Latest news with #MC5
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How many Detroit artists are in the R&R Hall of Fame? After some dispute, here's an answer
When the White Stripes were named Sunday night among the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's 2025 inductees, there was plenty of celebration from Detroit music fans. But some of those folks had a bone to pick with the Detroit Free Press. We had described the White Stripes as Detroit's 22nd inductee, complete with a list of those 22 artists, a rundown that starts with the Class of 1987's Aretha Franklin. "Where's the MC5?" asked many who scanned the list, recalling that band's entry into the rock hall last October. Similar questions came in about Motown's Norman Whitfield, who was honored the same night. Readers were especially perplexed by the omissions because the Free Press had extensively covered that very ceremony last fall. Yes, the MC5 and Whitfield weren't in Sunday's list of 22. But there is an explanation — even if, like all things Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, it's ripe for debate. It's a running tab the Free Press has maintained for many years now. We've updated it each time a hometown artist gets inducted into the rock hall's prestigious performer wing. The performer field is the one that dominates headlines every year, accompanied by the requisite cheers and arguments among music fans worldwide. More: The White Stripes headed to Rock & Roll Hall of Fame; 22nd Detroit act to be inducted More: From fan to family: A son discovers his father — and a link to a Detroit rock legacy But beyond that main tier, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has some supplemental categories, like the Award for Musical Excellence — the honor bestowed last year on Whitfield and the MC5. The award was established in 2000 under the name Sidemen, with Motown bassist James Jamerson among the inaugural honorees. When it was rebranded 10 years later with the 'Musical Excellence' banner, RRHOF officials said it was a way to recognize musicians who might not otherwise get their flowers. That eventually benefited the MC5: After six unsuccessful nominations in the performer field, the late-great Detroit band was finally ushered into the hall of fame via the Musical Excellence category. And while it might not be evident when watching the RRHOF's annual ceremony — where Musical Excellence awardees get less pomp and circumstance than others — officials say those recipients are considered fully vested hall of fame inductees. The number 22 is impressive enough, signifying Detroit's mammoth contribution to music history. (At one point in the early '90s, Motor City artists constituted more than one-fifth of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's total body of performer inductees.) Still, the Free Press will rethink this one going forward. We certainly don't want to downplay the full scope of Detroit's hall of fame presence. So as of late April 2025, here's your total number: 29. Below is the list of all the Detroit-related groups and individuals who have made the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame via one route or another. Contact Detroit Free Press music writer Brian McCollum: 313-223-4450 or bmccollum@ (Inducted in the performer wing unless otherwise noted.) Aretha Franklin — 1987 Marvin Gaye — 1987 Smokey Robinson — 1987 Jackie Wilson — 1987 The Supremes — 1988 Berry Gordy Jr. — 1988 (Ahmet Ertegun Award) The Temptations — 1989 Stevie Wonder — 1989 Hank Ballard — 1990 Four Tops — 1990 Holland-Dozier-Holland —1990 (Ahmet Ertegun Award) John Lee Hooker — 1991 Martha and the Vandellas — 1995 Gladys Knight & the Pips — 1996 Little Willie John — 1996 Parliament-Funkadelic — 1997 James Jamerson — 2000 (Award for Musical Excellence) Benny Benjamin — 2003 (Award for Musical Excellence) Bob Seger — 2004 Madonna — 2008 The Stooges — 2010 Alice Cooper — 2011 The Miracles — 2012 Eminem — 2022 The Spinners — 2023 MC5 — 2024 (Award for Musical Excellence) Norman Whitfield — 2024 (Award for Musical Excellence) Suzanne de Passe — 2024 (Ahmet Ertegun Award) The White Stripes — 2025 (pending November ceremony) This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: How many Detroit artists are in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
David Thomas, frontman of experimental rockers Pere Ubu, dead at 71
David Thomas, the live-wire frontman for experimental rockers Pere Ubu, has died. He was 71. The band posted news of Thomas' death on its official Facebook page, where the cause of death was given as "a long illness." Thomas "died in his home town of Brighton & Hove, with his wife and youngest stepdaughter by his side," the statement continued. "MC5 were playing on the radio. He will ultimately be returned to his home, the farm in Pennsylvania, where he insisted he was to be 'thrown in the barn.'' Thomas, born in Miami, was a pivotal figure in Cleveland's experimental rock underground (a regional scene that would go on yield the Dead Boys, Devo and Nine Inch Nails). Thomas first came to prominence in the group Rocket From the Tombs, which, despite never recording an album, became an influential act locally in its brief tenure. Known for his near-falsetto high voice and contrarian fondness for professorial suits onstage, Thomas cut as distinct a figure onstage as his music did on record. Several Rocket From the Tombs members split off to form Pere Ubu — named after a play by French writer Alfred Jarry — in 1975. The band was wildly progressive for its era (and continues to sound bracing today), forgoing the sneering blasts of the simmering punk movement for arty dissonance, paired with ponderous rhythms, affection for B-movie soundtracks and Thomas' idiosyncratic, sung-spoken literary allusions and bruised poetry. The group's 1978 LP, "The Modern Dance," was a landmark of post-punk and new wave ambition that arrived just as punk itself crested in the U.S. While never a commercial success during its initial run from 1975 to 1982, Pere Ubu would inspire generations of experimental rockers and producers, and re-formed over the years with a revolving lineup around Thomas. The group recorded 19 studio albums, including its highly regarded 1978 LP, "Dub Housing," and 1979's "New Picnic Time," a stressful and abrasive record that helped inspire acts like Sonic Youth. Thomas' solo career included collaborations with singer-songwriter Richard Thompson and "Saturday Night Live" music producer Hal Willner. New Pere Ubu music may come posthumously. "David Thomas and his band have been recording a new album. He knew it was to be his last," Pere Ubu wrote on Facebook. "We will endeavour to continue with mixing and finalising the new album so that his last music is available to all. ... His autobiography was nearly completed and we will finish that for him. "We'll leave you with his own words, which sums up who he was better than we can," the band's statement continued. ''My name is David F— Thomas … and I'm the lead singer of the best f— rock n roll band in the world.'' Get notified when the biggest stories in Hollywood, culture and entertainment go live. Sign up for L.A. Times entertainment alerts. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
David Thomas, frontman of experimental rockers Pere Ubu, dead at 71
David Thomas, the live-wire frontman for experimental rockers Pere Ubu, has died. He was 71. The band posted news of Thomas' death on its official Facebook page, where the cause of death was given as 'a long illness.' Thomas 'died in his home town of Brighton & Hove, with his wife and youngest stepdaughter by his side,' the statement continued. 'MC5 were playing on the radio. He will ultimately be returned to his home, the farm in Pennsylvania, where he insisted he was to be 'thrown in the barn.'' Thomas, born in Miami, was a pivotal figure in Cleveland's experimental rock underground (a scene that would go on yield the Dead Boys, Devo and Nine Inch Nails). Thomas first came to prominence in the group Rocket From the Tombs, which, despite never recording an album, became an influential act locally in its brief tenure. Known for his near-falsetto high voice and contrarian fondness for professorial suits onstage, Thomas cut as distinct a figure onstage as his music did on record. Several Rocket From the Tombs members split off to form Pere Ubu — named after a play by French writer Alfred Jarry — in 1975. The band was wildly progressive for its era (and continues to sound bracing today), forgoing the sneering blasts of the simmering punk movement for arty dissonance, paired with ponderous rhythms, affection for B-movie soundtracks and Thomas' idiosyncratic, sung-spoken literary allusions and bruised poetry. The group's 1978 LP, 'The Modern Dance,' was a landmark of post-punk and new wave ambition that arrived just as punk itself crested in the U.S. While never a commercial success during its initial run from 1975 to 1982, Pere Ubu would inspire generations of experimental rockers and producers, and re-formed over the years with a revolving lineup around Thomas. The group recorded 19 studio albums, including its highly regarded 1978 LP, 'Dub Housing,' and 1979's 'New Picnic Time,' a stressful and abrasive record that helped inspire acts like Sonic Youth. Thomas' solo career included collaborations with singer-songwriter Richard Thompson and 'Saturday Night Live' music producer Hal Willner. New Pere Ubu music may come posthumously. 'David Thomas and his band have been recording a new album. He knew it was to be his last,' Pere Ubu wrote on Facebook. 'We will endeavour to continue with mixing and finalising the new album so that his last music is available to all. ... His autobiography was nearly completed and we will finish that for him. 'We'll leave you with his own words, which sums up who he was better than we can,' the band's statement continued. ''My name is David F— Thomas … and I'm the lead singer of the best f— rock n roll band in the world.''
The Guardian
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
David Thomas, anarchic Pere Ubu bandleader, dies aged 71
David Thomas, who fronted the wild and free-thinking American rock band Pere Ubu, has died aged 71. A statement on Pere Ubu's Facebook page said that he died 'in his home town of Brighton & Hove, with his wife and youngest step-daughter by his side. MC5 were playing on the radio. He will ultimately be returned to his home, the farm in Pennsylvania, where he insisted he was to be 'thrown in the barn' … We'll leave you with his own words, which sums up who he was better than we can: 'My name is David Fucking Thomas… and I'm the lead singer of the best fucking rock and roll band in the world.'' That band were indeed a force to be reckoned with, channelling the raucous, raw energy of garage rock into adventurous songwriting decked out with saxophones, funky bass and Thomas's spirited exclamations. With a post-punk spirit even before punk had properly got going, Pere Ubu were a big influence on the alt-rock that emerged in the 1980s including bands such as Pixies. Born in Miami and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Thomas formed his first band Rocket From the Tombs in 1974, who, despite some notoriously energised live shows couldn't find a record deal and never put out studio material. Thomas later said he was dismayed by the band's desire to play cover versions, and 'knew that Rocket From the Tombs was dead'. Thomas then formed Pere Ubu, taking their name from a character in a play by absurdist French writer Alfred Jarry. 'It was a name that wouldn't mean anything to 95% of an audience,' he later said. 'I wanted to create a band that Herman Melville, William Faulkner or Raymond Chandler would have wanted to be in.' Debut single 30 Seconds Over Tokyo was released in 1975, and the band impressed an A&R at Mercury Records, which created a whole new imprint for their 1978 debut album The Modern Dance. Described as 'harsh and wilfully ugly' in Rolling Stone, it contained superb vocal performances from Thomas, such as the exhilarating rant of Life Stinks, and while it wasn't a commercial success it chimed with a growing post-punk movement. The band broke up briefly in 1979, then for a longer period after fifth album Song of the Bailing Man. Thomas put out a series of records away from the group, with backing bands such as the Pedestrians and the Wooden Birds, before Pere Ubu reformed in 1987. This was the beginning of the band's most commercially successful phase, with a major label behind them, prompting minor MTV hits such as Waiting For Mary, and appearances on British TV. They released 14 albums in the following years, with Thomas the sole founder member leading a changing lineup of more than 20 musicians. 'If I called up 20 of the 21 tomorrow they'd come back. They love to work with me,' Thomas told the Guardian in 2022. Thomas also had intriguing side projects, such as an appearance in Rogue's Gallery, a star-studded concert series performing pirate songs (he also performed What Will We Do With a Drunken Sailor on a 2006 album that also featured Sting, Lou Reed and Nick Cave) and a 2002 West End production of 'junk opera' Shockheaded Peter. A five-star Guardian review hailed his 'gravitas' and said: 'Thomas adds immeasurably to the freakshow appeal.' He later lived with kidney disease. The Facebook post announcing his death stated Thomas had been recording an album that 'he knew was to be his last'. The album will be completed after his death, along with an autobiography and an archival project of live concerts.
Forbes
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Alice Cooper: ‘It's Not Guillotines I'm Afraid Of, It's Needles'
CIRCA MID-1970s: Alice Cooper with his head in a guillotine for his outrageous stage show. (Photo by Michael) In the first three parts of our exclusive interview series with classic rocker Alice Cooper, we covered his infamous "chicken" incident, his associations with Kiss, David Bowie and Elton John, the first time he heard one of his songs on the radio, his radio show, "Alice's Attic" and its affiliation with KLOS-FM and Superadio, his 1973 appearance on the cover of Forbes, his passion for golf, being a reformed alcoholic, why he still tours at age 77, the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and his devotion to Jesus Christ. Here, in Part 4, we discuss Cooper's net worth, his epitaph, his biggest fears and the Detroit rock are edited excerpts from a longer phone conversation. Jim Clash: You're from Detroit. What was the rock scene like there in the day? Alice Cooper: Los Angeles was The Doors, they owned it. For some reason, they took us under their wing when we were nothing. We ended up opening for them for a while. Robby Krieger [Doors lead guitarist] played on our last album. San Francisco was The Grateful Dead. We didn't fit into LA or San Francisco. New York was The Young Rascals. In the South, it was the Allman Brothers. We didn't fit in [to any of those places]. In Detroit, we played a big outdoor festival when nobody had heard of us. I'm waiting to go on and there's this band called MC5. I watched them, and was like, "Oh my God, those guys are good." I got the power of what was going on. Then Iggy and the Stooges came on. I'm like, "Oh my gosh, what is this?" Iggy was his own thing. His band was very simple but powerful. So these were all Detroit bands. We got up on stage and did Alice Cooper, and the audience went crazy. We were that missing link. When you went to Detroit, you had better bring it. That audience wants hard rock with attitude. So every weekend it was us and the Stooges, us and MC5 or us and Ted Nugent. That was the healthiest rock scene I've ever seen, Detroit from 1968 to 1970. Clash: What's your biggest fear, and how do you handle fear? Cooper: There are two things. One is boredom, because it becomes depression. I only had a touch of that once, and it's the worst thing I've ever felt. How did I handle it? I told myself that I was going to stay so busy that it would never have another chance to get into my system. And it never has. The other is needles. I can put my head in a guillotine, a 40-lb. blade that misses me by eight inches every night. But it doesn't bother me. Same with a python around my throat. But a blood test? Lately, I've been handling the needles better, though, because of dental work. Also, when Covid hit, I had to do a number blood tests, so I'm not as terrified as I used to be of needles. But I'm still terrified of boredom and depression. ANN ARBOR, MI - 1969: The rock group MC5 (L-R Fred "Sonic" Smith, Wayne Kramer, Rob Tyner, Wayne Kramer, Dennis "Machine Gun" Thompson and Michael Davis). Tyner and Davis are wearing White Panther Party pins. (Photo by Leni Sinclair/Michael) Clash: I see in some estimates you're worth $50 million. That's a lot of money. But talking to you, I don't feel you were in music for the money. Cooper: You're absolutely right. I knew that the money would come eventually. We did "School's Out," and it was a production, cost a lot of money. And the band didn't have a lot, just an allowance. "Billion Dollar Babies" was twice as big as "School's Out." That one cost us almost all of our money. When "Welcome To My Nightmare" came along, I put every penny I had into it, and so did our managers. It was a roll of the dice. But it became the biggest show in rock and roll. But no, I was never out to buy a jet or a yacht. It was nice when the money started to come in, but my focus always was: "Are we going to be talked about as the best show they [audience] ever saw?" Clash: What do you want your epitaph to be? Cooper: I think Alice Cooper should go down as rock's Ziegfeld or Barnum & Bailey. I wouldn't have any problem with that. We brought gaudy theatrics to rock and roll. We were the first to see that, and really go for it. It was the kind of music that deserved more than just music - it needed to be visual, too. As for my gravestone, I just want it to say, "I'm standing right behind you, " or maybe, "The show must go on' [laughs].
