KICK OUT THE JAMS LP COVER ARTIST: JOEL BRODSKY

 MC5 Kick Out the Jams Live album

Joel Brodsky created this infamous MC5 album cover using one camera! That is miraculous considering the techniques used today. Like the MC5 Joel was way ahead of his time....

Joel Brodsky

Following a brief stint in the Army he worked as an assistant for one of New York’s top fashion photographers where he learned about commercial photography. Married and with his first child, in 1967 he opened his own studio where he shot his first photos that were used on an album. His fourth cover shooting for “The Doors” was part of a package that got nominated for a Grammy, (it was the first of nine covers he did for the group) and gave him access to many other record companies. 

In a time when the cover art was the only visual representation of their artists for the record buying public, Brodsky’s style helped to create an image for many diverse performers; from The MC5 to Aretha Franklin to Judy Collins, from Iggy Pop to Isaac Hayes and Country Joe & the Fish to Gladys Knight & The Pips.

 

Jim Morrison by Joel Brodsky

Joel's most famous images were of the Doors and in particular the shirtless Jim Morrison. Joel and the Doors article HERE  Joel Brodsky's full bio HERE  1939-2007 RIP  

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Joel Brodsky graduated from Syracuse University in 1961 where he took his first and only course in photography. After graduation he worked at a local camera store acquiring the cameras he used when he went into business. 

 

  
Among the last of his album photo sessions was the first Kiss cover in 1975. Altogether he shot well over 400 covers in that eight year period, and was also the advertising agency for six different labels. Later he worked for many commercial clients including: Revlon, Avon, Dupont, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdales.   
 

 Iggy Pop by Joel Brodsky  

Joel shot some of the most iconic images of my generation and I am happy to share this story with my readers. Thank you Heather (Fast Film) for sending me the great Joel video...

MACHINEGUN THOMPSON: KICK OUT THE JAMS GOES TO THE MOON

I am totally blown to super nova smithereens. The really flabbergasted, slack-jawed and drooling kind of blown away. I was just surfing and dinkin’ around on the net and just for kicks I typed in “All Kick Out The Jams” on Youtube. I looked at the number of results on the top of the webpage and said to myself. “This can’t be!” there were 1,440 results! “What the f**k!”

Silverchair, Blue Oyster Cult, Pearl Jam, Presidents Of The USA, Rage Against The Machine, The Hellacopters, Monster Magnet, Jeff Buckley, Bad Brains and hundreds of others. I actually got tired of watching so many cover versions of the song, I had to come back next morning and check out a few hundred more! Just kidding…

Honestly though, I am flattered to the nine’s. I can’t even begin to tell you how great it feels to know I was involved in co-writing a world wide ROCK anthem. I really liked Presidents of the USA, Silverchair, Hellacopters, and Rage’s versions, but truth be told the deeper I went in, there were so many damn fine versions by so many young and not so young bands. I didn’t recognize the names of so many that took the effort and time to film themselves playing our song.

What an honor!

I am flattered beyond belief, but mostly I am sincerely humbled by this phenomenon. Thank you everybody for Kickin’ Them Out. I never would have dreamed when we first started playing this song way back in 1968 that it would be so dear to so many people’s hearts in the 21^st century.

WOW! Once again, I want to thank all the bands and all the listeners out there. This rockin’ universe never ceases to amaze me!

Very Gratefully Yours,

MGT

Of Course... The Original...

MC5 PHOTOS PART 2

DETROIT ROCK LEGEND: RUSS GIBB

Russ Gibb GrandeBallroom.Com

Had a fun conversation with my friend Jack Ashton the promoter from Los Angeles the other day. We were talking business mostly but the topic of Detroit Rock Impresario Russ Gibb came up...

Jack Ashton and Russ Gibb

Russ of course is the famous creator of The Grande Ballroom in Detroit, Michigan... The Grande featured local, national and international rock bands of the day... some of which were.... Cream, Jeff Beck, SRC, Thyme, Prime Movers, The Chosen Few, The UP, and Iggy and The Stooges.

The "house" band at The Grande was The MC5 (Motor City 5). The 5 were famous for being rowdy and always getting in the faces of bands who didn't bring it... or "Kick Out The Jams".

Street Sign Outside the Grande (photo by Kimmer)

"Uncle" Russ Gibb made a brilliant choice in having the MC5 as his guide to all that was cool during this time. According to many friends Russ and I have in common, it was the MC5 that picked such an eclectic group of bands that lifted The Grande Ballroom into Detroit Rock legend.

The MC5 photo: Robert Matheu

The combination of Uncle Russ, the MC5, the emcees Stanley T Madhatter, Dave Miller, famed poster artist Gary Grimshaw and the very low ticket price helped create one of the most happening places to catch a rock show in Detroit, heck maybe even the world...

The MC5 postcard photo: Leni Sinclair

"Uncle" Russ Gibb (born 1931) is a former concert promoter, and media personality from Dearborn, Michigan, probably most famous for his role in the Paul is Dead phenomenon, a story he broke as a DJ on WKNR-FM. After a visit to the Fillmore West and a talk with promoter Bill Graham, he operated Detroit's Grande Ballroom and was a major player in the late sixties/early seventies Motor City music scene. He was instrumental in giving the MC5, Ted Nugent and Iggy Pop their start. The Grande Ballroom also was where the Who played their rock opera, "Tommy," for the first time in the United States.

Gibb also owned or leased other live music venues around the Mid-West including the Eastown Ballroom, Michigan Theater . He expanded his music endeavors when he invested in Creem magazine.

ORIGINALLY POSTED HERE