Big Loss

Ann Arbor’s stooges guitarist Ron Asheton passing last week was a huge loss to the music world . His influence lives on today through the music of sonic youth , the Ramones, sex pistols, most punk bands and even Anthony bourdon. his death brought back a flood of memories of my summer of 1969 . In those days I could be found hanging out in Ann arbor at the rainbow peoples house with the white panthers and the mc5.my child hood buddy mike Davis [ a monster drummer] had joined the Mitch Ryder’s Detroit wheels and was living among the five and the revolutionaries .I would visit with him often that summer .we would soon converge to the rainbow peoples attic that housed a room stuffed with tapestries pillows and cushions that made for it perfect for a righteous smoking room[ as john Sinclair would say]. it was in that room in a smoked filled daze I met rockers -street poets- dope dealers and revolutionaries .it was heady stuff for mid west catholic boy .I had seen the stooges at the Grande ballroom and once met Iggy in person in front of discount records store shoeless ,shirtless and battered from a performance the night before . Where a motorcycle gang who took offense to him calling them sissies. in those ,the mc5 -the stooges- src- bob Segar and countless other rock bands were available almost every weekends at teen dances ,pavilions, clubs and high schools .these people were our peers ,not some unapproachable rock stars . Back then everyone had a friend in a band .the stooges as a band operated on the dumb side of rock .to See Iggy shirtless covered in peanut butter while his fellow stooges rained down napalm guitar licks, and a barrage of bass drum thunder was life changing . Sloppy yes! But it was so perfect in many ways and I can't help but think that back to 1969 in that attic I might have met Ron Ashehton . You know maybe he leaned over to me and said " hey kid do you want hit."

Have a great Thanksgiving

Mac and Martha