KICK OUT THE JAMS: A TRIBUTE TO ROB TYNER
STATE THEATER, DETROIT
FEBRUARY 22, 1992
By GEOFF GINSBERG
I got the call from Scott Morgan: "We're having a tribute concert for Rob Tyner. The MC5 is playing." A lot of people were pretty broken up about the news of Tyner's sudden death and this seemed the only appropriate way to celebrate his life - by Kicking Out The Jams one more time for Rob.
Much like Ron Asheton with his band The Stooges, Tyner was somewhat ostracized at times back in the day due to the fact he just liked to smoke the Sacrament and the other guys were into dope-fiending. In the end, though, Rob hadn't fucked anyone over (too badly), and hadn't come nearly as close to the edge as his friends. Unlike almost everyone else on the scene, no one had anything against Rob. That fact holds great potential for a tribute concert.
My wife and I had just gotten a gas bill of several thousand dollars (I shoulda let them come in and read the meter more than once every three years - I realize that now), and we were pretty strapped for cash. My folks generously offered to give us some $$ to chip away the bill, and then the call comes about the Tyner Tribute and we had no choice but to make the ride from Philly to Detroit City. When I told my mom about the trip she went ballistic. "WE DIDN'T GIVE YOU THAT MONEY TO SUBSIDIZE A VACATION YOU CAN'T AFFORD!" Then she asked me, "where are you planning to go?" I told her the MC5 was reuniting for a tribute to their fallen singer. "Oh, well then you HAVE to go..." She got it. That, my friends, is a cool mom.
So we headed out to Detroit. February 22, 1992, that was the date. After having a late breakfast we made our way over to the venue, The State Theater in this case, along Detroit's infamous Woodward Ave. Woodward is famous as one of the all time drag racing strips and one can see why. It's about a mile WIDE (well more like 10 lanes) and it goes from Downtown Detroit all the way out to Royal Oak and beyond to Pontiac. What's even more amazing than its history as "The Strip" in Detroit, is its present. There is nothing there. Nothing. The occasional "Party Store" where they sell beer, cig's, money orders, and not much else. Vast swaths of leveled businesses. You expect tumbleweeds to come rolling down the middle of the street any minute. Imagine the downtown area of your city with the fanciest hotel in town boarded up, home to nothing but pigeons and rats. That's Woodward. At night a few clubs open up and it's a little more alive, but in the day ? A sight to behold and never forget.
The schedule included many seminal bands, but the highlight, unquestionably, would be the much anticipated performance by the MC5. As far as I know it was the first time any two of them had appeared together in near 20 years, much less all four surviving members. The electricity was palpable; everyone outside was talking about it, "What'll they do?" "What do they look like?" "Will they all really show up?"
There was plenty more too. Dark Carnival, The Rationals, Dee Dee Ramone, and local favorites The Romantics. Plus a buncha other bands I'll give the skinny on below. OK, so they finally open the doors and me and my posse (ha ha) went in and got a good table, which we planned to abandon as soon as the good bands started playing. The show was scheduled to run from about 7pm until 2am and there were a lot of bands set to play. It would be tight.
Up first was a New York band called When People Were Shorter And Lived Near The Water. Relatively speaking, their set was as long as their name. The played a full half hour (which was the longest any band played over the course of the whole evening), and their set consisted of amazingly obscure Detroit Rock gems, such as Bob Seger's "Heavy Music," and The Up's "Like An Aborigine." It was the first time I had ever heard the Up song. Sounds great so far, right? The problem was (you knew there had to be one) that they were one of the worst bands I ever heard in my life. Their concept was to destroy the songs and they did a masterful job of it. Sheer pain, and as I said, it was long. By the way, I assume the band would take this review as the highest compliment. They achieved their goal.
Next was Loudhouse, which was a precursor band of the legendary Sponge (I don't know who the hell they are either...). They were a bad metal-funk band with dreadlocks. Nuff said.
When the Notorious Johnny's came on my interest level was rising. One of those Johnny's was Johnny "Bee" Badanjek, without a doubt the best drummer I have ever seen. Also in tow was Mark Gougeon, The Bee's longtime bandmate in the Mitch Ryder Band (anyone who saw Mitch between '88 and '91 knows what a Detroit Rock powerhouse they were, but that's another story). Well, in this case the rhythm section didn't make the band. The guitarist and singer were more in a hairband vibe, and while the set was pretty OK for a hairband, it was a little disconcerting to see two REAL ROCKERS playing pap.
Finally the real fireworks began as The Rationals took the stage. This was a packed house and a lot of the people there were not the kind of folks who go out to shows often. These people had seen The Rationals back in the day and it was BIG for them. They did 5 songs (pretty standard for the evening) and had the full brass section. Scott Morgan tore up "Guitar Army," Steve Correll sang "Something's Got A Hold On Me," and Terry Trabandt did "Turn To Stone," a hit he co-wrote with Joe Walsh in the early-mid '70s. They finished it off with the devastating one-two punch of "Leaving Here" and "Respect," both with Morgan singing his heart out. And he has a big heart. During "Respect" a guy who was clearly having a total blast yelled in my ear "I heard them do this live in '68...right before I got sent to Vietnam." I gulped. It was a heavy moment to say the least.
The Romantics are one of Detroit's most successful and underrated bands ever. Anyone who saw them in their prime knows how much fun they were. Well, they were a lot better in '92 than they were in '82. They're like an up-dated Detroit Wheels. I know it's played out into oblivion, but the first time I heard "What I Like About You" (which did NOT get played at this show) it blew me away. It's a great song. And they had more. This was the Romantics past their hit making prime, so imagine the surprise when they unleashed a really hard-edged Detroit Rock attack. They sounded great, very chunky and slashing, and although Jimmy Marinos was not in the band, they were fortunate to have a fine drummer in the aforementioned Johnny Bee. And any drummer'll tell ya; the Romantics are an excellent vehicle for a drummer to look great. They plowed through a triple-time version of Funkadelic's "I Wanna Know If It's Good To You" that was so fast and pumping I didn't even recognize what they were playing ? I had to be told later. They did more blazing covers: "Mystic Eyes," "I Can Only Give You Everything," and a couple of their best originals including "Rock You Up." They closed with an amazing version of the 5's "Tonight," the first 5 music heard that night. If you ever get the chance to see the Romantics, don't blow it. They are Detroit Rock and you'll love it.
Goober & The Peas were up next and I had never even heard of them. They came out in farmer/cowboy get-ups and introduced their show with a resounding "Kick Out The Jams...Grandpa." I'm thinkin' "What the hell is this band doing here?" as they went into a number that featured yodeling. Then, suddenly, the hay started flying. Literally. Bails of it, everywhere. The band then ripped into "Funky Cowboy," a rousing song that the Hoodoo Gurus could've done. Singer Goober, and guitarist Junior are all over the stage kicking hay and rocking out. The band was high on schtick, with corncob pipes, overalls, the whole bit, but they (literally) drove the crowd into a frenzy, especially the folks who were under 45, but even the older folks too. They didn't let up. The Gun Club's "For The Love Of Ivy" got a desperate treatment, not to mention being yet another total shock in a span of 15 minutes. The crowd wouldn't let them leave and they finished it with their anthem, "Hot Women & Cold Beer." It was a real eye opener! They ain't Detroit Rock, per se, but they rock out, and have really catchy songs. Just about everyone dug them, except Colonel Galaxy. More on that below.
At this point it's time for the legends of Detroit Rock (obviously The Rationals fit that bill, but Morgan was involved in running the event and so they played earlier). Scot Richardson of the SRC came out, introduced by Colonel Galaxy, self-proclaimed mastermind behind Dark Carnival. He was outraged that so much time was wasted on bands "that aren't the real stuff." The guy was outraged and he wanted the crowd to share in his rage. Unfortunately he was drowned out by a chant of "We love Goober...Yeah!" from a girl in the front. I'd say she had the majority of the crowd on her side. Anyway, Richardson proceeds to perform two songs (more like straight Beat Poetry) backed up by taped accompaniment. On one song it was RON on tape, on the other it was Ray "morisson morrison doors morrison light my doors fire morrisson" Manzarek with his trademark sound. It was pretty uninspiring, to tell you the truth, not nearly as funny as seeing Richardson and Galaxy outside earlier banging on the side door trying to get in. That was a hoot. Basically his set just wasn't loud enough to grab the attention of the 3000 plus in attendance.
Finally it was RON time. I'd only seen RON play once, with Destroy All Monsters in '79. I had waited a long time for this. When they were ready to start (the inevitable) amplifier trouble hit. Of course there hadn't been a problem all night and the bands were sharing equipment, but it was bound to happen eventually, and after all, it was RON time. When the band finally kicked in with "1970," RON was pissed off and on fire. My eyes welled up as I listened to the savagely beautiful noise only RON can unleash. I had waited a long time and The Lick did not disappoint. Niagara, meanwhile, was dressed in a silver lame long skirt and top. She looked fantastic. When I asked my friend who took photos at the gig why there was 12 pictures of Niagara and only one or two of everyone else who played the reply was simple: "I'm not stupid." Niagara, for those of you who've never seen her perform live, is someone with a genuine aura of danger around her. As soon as Nov. 22, 1963 kicked in Niagara basically ripped off the bottom half of her skirt revealing a hot mini. The crowd went apeshit and the cameras started clicking. As hot as Niagara was, I couldn't take my eyes off RON. While not nearly as sexy, the intensity and concentration, as well as the licks kept me riveted. A fantastic cover of Gladys Night & The Pips' "(I've Got To Use My) Imagination" followed ? an unexpected surprise and a perfect song for a band with a super dangerous/kinky temptress up front. "I Wanna Be Your Dog" returned the crowd to riot levels and the closer, "These Boots Were Made For Walking" was a veritable lick-fest. They were gonna do "TV Eye," but they ran out of time due to the technical delays at the beginning. You know what, though? It didn't matter. The 18 minutes of RON was draining and completely satisfying. It would've been nice to hear another one, but I didn't need it. RON had delivered. If you don't know what "The Lick" is, write Dave Morris a letter ? he'll tell you.
Finally, the MC5 was up next.
The anticipation was, as you'd expect, very high. It got more and more packed down front with everyone trying to get a good spot to see. Everyone waited for about 10 minutes, which seemed like 20. Next thing you know Dee Dee Ramone came out. The crowd was wondering what the hell was going on? Dee Dee was accompanied by a large band including horns and a very fine bass player by the name of Gary Rasmussen, dubbed the Hot Rod Blues Band. He did a couple of blues oriented tunes, playing guitar and "singing." One person who was slated to play with Dee Dee that night told me that Dee Dee was being such an asshole that the unnamed musician apologetically told him that he was sorry, but he just couldn't play with anyone who was such an awful human being. I don't think it was the best of times for punk rock's greatest songwriter. Nevertheless, the 10-minute set was enjoyable. I was happy to see Dee Dee. Always am. Hell, he wrote the songs that make the whole world sing!
Could it be that the MC5 were finally going to play? Well, they were introduced, and Dennis "I'd like to put a gun in John Sinclair's' mouth and blow his head off" Thompson (the man also known as "Machine Gun") actually made it to his drum stool. There he sat, alone. What the fuck?! He waited for what was only a minute or two, but seemed like an eternity, and then went backstage.
What was going on is pretty well documented by Brother Wayne in the "Please Kill Me" paperback edition. From the standpoint of an audience member who knew nothing of the backstage shenanigans, it was nothing short of bizarre. I don't believe I've ever seen someone have to go back offstage because none of his bandmates followed him out after the intro. When all four finally made it onstage, they tore into "Ramblin' Rose," with Wayne singing. It was the first time I'd seen Wayne with the chrome dome, which was a bit of a shock! But boy, was he tearing it up. Mike Davis, too, was completely full on, as he had been when I'd seen D.A.M. as a 17-year old. Thompson was not quite in New Race form, but nevertheless was one ass kicking anchor. Wayne extended the guitar solo at the end of the song until it rattled countless brains and then came the big finish.
Following "Ramblin Rose" Fred "Sonic" Smith said a few words about his departed friend. He sort of mumbled out a story of the 5 getting in a drinking contest with some Germans, and after out-drinking them, Tyner got on the tabletops and sang "Georgia." It was hard to tell
exactly what it was, but Fred definitely didn't seem to be "all there." Most disappointing was the fact that Fred had seemingly forgotten how to play the guitar. Considering he was one of, if not THE, greatest guitarists of all time, it was a bit confusing and depressing. Next up the band performed "Black To Comm," undoubtedly one of my least fave MC5 songs (it just never lived up to the hype...), and of course one of the longest. It was cool that they did the most risky song they could ? "Comm" has a lot of improv in it, but let's face it ? I would have rather heard "Shakin' Street," "Looking At You," and "Poison." The version they did was OK, but not mind-blowing.
(Note: I just saw Johnny Casino's Easy Action do Black To Comm recently, and it was truly un-fucking-believable. I finally "discovered" the song).
Then Wayne gave his little speech, which is recounted almost word for word in the "Please Kill Me" bonus pages. It was really heavy ? about how the MC5 had found and then lost each other. Wayne said he was there to reclaim his brothers. There wasn't a dry eye in the house. Then they, of course, finished with the only song they could finish with. This, folks, was ROCK. Mike Davis sang it like it was the last thing he'd do on this earth. His face was so red and the veins in his head were popping so far out that a stroke seemed immanent. While Fred wasn't up to par, the other band members covered him and it was like 20 years of bullshit evaporated in one song. Of course I had no idea of the backstage,passive/aggressive battle that was going on.
Whatever, I saw the MC5 play "Kick Out The Jams," something I did not expect to experience in my life.
There had been surprise guests touted as well as a big jam at the end, but it was getting pretty late, and I'm guessing the 5 were spent, so the big jam never happened. The surprise guests did show up, and turned out to be The Cult. While a little out of their element, The Cult does rock, and they kicked out a few jams of their own. They did three blistering numbers: "Wildflower," "Lil Devil," and "Earth Mofo." The first two are my two favorite Cult tunes so I was digging it.. (The Scandi-Rock King--Dave Champion, Adam West's Jake Starr MotherFucker and myself recently had a deep and hotly argued philosophical debate about the virtues, or lack there of, of "Lil Devil." It ended with the Champ and myself outvoting Starr 2 to 1, so I guess it's a good song...) And closing out the night singing "Motherfucker for you!" repeatedly seemed appropriate in an obvious way.
It was a pretty special night. There was a lot of love for Rob and Becky Tyner and their kids. As I said above Rob Tyner was one of the very few on the Michigan Rock scene who no one ever dissed and no one had a grudge against. There was a really beautiful poster/t-shirt done up by Gary Grimshaw (who else!). You can probably track down either or both via his website.
