September 6, 1970: The Stooges release 'Fun House' with Steve MacKay on Sax!!!

September 6, 1970: Ann Arbor's Stooges release FUNHOUSE with Steve MacKay on Sax...

THE USE OF ANY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL IS USED UNDER THE GUIDELINES OF "FAIR USE" IN TITLE 17 & 107 OF THE UNITED STATES CODE. SUCH MATERIAL REMAINS THE COPYRIGHT OF THE ORIGINAL HOLDER AND IS USED HERE FOR THE PURPOSES OF EDUCATION, COMPARISON, AND CRITICISM ONLY. NO INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHT IS INTENDED…

Happy Birthday Scott Asheton...Scott "Rock Action" Asheton (b. August 16, 1949 d. March 15, 2014 in Ann Arbor, Michigan)

Scott "Rock Action" Asheton

 (b. August 16, 1949 in Ann Arbor, Michigan)

is an American musician, best known as the drummer for The Stooges…

Asheton co-formed the Stooges in 1967 along with his older brother Ron, Iggy Pop, and Dave Alexander. The original incarnation released two LPs on Elektra Records before moving through several lineup changes, releasing a third LP on Columbia Records in 1973…

Asheton also played drums with Scott Morgan in different bands, among which were the Scott Morgan Band, Scots Pirates, and most notably Sonic's Rendezvous Band...

 He then went on to play drums touring in a late incarnation of 

Destroy All Monsters, under the name 

Dark Carnival... 

He has also 

recorded 

extensively with 

Sonny Vincent,

 playing 

drums on four 

full studio albums

 along with 

Captain Sensible 

on bass as 

well as 

special guest 

appearances 

on other 

S.V. releases.

 In addition to recording with 

Sonny, Asheton has toured the U.S. 

and Europe with Sonny 

and Steve Baise (on bass) of the Devil Dogs...

In March 2010, 

Scott “Rock Action” Asheton,

along with The Stooges,

was inducted into the

Rock and Roll 

Hall of Fame…

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, 

SCOTT!!!

Unfortunately, Scott passed on March 15, 2014
 
Scott Randolph Asheton (August 16, 1949 – March 15, 2014)

R.I.P. Brother...

THE USE OF ANY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL IS USED UNDER THE GUIDELINES OF

 "FAIR USE" IN TITLE 17 & 107 OF THE UNITED STATES CODE. SUCH MATERIAL REMAINS

 THE COPYRIGHT OF THE ORIGINAL HOLDER AND IS USED HERE FOR THE PURPOSES 

OF EDUCATION, COMPARISON, AND CRITICISM ONLY. 

NO INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHT IS INTENDED  

R.I.P. Fred "Sonic" Smith (September 14, 1948 ~ November 4, 1994) ; THE EVOLUTION OF ROCK & ROLL

Fred "Sonic" Smith passed away due to heart failure on November 4, 1994. His 45 years of life on this planet changed the course of the EVOLUTION OF ROCK & ROLL to the max!!!
     The earliest Fred "Sonic" Smith recording I have is credited to the MC5, but the band members are listed as: Wayne Kramer, Fred Smith and Rob Tyner (guitars and vocals, respectively)--in the place of Machinegun Thompson is Bob Gaspari on drums; and in place of Mike Davis is Pat Burrows on bass. Regardless, this 1965 recording of "I Don't Mind" by this early version of the MC5 is very soulful :   




Of course the MC5  we all know is the "Kick Out The Jams" gang (Smith, Kramer, Davis, Thompson and Tyner) from the White Panther/Rainbow Peoples' Party who made history with their Halloween night recording at Detroit's Grande Ballroom in 1969:

And Sonic, along with the rest of The Five kept on tearin' up the Motor City, and the rest of the planet, for the next few years--Like at this live show at Wayne State University's Tarter Field in 1970:

After the demise of the MC5, keeping true to his roots, Sonic hooked up with Ann Arbor, Michigan superstars Scott Morgan (The Rationals), Gary Rasmussem (The (Dangerous) Up), and Scott Asheton (The Stooges) to form the supergroup they named "Sonic's Rendezvous Band" (A/K/A SRB), releasing the classic cut "City Slang"

While with SRB, Sonic met and married and toured/recorded with Patti Smith.

Check out this 1991 show with Fred & Patti at the legendary Nectarine Ballroom/Second Chance bar in Ann Arbor

Just writing about Fred "Sonic" Smith is very humbling and, therefore, this short blog is just the "tip of the iceberg" in the Fred "Sonic" Smith story. Google Fred, Google Patti, Google SRB (and Scott Morgan, The Stooges, The UP, etc.) and Google The MC5 for much, much more information on this incredible cat who left us much too soon.

Dennis "Machinegun" Thompson has a great story about "Sonic" on his blog...Check it out here


In 2003, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked "Sonic" at #93 in the list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time!  

More on Sonic...

http://www.oceanstar.com/patti/bio/fred.htm

R.I.P. FRED "SONIC" SMITH

TROPICAL JON: HAPPY BIRTHDAY SCOTT ASHETON!

                                                          LOOSE: THE STOOGES

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SCOTT ASHETON!!!

Scott "Rock Action" Asheton (b. August 16, 1949 in Ann Arbor, Michigan)

Scott Asheton co-formed the Stooges in 1967 along with his older brother Ron, Iggy, and Dave Alexander. The original incarnation released two LPs on Elektra “Stooges” & Funhouse) before moving through several lineup changes, releasing Raw Power on Colombia in 1973 and disbanding the following year.

                          PLAY RAW POWER BY THE STOOGES


During the Stooges' separation Scott was among the few ex-members to play again with Pop, occurring during a 1978 European tour.  Scott also played drums with Scott Morgan in different bands, among which were the Scott Morgan Band, Scots Pirates, and most notably SONIC'S RENDEZVOUS BAND

CITY SLANG BY SONIC'S RENDEZVOUS BAND

He then went on to play drums touring in a late incarnation of Destroy All Monsters, under the name  DESTROY ALL MONSTERS/DARK CARNIVAL

SCOTT has also recorded extensively with Sonny Vincent playing drums on four full studio albums along with Captain Sensible on bass as well as special guest appearances on other S.V. releases. In addition to recording with Sonny, Asheton has toured the U.S. and Europe with Sonny and Steve Baise (on bass) of the Devil Dogs.


CLICK ON THIS LINK TO SEE VIDEO OF
SCOTT WITH SONNY VINCENT

The Stooges, with Scott on drums, reformed in 2003, and have remained active ever since, releasing a fourth album (Skull Ring) in 2007 and were inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.