List of Michigan / Detroit Bands that had some success

[Big Jer]

Mark requested that I move this thread here.  Everyone, please contribute to this list.  I'm sure that I forgot about many that should be remembered.

The links below are to a classic from The Frost, 'Persecution Smith' by Bob Seger & the Last Heard, 'Respect' by the Rationals, 'Rock 'n Roll' by DETROIT, 'All Along the Watchtower' LIVE by Savage Grace, 'God, Love & Rock 'n Roll' by Teegarden & VanWinkle, Terry Knight & the Pack's version of 'You're A Better Man Than I' (with a little history about Grand Funk's beginnings & CKLW Windsor) & finally the Amboy Dukes with a LIVE 2009 performance of 'Baby Please Don't Go'.  Don't you just love memory lane?

SRC (see vid of the week topic)
The Frost (Dick Wagner &)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFqbfYzUxqc 
Bob Seger  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVG7hWLj-cg
The Rationals  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpiTSIrVHYs
DETROIT with Mitch Ryder  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAv-fhiSohY
Savage Grace  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vd7-jzbK7Y 
Teegarden & VanWinkle  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=re_WojyYALM
Terry Knight & The Pack   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVapB-ME5mE 
Amboy Dukes with Ted Nugent  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjkW-JrX5Vo

[Mark M]

Great start to an interesting thread.

How about Vincent Fernier? (aka: Alice Cooper)

I know you listed the Amboy Dukes but in case anyone didn't know who the lead guitarist was I'll also list:

Tedley Von Nugburger - The Motor City Madman, Ted Nugent

Also, I didn't know "The Detroit Wheels" became just "Detroit" at some point. One of the first songs I ever learned on guitar was Little Latin Lupe Lu

Rock & Roll still sounds as great to me now as it did when I listened to it on "The Big 8"

[Seymouro]

Here is a real cool one...Mark and I saw the Rockets at a bar called "Delta Lady" in Ferndale.

Here's "Can't Sleep"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YP4Lo8hxmE&feature=PlayList&p=16E77D3555A33497&index=0&playnext=1

[Mark M]

The Rockets were a good band for there time and definitely got good national attention for a short while. The Lead guitar player, Jimmy Mcarty was also in The Detroit Wheels and still plays around town with Mystery Train.

I just watched the Bob Seger vid in Big Jers post. I did not know that "Persicution Smith" was by Seger and the Last Heard... at least I don't think I ever knew that (I'll be hiding my own Easter eggs soon so who knows). So that's three Bob Seger bands that I'm aware of:

1. Bob Seger and The Last Heard
2. The Bob Seger System
3. Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band

[Big Jer]

Good additions, guys!  Also, I guess we can't forget the very first punk rockers, Iggy Pop & the Stooges...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgrlTv1nibA 

...although I will try again

Iggy Pop was born in Muskegon, Michigan, the son of Louella (née Christensen) and James Newell Osterberg, Sr., a former high school English teacher and baseball coach at Fordson High School in Dearborn, Michigan.  Osterberg was raised in a trailer park in Ypsilanti, Michigan.  He is of Irish and English descent on his father's side, and of Danish and Norwegian ancestry on his mother's.  His father was adopted by a Swedish-American family, hence the family's surname (Österberg).

[Mark M]

Here's a big one:

Grand Funk Railroad, who's name came from the Grand Trunk Railraod that ran through Michigan. Grand Funk was a Flint based band and lead guitar player and singer, Mark Farner came from Roger's City.

[JoeMan]

How about one-hit-wonder Brownsville Station?  Believe it or not, that thing sold over 2 million copies in 1973.  However, I'll spare us all a Smokin in the Boys Room YouTube link, as that may be akin to punishment for most.

[Seymouro]

Leave it to the legendary Big Jer to point out IGGY!

"I'm only 5 foot one...I got a pain in my neck...I WISH LIFE COULD BE SWEDISH MAGAZINE...I wish life could be...ANYTHING!"

A legend for sure.

Less "fluff" and less relieving oneself on the front rows of the audience and more music would probably be "prudent" though.

Luv you anyway.

[Seymouro]

Here is the immortal Igg...

He's only 5 FOOT ONE!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHC6QRaq6d0

[Mark M]

I never realized that the band 707 from the early 80's were from Livonia. They hit the charts a few times but I really only remember the song "I could be Good for You" which I actually liked a lot at the time. Here's a clip from the Mike douglas show when they performed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qXxCUYJ67g

[Mark M]

Here's another one that somehow didn't get mentioned.... Dick Wagner and "The Frost" who had at least a couple of popular songs on the radio including "Rock n roll Music" and my favorite "Mystery Man" from 1967 as seen in this poor but still excellent video that was shot at Harpo's in 1983:



And here is another of Dick doing the same tune 30 years after it's original release in 1997:

[Mark M]

I want to revive this great thread because some time has past so there are new bands to add plus I think a bunch got missed.

How about the Verve Pipe? They were a great band from E. Lansing.

Kid Rock

And the newest that I know of - Gretta Van Fleet who I saw at the Filmore this past summer. Awesome.

[Mark M]

Oh, how did we miss Jack white, formerly of the White Stripes and the Raconteurs?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXAidGQUuns

[Walter E]

That's not all... how about Suzie and Michael Quatro?  They are from Detroit and Suzie was quite famous back in the day.

And what about the MC5 (Motor City Five) featuring Wayne Kramer?

"Kick out the jams mother f&%$#@s!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74jS3dW0DtE

[susannexoxo]

What a stellar collection of Detroit rock legends! You've definitely tapped into some essential memory-lane material here. Thanks for compiling this—it’s the kind of post that keeps the spirit of classic rock alive and introduces newer listeners to real gems. I’d also throw in a nod to Frijid Pink and Third Power—often overlooked but pivotal in shaping that gritty Detroit sound. In Italia, anche la musica ha un modo tutto suo di raccontare la storia, proprio come lo stile personale: chi ama i dettagli unici apprezzerà la collezione di abiti che coniugano eleganza e individualità, un po’ come ogni nota di queste band leggendarie.

[Mark M]

If you like those bands here's a Spotify playlist with even more great bands from around Michigan. Enjoy!