Remembering Fred "Sonic" Smith on his birthday

Joining everyone who's sick of the American Ruse in a toast to MC5 guitar great Fred "Sonic" Smith on his birthday.  

Happy Birthday Deniz Tek!

Celebrating the birthday of guitarist Deniz Tek with a few brilliant Radio Birdman performance clips. Yep, they've still got it!

Remembering Fred "Sonic" Smith on his birthday

Remembering Fred Smith with the Sonic's Rendezvous Band's rippin' mono version of "City Slang" and the Detroit Tango comp.  

One For The Weekend: Scott Morgan & The Hydromatics

Check out Scott Morgan reprising his Sonic's Rendezvous Band classic "City Slang" with The Hydromatics. 

RIP Scott "Rock Action" Asheton, 1949–2014

Along with the Stooges, Scott Asheton will be remembered for his work in Sonic's Rendezvous Band.

Revisiting the MC5's rock 'n' revolution

Originally published in the UK three years ago, Brett Callwood's well-researched study of the Motor City's finest, MC5: Sonically Speaking, has finally been published in North America by Wayne State University Press. Subtitled "A Tale of Revolution and Rock 'n' Roll," the book. which esteemed MC5 authority Iggy Pop deemed "Sincere and straightforward, is built around Callwood's extensive interviews the surviving members. As a result, MC5: Sonically Speaking offers firsthand accounts of the influential group's high-school band origins to their Grande Ballroom glory days, the tumultuous time with manager John Sinclair and the White Panther Party through to the bitter end in 1972. And unlike past career overviews, the book also delves into the members' post-MC5 projects, including guitarist Fred Smith's vastly underrated Sonic's Rendezvous Band. As a special bonus, the expanded 249-page US edition comes with a snazzy new cover illustrated by famed poster artist Gary Grimshaw in the style of his classic Grande Ballroom designs. Nice touch!  

To celebrate the long-overdue US publication of MC5: Sonically Speaking, a launch party is being staged on October 1 at the New Way Bar (23130 Woodward Ave) in Ferndale, Michigan with performances by local roughnecks Luder, The Octopus, Man Incorporated and Marco Polio & the New Vaccines. Callwood will be on hand to sign copies of his book available for sale at the venue.




LINKS
Brett Callwood www.myspace.com/brettcallwood
MC5: Sonically Speaking http://wsupress.wayne.edu/books/1180/MC5#news1