Perhaps no other city has a more hallowed musical history than that of Detroit, Michigan. You had everything from the Motown glory days with Berry Gordy turning the city into Hitsville, USA to the garage rock scene of the nineties with Jack White. But there is one genre of music that is simply Detroit and that is, of course, rock and roll with countless songs and movies paying homage to “Detroit Rock City.” Veteran reporter and Detroit native Steve Miller takes us on a journey through rock and roll in the Motor City with over 200 interviews providing a detailed oral history of the Detroit rock scene.
Take a walk on the wild side through the gritty clubs of Detroit and the bands that started it all like MC5 and The Stooges. There are first hand accounts from the likes of Iggy Pop, Mitch Ryder, Ted Nugent and Bob Seger. You can follow the careers of these superstars through their struggling years. “Detroit Rock City” also covers the bands that never made it to that level with sections on The Gories and Destroy All Monsters. Summing things up is the rise of the garage scene and The White Stripes road to fame. The book is filled with interesting anecdotes and never before published stories. My only complaint about the book is the interview format is a bit hard to follow at first and at times seems to skip around a bit too much.
If you’re interested in the history of rock and roll or in the history of music in Detroit, “Detroit Rock City” is a must read. The brutally honest, first hand accounts of the Detroit rock scene will hold you captive as you relive these crazy times. Pick up a copy today and find out for yourself how a working class factory town came to be forever known as “Detroit Rock City.”
