Monday, October 20, 2008

Roger Daltrey remembers the Grande

The Free Press' Martin BanDyke interviews the Who's Roger Daltrey prior to their show in Auburn Hills Oct 21st:

Q: And how about those legendary shows at the Grande Ballroom?

A: Yeah, I remember the Grande! I can still see it now: Joe Cocker was often our support act, and it was a really good place to play. I can't remember what I did yesterday, but I still remember the Grande. U.S. audiences generally take music a whole lot more seriously than in the U.K. and the rest of Europe. It's more an ingrained part of life than in England, where it's much more throwaway.

Complete interview





Sunday, October 19, 2008

Rock all Souls

All,

Friends of the Grande member and impresario Tom Lubinski invites you to a celebration of All Souls Day Saturday November 1.
Tom has created the "Motor City Music Factory" space within the cavernous TWH Metals building on E McNichols. It features a huge stage with 28,000 watts of sound and light.
Former SRC guitarist Gary Quackenbush will appear as well as young guitar prodigy Cetan Clawson. The packed bill also features former members of Detroit and Destroy all Monsters. Special guests include Michigan Basements and Whig the Beast. Doors and show promptly at 7:00.

See ya there !!

Leo
Dig the handbill by Grande Artist Carl Lundgren:




Sunday, October 12, 2008

Alice Cooper reflects on the Grande

Alice gets his facts blurred a little bit..
In this article from Canada's Globe and mail, I am certain when Alice talks about going to the movies at the Grande Ballroom he is referencing experiences from the Grande Riviera. Alice also may have been old enough to have gone to the Riviera Annex theatre which was on the same block as the Grande. The Annex was razed c. 1958.

Otherwise, Tony D'Annunzio's Grande documentary gets a national mention in the second paragraph, way to go eh !

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20081011.COOPER11/TPStory/Entertainment

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Gary Quackenbush at PJ's Lager House

"Announcing SRC Thursdays with Gary Quackenbush at PJ's Lager House!!!

PJ's Lager House (1254 Michigan Ave, Corktown, Detroit) is pleased announce SRC Thursdays with Gary Quackenbush throughout the month of September!
Quackenbush is a true Detroit rock legend. He is perhaps best known as a founding member and lead guitarist of SRC, a locally based rock band from the late 1960s. SRC began as the joining of two infamous Detroit/Birmingham bands: The Fugitives with brothers Glenn and Gary Quackenbush and The Chosen Few with Scott Richardson.
From 1965 to 1970, the group was a staple at many of Detroit's most legendary rock venues, including The Grande Ballroom and eventually signed with Motown's Rare Earth label.In 1966, the group approached then-Rationals manager Jeep Holland and their first few gigs were played with Richardson to finish the Fugitives' booking commitments.
The first true SRC show was at the Fenton Community Center in early 1967 and they never looked back!Following their debut full-length release on Capitol Records in 1968, SRC began to headline area stages and venues across the Midwest, sharing the stage with practically every regional band of note at the time, including Bob Seger, the Rationals, the MC5 and many others. SRC achieved great popularity in the UK as well as the Midwestern US.
Today, Quackenbush is the owner of SRC Records, and will be performing live at PJ's Lager House every Thursday in September to promote GQ In A Shade of Blue, Quackenbush's first solo record ever. The live show is not to be missed!
GQ will be playing all the SRC hits including "I'm So Glad, "Black Sheep," "Bolero" and many more. Longtime hits such as "Red House," "Summertime," "Thrill Is Gone" and "I'd Rather Go Blind" will be featured, among others. Lots of standards and lots of blues! GQ is a true guitar powerhouse and professional performer—these are Thurdays not to be missed if you care anything for Detroit rock history!"

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

MC5 - Guitar Heros

Love it or hate it, the video game Guitar Hero is arguably turning a lot of young kids on to the guitar and, as it turns out, the MC5 !

Monday, June 2, 2008

Jeff Beck Group's Mickey Waller Passes

Belated, sad news from England.
Mickey Waller, drummer for the Jeff Beck group (amongst many others) passed April 29,2008.
Mickey's playing was a cornerstone of the modern British blues rock movement. Waller had played with a virtual who's who of '60's rock royalty including Rod Stewart, The Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix.
The Jeff Beck groups visits to the Grande Ballroom were legendary. Photos and audio of Mick are included in our special feature link below.

Obituary:
http://music.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/story/0,,2282435,00.html

Grande Legendary Gig:
http://www.thegrandeballroom.com/JBG.html

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Motor City's Burning

Hi All,

I have arranged for this excellent BBC film to be shown at MOCAD (Museum of Contemporary Art and Design) in Detroit on Saturday June 14th. The film has some great footage of our visit to the Grande in 2007 and interviews of John Sinclair, the MC5 and Iggy Pop.
Admission is free and the show starts at 7:00 P.M. See you there !


MOCAD

MAP

Motor City's Burning

2007 Grande Tour


Cheers,

Leo