AltWeeklies Wire
How Mick Collins and the Dirtbombs Killed Classic Rocknew

It's been nearly three decades since Collins first picked up a guitar with the sole intention of "murdering the Eagles." Since then, the tall, bespectacled, deep-voiced rock 'n' roller from Detroit has been scorned, worshipped, categorized and just plain misunderstood by a music world often more interested in labeling than listening.
Metro Times |
Michael Hurtt |
02-12-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: The Dirtbombs
Skeeter Shelton's Righteous Screamnew
Shelton looks much younger than his 57 years. His peers describe him as an unsung genius. Capable of playing with a fevered energy, he's an essential voice in Detroit's avant-garde fraternity.
Metro Times |
Charles L. Latimer |
01-29-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Skeeter Shelton
CREEMednew
Tempers flare in the wake of a new CREEM anthology and Lester Bangs rolls in his grave in this piece by a former CREEM editor that puts it all in historical context.
Metro Times |
Bill Holdship |
01-29-2008 |
Music
Sour CREEMnew
The life, death and strange resurrection of America's only rock 'n' roll magazine: the first of two parts.
Metro Times |
Bill Holdship |
01-22-2008 |
Music
The Deadstring Brothers are Looking Upnew
One of Detroit's most unheralded bands begins, slowly, to win over America.
Metro Times |
Chris Parker |
01-14-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: The Deadstring Brothers
Vampire Weekend Rock Multi-Ethnicallynew
But please don't mention Paul Simon!
Metro Times |
Chris Handyside |
12-18-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Vampire Weekend
Carl Sonny Leyland's Boogie Fevernew
The 24-year-old prepares to teach Detroit some hidden truths.
Metro Times |
Michael Hurtt |
12-18-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Carl Sonny Leyland
Tony Conrad, String Theoristnew
The architect of noise and experimental film is still on four decades later.
Metro Times |
Walter Wasacz |
12-11-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Tony Conrad
The 100 Greatest Detroit Songs Evernew
"Best" is totally subjective and fairly open-ended, of course, though some of the factors we asked voters to take into account included the song's impact and "pure spine-tingling quality." Sales were a little important but not as important as impact (did someone say "Stooges"?).
Metro Times |
Staff |
11-27-2007 |
Music
Mick Harvey Plays Second Fiddle Wellnew
Harvey is God's gift to public radio (or what used to be public radio), turning his listeners on to the great obscure songbook the way Nina Simone or Johnny Cash did with their own covers albums.
Metro Times |
Hobey Echlin |
11-20-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Mick Harvey, Two of Diamonds
Hop on the Super Furry Animal Spacecraftnew
That Hey Venus! has out-of-this-world cover art, and an exclamation mark in the title should not be taken lightly.
Metro Times |
Brian Hoekstra |
11-20-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Hey Venus!, Super Furry Animals
DL Jones' Wasted Talent?new
With the help of Amp Fiddler and other notable friends, producer DL Jones has created the What's Goin' On of Detroit hip-hop, 2007
Metro Times |
Hobey Echlin |
11-20-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: DL Jones, Wasted Talent
When Will Detroit Take Notice of Malik Alston?new
Detroit has long had a penchant for producing talents who go largely unnoticed ... until you suddenly look up one day and see they've taken off somewhere else. This could well be the future for local producer, songwriter and actor Malik Alston.
Metro Times |
Khary Kimani Turner |
11-13-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Malik Alston
A Hip-Hop Clown Spreads Laughter in Detroitnew
DeMarcus Hughes, aka Smiley the Hip Hop Clown, is a G-rated G, an MC whose MO is to strip hip hop of its violent themes and sexual content and make it kid-friendly for grade school performances and children's birthday parties. At the same time, he tries to keep it from being insufferably corny for grown-ups within earshot.
Metro Times |
Detroitblogger John |
11-13-2007 |
Music
Tags: Smiley the Hip Hop Clown
Van Halen vs. Queens of the Stone Agenew

Who best captures the concerns of metal's Cro-Magnon man?
Metro Times |
Serene Dominic |
10-23-2007 |
Music