DETROIT – Years ago before the rise of the web we got our music off of MTV. Sometimes we would get it off a late night rock radio show from Canada, (this is how I discovered Game Theory among others) and sometimes you could get a cool student DJ on a college radio station who had a clue about independent music. Basically you could get lucky and make new discoveries. It was an amazing time in the early 90’s because John Peel was still alive and well with the BBC and you could get access to great stuff. This was before the BBC Radio 1 turned into Los Angeles and they welcomed all sorts of indy label rock music.

That whole scene fell apart with the web. John Peel died and even though I had high hopes for his replacement Chris Moyles things were not the same. Music became fragmented and came the rise of online radio stations and Youtube. MTV turned into Nickelodeon and the scene fell over on its side. Talent gave way to compromise like auto tune, audio samples, and uninspiring beats.

In the words of Nightranger, “I CAN’T FIND ME A THRILL !!”. Oh tell me about it. And don’t get me started on my Chicago days and nosing around Wicker Park flipping thru stacks of awesome used CD’s at the Quaker Goes Deaf and Reckless Records. Those were my favorite stores and you would think I would have outgrown this phase. Why is it that I don’t find building house extensions for my dog exciting like the other guys in my morning business meetings? It is probably because I find that to be boring B.S. and lame as all get out. To me its about rock music and the more independent it is the better.

Detroit has lost many bookstores and used shops. Even the used shops aren’t taking any chances. The ones on Woodward avenue are featuring the usual suspects of rock and finding real independent sounds are very slim. You are almost better listening to Sirius radio and CBC for a glimmer of inspiration. If you are lucky and can walk thru the raindrops you will find some gems. You have to pay close attention an have a lot of faith.

That being said….. here are some great acts…….

THE UPPER CRUST

These guys came off like a hilarious novelty. They dress like turn of the century Parliament with powdered white wigs and frilly clothes and heeled boots. They hail from Boston and have a crunchy sound that grabs you by the lapels and shakes you viciously. The demand to be noticed. The early songs gave us, “Let Them Eat Rock” and, “Little Lord Fauntleroy” have an AC/DC quality about them. The lead singer Lord Bendover almost sounds like Bon Scott. That might be a stretch of the nylon stockings but there is snide in his stride.

It would be easy to laugh them off if they weren’t so damned entertaining. In age of digital samplers and auto tune hell you cannot mask true talent. These guys give it to you full force. Its a healthy sound and it just might save your life. The Upper Crust is more than novelty they are freaking entertaining and incredibly talented. They have quite a productive discography too. They have been doing more than powdering their wigs. The Upper Crust have been prolific and have given us eight recordings since 1995. Okay, so they aren’t the Beatles but man it is better that we have usually been getting so I suggest you take it.

What makes them such a great band? Lord Bendover says it best when he attributes it to, “Superior breeding and higher education”.

MAC SABBATH

You take a Quarter Pounder with Cheese and a Black Sabbath record and then you smash them together and what do you got? A big sticky broken mess of splintered vinyl? Heavens no. You get MAC SABBATH – one of the greatest parody bands ever invented. A band that remembers to actually entertain its audience and leave them begging for more. Who could resist such a taste tempting treat? On lead vocals you have Ronald Osbourne, ( Ronald McDonald meets the Exorcist ) and Slayer McCheese, (a frightening guitar virtuoso).

The stage show is something out of a Sid and Marty Kroft nightmare. Its like visiting the sound stage of an old McDonald’s TV commercial from the 1970’s. The songs are ripped right out of the Black Sabbath sound book. You got, “Sweet Beef” which is a parody of, “Sweet Leaf” and the musicianship is really right on the money. Always the crowd pleaser Ronald Osbourne delivers a howling song called,”More Ribs” which is a parody to, “War Pigs”. Ronald also delivers his interviews in a mock Ozzy Osbourne accent and is never truly serious. How can you be analytical about the business of parody while dressed up in pancake makeup and a clown suit?

The stage show is right on target. Osbourne doesn’t waste time with tambourines or clapping his hands. He opts instead for smacking two metal spatulas together to keep the beat. He sings like an off duty drill instructor on his day off but gives it real heart and guts. The music is tight and the drummer is all business in his Hamburglar outfit. The stage show has more puppets, and fun visuals while the sound is straight up rocking. They do tend to tour often and that is a good thing.

One recent sighting places MacSabbath at the Pike Room in Pontiac, Michigan. They have also been seen on Sirius XM radio for the Sam Robert’s Show.

ELVANA

There are some rock fans who lament over never seeing Elvis. There are others who troll on with an Emo existence because they never seen Nirvana. Each act carries their own fan base. It might be argued that neither one can appreciate eachother in quite the sameway. Hence, the wild fervor continues. Like a deep thirst that will never be quenched the devotion for Elvis and Nirvana continues. So how does one get to the bottom of it all? You celebrate both fan bases with one supersonic performer…. ELVANA !!

The main website for Mr. Entertainment tells us very little. In fact, it tells us nothing. There are is a list of upcoming shows and it appears that E is off having the time of his life in the Netherlands at the moment. He made a brief appearance at the Crofoot Ballroom in Pontiac, Michigan last May, (2019) but there is nothing about his odd origins. Well, we are just going to have to go with that and the applause of cheering fans on Youtube. No answers are possible right now since he has left the building.

LET THERE BE ROCK DETROIT!!