Arthur Penhallow the most famous voice in Detroit Rock....
Arthur Penhallow (born December 20, 1943) legendary DJ in Detroit, Michigan who hosted afternoons on active rock station WRIF from 1970-2009.
Penhallow was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. Before beginning his long tenure with WRIF, Art had toured with a band that played with the Mamas & the Papas, among others. Under the name "Cicero Grimes", he worked at WNRZ in Ann Arbor in 1970, and then moved to WRIF's predecessor, WXYZ-FM, which at the time was airing a syndicated progressive-rock format distributed by ABC called "Love".
Penhallow was one of the "Love" format's local announcers and stayed on as WXYZ-FM transitioned to an all-local air staff and moved from progressive rock to the then-new "album oriented rock" format as WRIF.
Bob Seger and Arthur P
Penhallow's trademark is the saying of his name as "Arthur Penhallow, BABY", and the cry is one of WRIF's most popular bumper sticker slogans.
Penhallow regularly refers to himself as "Big Daddy Arthur P" or simply, "Big Daddy", as do others on the station. Penhallow played himself in the film The Upside of Anger.
Arthur P
In January 2009, Penhallow's contract expired at WRIF and he was off the air for more than a month before finally releasing a statement on March 27, on his Facebook page saying: "It appears that my days in Detroit radio are over for now. Thanks for your support over the last 39 years....I shall return."
To be fair to all the greats of Detroit Rock Radio, we loved you all but Arthur P is the BIG DADDY.
The countdown to 2014 is on! Only two more chances to get some rockin' in 2013 at CALLAHAN'S.
This SATURDAY (12/28 @ 8pm) it's the "4th Annual Pre-NYE Bash" with Detroit's biggest and baddest Big Band The MILLIONAIRES featuring Detroit's Godfather of the Six-String JIM McCARTY.
Here is your chance to see Jimmy play with a Big Band including a full horn section. See the master display his prowess playing swing, blues, r&b, jazz and of course some great Rock 'N Roll. The band swings, McCARTY wails, and the dance floor jumps all night.
Next TUESDAY (12/31 @ 8pm), it's New Years Eve and time to bring in 2014! We've got the silly hats, cash bar, countdown, toast at midnight, and what everyone else doesn't have! Bobby East and The REEFERMEN to lay down the grooves and host the party all night long.
Norman Jesse Whitfield 5/12/1940- 09/16/ 2008
This weekend I saw a bit about Norman on VH1 or one of those shows. It got me thinking about just was an influence he has been on my life and also my musical collection. I wrote about "I Know I am Losing You" which The Temptations and The Faces both had hits with. Also take a look at "Heard it Through the Grapevine" which was a hit for Gladys Knight, Marvin Gaye and Creedance Clearwater Revival.
What is most interesting to me is that Norman's music was cool to young audiences period. The Motown fans loved it, soul music fans loved it, white rock n rollers loved it, blues cats dug it... See what I mean? Even country music fans dug Norman Whitfield!
Norman Whitfield was an American songwriter and producer, best known for his work with Motown during the 1960s/1970s.
He is credited as being one of the ultimate creators of the Motown Sound, as well as a major figure in the late-60s sub-genre of psychedelic soul. Blending soul music with white rock n roll changed the face of music and the climate of racial equality is this country forever. His career was the envy of the music business for 20 years and beyond.
From 1966 to 1974, Whitfield produced most all of material, experimenting with sound effects and other production techniques. He found a songwriting collaborator in lyricist Barrett Strong the performer on Motown's first hit record, "Money." Norman wrote material for The Temptations and many other Motown artists such as Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight & the Pips, both of whom recorded Whitfield's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". The Gladys Knight & the Pips version was the best version in my opinion I loved the drums and that raw opening with Gladys's emotional voice., but Marvin's version outsold
it by a long shot.
After Temptations lead singer David Ruffin was fired and Dennis Edwards stepped into the lead role in 1968, Whitfield moved the group into a harder, darker sound that featured a blend of psychedelic rock and funk heavily inspired by the work of Sly & the Family Stone and Funkadelic and also began changing the subject matter of the songs, moving away from love songs to the social issues of the time, such as war, poverty and politics.
The first Temptations single to feature this new "psychedelic soul" style was "Cloud Nine" in late 1968, which earned Motown its first Grammy award (for Best Rhythm & Blues Performance by a Duo or Group).
A second Best R&B Group Performance Grammy for Whitfield and the Temptations came in 1973 with "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone". The single's instrumental B-side earned Whitfield a Grammy with arranger Paul Riser for Best R&B Instrumental Performance, and Whitfield and Strong shared the songwriters' award for Best R&B Song Take a look at this man's discography... Definitely was the soundtrack to Detroit life.
I have met some people recently that have worked with Norman and they all tell me the same thing. He was difficult to work for... but oh what a genius behind the boards. He was a bit of a recluse and did not suffer fools. Seems that most of our truly amazing musicians and producers were a bit odd. Phil Specter, Keith Richards, Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Fred Sonic Smith. All gifted with genius but somewhat lacking in social skills... I know that is a huge understatement... Magical Norman Whitfield...what an accomplished career. So proud to have had him in Detroit for many years... Read More on RK Florence BallardShindig and HullabalooLou Christie
Really good piece on the Rockets written by Gary Graff of the Oakland Press...
GARY GRAFF/OAKLAND PRESS DECEMBER 23,2013
The Rockets are launching once again. And this time they’re planning for a long ride.
The latest incarnation of the venerable Detroit rock group debuts this weekend with the release of a new EP, “Greetings From Detroit,” and a show on Saturday, Dec. 28, at the Fillmore Detroit. It’s the resumption of a reunion that began during 2009 as the Helldrivers but was interrupted when guitarist Jim McCarty decided to quit in the fall of 2011, focusing now on the band Cactus and his own group.
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 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...
"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.
From the film archives: Here's a shot I took from sidestage of Bob Seger onstage with Marcy
Levy as he played with The Borneo Band at Lakeview High School in St Clair Shores, Michigan in April, 1973. Seger brought legendary Skip VanWinkle onstage to sit in on the Hammond B-3 for a couple songs. They were having so much fun, Skip stayed onstage and banged a cowbell for the rest of the show when Borneo Band organist Dick Sims came back to the keyboard.
Seger was just brought back out for the third encore. The high school auditorium was getting rowdy and when Bob stepped up to the microphone onstage, a lady, I'm guessing a teacher or principal, came out and touched Bob's arm and said, "I think we better stop now"!!!! lollll Seger said, "We're doing one more," and called a funky guitar version of Jackie Wilson's, "Higher and Higher," with Marcy and Stoney Reese (aka Shaun Murphy) trading lead vocals with Bob!
I just regret not getting Shaun in this shot!! Not too long after this shot, The Borneo Band broke up, and Marcy, Dick Sims on organ, and Jamie Oldaker on drums joined up with Clapton for the next decade or so. Percussionist, Sergio Pastora joined on with Carol King. Of course, Drew, Alto, and Shaun Murphy stayed on for years with Seger. Alto and Shaun, of course are still with him! four or five months after this show, Seger formed the Silver Bullet Band.
Had a great time chatting with Bad ass Detroit Axe man Robert Gillespie the other day. It has been a long time coming as i know damn near everyone he played with! We almost met at a gig at Alvin's in 2009. I thought it was time to share the man with my readers...He has a long history and is a founding father of Detroit Rock n Roll. He is so smooth but right on the money... as Stanley T. Madhatter used to say...."ARE YOU READY TO ROCK N ROLL?"
Robert Gillespie
Detroit Guitarist Robert Gillespie has had an interest in guitar since the early age of six or seven; his grandmother, Martha played piano and a little banjo and his grandfather, Jesse, played fiddle and mandolin.
There was an old guitar in granny’s closet that Robert wanted to play with all the time and finally Martha got it out and tuned to to an open chord Hawaiian style and laid it across his lap and would use a butter knife to play chords and slide up and down the neck. Robert was hooked but still too small hold it up-right and play it properly.
The Torpedos
At the age of ten Robert got a cheap acoustic and started banging around with that and finally took lessons after seeing the Beatles on Ed Sullivan show like many other young people.
After a year and a half of lessons he was ready and got organized with some older guys and played in a garage band called The Wise Guys they played one back-yard party and a wedding, then broke up.
All through school the interest continued and Robert was very into the English wave of Rock bands like Rolling Stones / Kinks / Animals and most of all the Yardbirds and The Who.
Robert Gillespie
Robert played with a cool East-Side band called Lickin’ Stick that performed at the Cinderella Ballroom in 1971, and also backed up Chuck Berry at the Allen Theater in Cleveland, Ohio that fall.
Lickin’ Stick turned into Limousine and they recorded a few songs that Robert wrote and one caught the interest of a local D.J. Johnny Williams. The new 18 year old vote had just came into effect and Johnny Williams added some lyrics.
"This is my 50's Les Paul Gold-top; "Goldie" I bought her from Paul Warren from Rod Stewart's band......she's smooth like "butta"..." Robert Gillespie
The song “You’ve Got The Power” b/w “Natural Fact” written by Gillespie and vocalist John Ogen, a great singer from downriver received airplay locally and in Flint. That band turned into Northstar with Motown bassist Tony Newton.
The summer of 1976 Robert was jamming at the infamous Red Carpet, a popular east-side club with the Rockets. Robert met guitarist Jimmy McCarty and drummer Johnny Bee Bandanjek, the cream of the crop of Detroit musicians from the Detroit Wheels, whom Robert admired blaring from the transistor radio in 1965.
One special night Robert found himself on stage with Rob Tyner from the MC5. They both hit it off and starting rehearsing, writing songs.
Robert Gillespie with Rob Tyner
Their new band the New MC5 played their first show the next year at the Red Carpet. They soon signed with Brass Ring Productions and began playing arenas all over the tri-state area, mostly Michigan. They opened for big headliners like AC-DC, Alice Cooper, Cheap Trick, Blue Oyster Cult, Rush, and recorded some tracks for Atlantic Records.
By late 1978, Robert and Johnny Angelos started the Torpedos with Mike Marshall on bass and Ralph Serafino on drums (both from the Tyner band). They began writing and recording then became very big in Detroit creating a buzz with record people on a national level.
The Torpedos
The late Johnny Angelos a brilliant pop songwriter and much more. — with Tom Curry, Robert Gillespie, Johnny Angelos, and Ralph Serafino. Johnny quit the Torpedos just as things were getting hot on the scene. He went on to front another smaller band then sadly committed suicide. Robert and the Detroit rock scene were devastated.
Robert is very proud of the music the Torpedos created. In recent years Johnny's son Mitchell Angelos has been fronting the reunited Torpedos. My pals Robin and Trudi went with me in 2009 to see Helldrivers/Torpedos/Circus Boy at Alvin's in Detroit.
Robert Gillespie and Mitch Ryder
Though they were all great...to me the Torpedos stole the show! We danced their entire set. Barely got any photographs due to having so much fun. Didn't get to meet Robert that night but we will meet soon I am certain.
ROBERT SMOKES THIS TUNE......................
During the 1980′s Robert started a band with vocalist Dennis Quinn and Mike Marshall on bass plus Greg Calder on drums called The Finnz.
They recorded two singles and performed on Doug Podell’s T.V. show called The Beat. The Finnz’s were finished in early ’83 when Robert heard "When You Were Mine" on the radio from Mitch Ryder and just had to have that gig.
He auditioned and got hired spring of ’83 and toured the US and Europe and recorded five albums and a DVD over the 19 years with Mitch (longer than anyone else BTW).
L2R Andy Frost Chris Taylor Robert Gillespie and Scott Morgan
In 2001 Robert formed Powertrane with Scott Morgan of the Rationals and Sonic’s Rendezvous Band. They performed and recorded two CD’s, two singles and did gigs sporadically over the next eight years.
Ron Asheton Robert Gillespie Scott Morgan
When Geoff Ginsberg, president of Real O Minds Records (Philadelphia), brought Robert Gillespie into Forty-Ounce Studio in Ann Arbor, Michigan to overdub the guitar work on Morgan's song, "Satisfier", the chemistry between Morgan and Gillespie was immediately apparent.
Powertrane's combination of young talented rockers with Detroit legendary musicians has created a unity and cohesion which has drawn out the talent and creative energy evident in this lineup.
Ron Asheton, Robert Gillespie, Deniz Tek, Chris Taylor Scott Morgan
Their first show was at the Magic Bag on St. Patrick's Day 2001. Powertrane played sold-out, high-profile gigs in New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland and Cincinnati, not to mention Detroit and Ann Arbor. They were been joined on stage by Mitch Ryder, Ron Asheton and Deniz Tek.
Then in 2010 Robert had the idea to start an instrumental band. He called his long time pals bass man Mike Marshall and drummer Greg Calder. Will be writing more on these guys soon...K
Guitarist Robert Gillespie along with Mike Marshall on bass & Greg Calder on drums. They play instrumental Guitar-Rock; from Dickie Dale to Jimi Hendrix and exciting originals.
Together they formed The Detroit Daggers.. I am anxious to see them play..Loved their videos..
Ron Murphy is Detroit’s premier music authority and has worked in the music industry in Michigan for over 40 years. Ron’s story first appeared in a Michigan music magazine called R.P.M. in September of 1983.
The first songs cut in the new (11629 Linwood) Fortune Studio were recorded on a Magnacord tape machine. In 1953, they purchased an Ampex model 350 which was used to record all of the Fortune masters, until the early sixties.
Fortune Records used simple basic recording techniques and just a few mikes that let the quality of the singers voices, and musicians playing shine through without any gimmicks.
The first time I visited Fortune Records was February 1960 and I was going to be a singer, so my best friend and I skipped school to go make a demo record. When we got down to the Fortune studio on Third Street and walked in, a man wearing a hat and an overcoat came out said “Hi boys, are you lost or what?”
Then he laughed and I explained that I had called last week about making a demo, then I asked again about the price just to be sure and he said “that’s right, I’ll give you couple of takes on a tape and then cut the dub for $7.50 – so are you ready? I said yes and gave him the money and we went to the studio in the back.
3942 Third Ave in 2001 just before demolition
I recorded one song and went into the control booth to listen back. While listening the man said, “Well how do you like it?” I told him it sounded pretty good. He replied “What do you mean pretty good? I’m giving you my best sound!”
The Fortune Records story started almost 40 years ago. Devora came to Detroit from Cleveland, Ohio and was introduced to Jack Brown through a blind date set up by a friend. Devora was already writing poems and songs, even though Jack was working as an accountant at the time, he liked her songs and encouraged her to send them to a few music publishers.
Devora Brown: songwriter, pianist, record store owner, producer, engineer, song publisher and co-principal of Detroit-based Fortune Records...Jack Brown: co-principal of Fortune Records with their daughter, Janice
By this time Devora married Jack Brown, and in 1947 after little response from other publishers they decided to start a publishing company and record the songs themselves.
Jack and Devora Brown set up the publishing company with Devora’s brother helping out. In 1956 the Browns purchased the building at 3942 Third Street and moved into what was to become Fortune’s permanent home.
When Motown Records started to become successful around 1962, I remember asking Devora how come they let Motown get ahead of them. She replied “We had all those people down here but they sure didn’t play that way for us.”
Unlike most record companies of the 50’s, Fortune Records had a sound all of it’s own. You knew it was a Fortune Record without looking at the label. Just like Motown in the 60’s.
Other than the J-V-B record label started by Joe Von Battle in 1945 (which folded in 1968), Fortune has now become the oldest steady record producer from Detroit, Michigan. Out of all the record companies started in Detroit, including Motown who left, Fortune Records outlasted them all.
The legions of Detroit rock fans are overjoyed that The Rockets will be playing 4 new tunes, live at the Fillmore on December 28.
Yes.. there have been some changes in the lineup.
So what? This will no doubt prove to be a stellar show with Jim Edwards out front giving it everything he's got and that's plenty. The new team have played a huge part in the Detroit rock scene forever. (read more below)
The Rocket's playlist contains a ton of tunes written by Johnny Bee Badanjek..his beat continues to astound us no matter what band he is in or what their NAME is...It doesn't matter...the fans will continue to support Detroit's hard working, hard rocking and bad ass musicians...(RK)
Live Nation presents The Rockets at The Filmore on Saturday Night December 28th. We haven't taken any promo shots yet because we've been so busy in the studio. This is the cover of our new four song EP Greetings From Detroit which will be put up on I-Tunes and Amazon and many other Internet sites with a week or so... stay tuned..
The band will be recording more songs and adding onto the tracks we already have. It's some smokin' hot Detroit Shimmy. Live Nation will announce opening bands in the days to come.
Johnny “Bee” Badanjek, along with Jim Edwards (lead vocals), and Danny Taylor (keyboards) are thrilled to announce new band members;
Mike Marshall (bass).
Mike Marshall (bass) has lent his musical virtuosity to hundreds of recording sessions and toured with The Motor City Mutants, Torpedoes, Rob Tyner (MC5), Catfish Hodge, Johnny Bassett. Joe Weaver, Alberta Adams, and many other Detroit acts.
Phil “Greasy” Carlisi (guitar) Sirius Trixon & The Motor City Bad Boys, legendary Stooges' members Ron and Scott Asheton (Destroy All Monsters) and toured extensively in the States and abroad with rock-a-billy musician, Robert Gordon, and British guitarist, Chris Spedding. Carlisi has been a mainstay player in the Detroit music scene for over 35 years.
Joey Gaydos (lead guitar), also a Detroit music veteran, has played with rock heavies Rob Tyner (MC5), Cub Koda and the Points (Brownsville Station). Gaydos built a loyal Detroit fan base with his bands, Mugsy, and Weapons and has a reputation for his showmanship and incendiary lead guitar prowess in the Midwest.
Sadly..Ricky Lawson passed away today Dec. 18th 2013 from a stroke ...
The Yellow Jackets
Today the music community lost a great soul in the form of Ricky Lawson. A native Detroiter, Ricky Lawson was an extraordinary drummer, always on
the cutting edge, Ricky's performances were always mesmerizing. His list of who he has performed with reads, like a who's who of greatest music artists. I met Ricky while he was playing with Whitney Houston.
I had heard of him through the normal channels, all of us Detroit musicians are sorta privy to when one of us leave Detroit to wander the world. He was a founding member of The Yellowjackets, I was blessed to play with him on one of The Winans' tours.
He has toured with Michael Jackson, Genesis,Steely Dan and countless others.
I'm surely going to miss this young man as a dear friend and brother, and the world will miss the rhythm of his presence.
Farewell my friend,
David Winans II
David Winans II is the eldest son of the famed Gospel group the Winans family. David is a well respected guitarist, composer, producer and was a close friend of Ricky Lawson.
Once the fourth-largest metropolis in America—some have called it the Death of the American Dream. Today, the young people of the Motor City are making it their own DIY paradise where rules are second to passion and creativity. They are creating the new Detroit on their own terms, against real adversity.
In it, Knoxville cruises the streets in a vintage Cadillac convertible talking to various local names -- Slows BBQ owner Phil Cooley and the Dirtbombs' Ko Melina and Zack Weedon among them -- and highlights what's being done to move the city forward -- instead of harping on where the city went wrong. "I can't believe there's nothing positive here, so we came to see what else is going on," the "Jackass" host says in the opening.
Ken Settle
From the film archives: Many, many years ago, I wanted to go photograph what remained of the old Motown Studio B. Though everyone knows about Motown's "Hitsville" Studio A, relatively few people were familiar with Studio B on Davison near Livernois in Detroit. This was the location of Golden World Records, who had a hit with The Reflections "Just Like Romeo and Juliet." In the mid '60s, Berry Gordy purchased Golden World and turned it into Studio B.
This was the place where many of the incredible Motown vocals, horns and strings were overdubbed.
Most pivotal to me, was that Marvin Gaye's vocals for the groundbreaking What's Going On masterpiece were done right here at Studio B.
Studio B sat vacant for much of the time after Motown moved to L.A. and has finally been torn down. At the time that I photographed this, you could still see a very weather worn Motown Studio B sign on the side of the battered structure.
I used the old Kodak Recording Film 2475 for this photo, because I wanted the incredibly grainy results that this film gave, along with its extended red sensitivity. I became real interested in that film for a time after I learned that many of the photos of the '67 Detroit riots were shot on this film. It was one of the first high speed (ISO 1000) films ever. Every time I look at this photo, I hear Marvin Gaye singing "Mother, Mother, there's too many of you crying."
World-renowned guitarist Steve Hunter, known for his work with Lou Reed and Alice Cooper, was trying to change some strings on one of his Gretsch Guitars. As always there was a good deal of frustration as this is difficult for most people, but even more so for someone like Steve who is partially sighted.
Only certain guitars have a Bigsby, most of those are Gretsch but there are other makes of guitars such as Gibson and Fender who use the metal string bending arm attachment.
The main problem is how to hold the eyelet at the end of the new string in place, on the pin of the Bigsby, without it springing off when you go to the other end of the neck to wind on the string.
Steve said “There must be a way of holding the string in place, maybe something simple that could be taken in and out easily”. Karen thought that a squishy door wedge shape would do the job.
Knowing Steve used foam speaker positioning wedges in his studio she found a spare one. Karen cut out a wedge to the exact requirements and low and behold! The String Change Buddy was born. Steve still uses that very wedge, with less hassle, less time and less swearing!
Perfecting the idea for production took nearly two years, mainly due to finding the right foam. It needed to be firm enough to push under the metal bar of the Bigsby but also needed to have the right compression and recovery so it could be used many times.
Once they had started the process of protecting the design with a patent, all they had to do was find the right manufacturer whom they are proud to say is right here in the USA.
The String Change Buddy will not change the world but it will help anybody with a Bigsby fitted guitar to change strings without losing their cool.
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