Can't forget (the forgotten) Motor City
296. Dirtbombs. "Livin' For The City"
Musically speaking, Detroit, Michigan has two major legacies to contend with: the smooth soul of Motown Records and the gritty, industrial (yet tellingly still R&B-inflected) protopunk of the Stooges, MC5, Alice Cooper et al.
In recent years, several bands, such as the Detroit Cobras, the White Stripes and others have attempted to fuse these two sounds with mixed success. The earliest band to attempt this idea way back in the mid-1980's was known as The Gories, which featured the gutsy vocals and ominous guitar of Mick Collins. The Gories fell apart and then begat the Dirtbombs, who continued in much the same vein.
This cover of Stevie Wonder's 70's funk classic is the most succesful fusion of the two styles to my ears. Mick Collin's vocals impart a grit that Wonder's version never managed, and the huge, buzzy bass guitars (yup, plural) are a great evocation of urban confusion. Moving the protagonists home from 'Hard Times, Mississippi,' to Tijuana is an inspired touch as is the dropping the occasional Spanish lyric. The Motor City is ragged but right, as they say.
Musically speaking, Detroit, Michigan has two major legacies to contend with: the smooth soul of Motown Records and the gritty, industrial (yet tellingly still R&B-inflected) protopunk of the Stooges, MC5, Alice Cooper et al.
In recent years, several bands, such as the Detroit Cobras, the White Stripes and others have attempted to fuse these two sounds with mixed success. The earliest band to attempt this idea way back in the mid-1980's was known as The Gories, which featured the gutsy vocals and ominous guitar of Mick Collins. The Gories fell apart and then begat the Dirtbombs, who continued in much the same vein.
This cover of Stevie Wonder's 70's funk classic is the most succesful fusion of the two styles to my ears. Mick Collin's vocals impart a grit that Wonder's version never managed, and the huge, buzzy bass guitars (yup, plural) are a great evocation of urban confusion. Moving the protagonists home from 'Hard Times, Mississippi,' to Tijuana is an inspired touch as is the dropping the occasional Spanish lyric. The Motor City is ragged but right, as they say.
Comments