dedicates themselves so much to knowing every little detail of something like Detroit music. Hoping I can make it on the 17th.

Totally agreed. After watching that Crate Diggers clip with Ben, my curiosity about the Detroit rock scene was really piqued, so when they announced this a few days later I snatched up a ticket immediately. Pretty excited about it.

White Swirl