Retro: Kimmer |  |
- TIM HURLEY WRITES ABOUT THE MC5'S ROB TYNER TRIBUTE
- SCOTT BATEY: U2'S BONO AND BILL CLINTON
- RON ASHETON: FROSTBITER MOVIE SET
| TIM HURLEY WRITES ABOUT THE MC5'S ROB TYNER TRIBUTE Posted: 24 Oct 2011 04:27 PM PDT  HURLCO Joe finally got him to commit by appealing to his grandiosity. "C'mon Fred! You don't want Wayne to get all the glory do you?" That was the deal-maker. True story. Joe had the gift of being able to talk anyone into doing almost anything...and make them feel good about doing it. He set up the rehearsals at some studio in St. Clair Shores. Danny, Joey & I were all there when Fred came in 6 hours late, looking pretty rough. One of the musicians there (never one to mince words) said; "Damn Fred! You look like a zombie!" Fred smiled, looked me right in the eye and said; "Zombie". He always maintained a sardonic form of humor. There's no intent at all to disparage the memory of Fred. We Hurley Brothers loved him. He's our all time favorite. Many loved him. He felt comfortable enough around HURLCO to be who he was. Given our collective track records...who the hell are we maniacs to judge anyone? The four of them (Wayne Kramer, Dennis Thompson, Michael Davis & Fred Smith) finally had a rehearsal. They jammed for a tad, while reminding each other of the chords, changes and bridges. It was pretty awesome. We were to be seen and not heard. Joe was in complete control of (almost) everything. He kept "shushing Danny & I, shooting us The Look.  Fred Sonic Smith Throughout that long day & night, Joe was a veritable tsunami, paying attention to every little detail. The band asked Joe if HURLCO could-man up at the State Theater to serve as security in the dressing room and especially, stage left. How long do you think it took for us to think about that request? It was a lot of fun. At his request, we draped an American Flag over Michael's amp. In preparation for this historical gig, Danny & I took a white Stratocaster, painted it like a flag and took it the the theater. We placed it like the magic guitar pic of Tenacious D in the "D"on a stand next to Wayne's Amp. Though he did not play it, Wayne was cool enough to ride with it.  Joe Hurley and Scott Morgan The crowd went berserk when we set that symbol from a period of innocence up on that stage. Dennis came in locked, cocked and ready to rock dressed cool metro. The only real downer was Fred's poor health. A reporter from the Detroit News was there in the wings, waiting for them to take the stage and asked what the hold-up was. I said Fred needs to be in a hospital, not onstage..."But don't print that". I'd love to get the video clip of that night. It's floating around out there somewhere & very historic. Once the band made it onstage, the sold-out crowd went ballistic.Wayne's sharing about reclaiming lost brothers was especially poignant. "Black To Comm" was a real unexpected treat. Musically, it was OK. Nothing bombastic. But I don't really think anyone expected a Resurrection of the Grande'. Every old hippie and retired White Panther came out of retirement for this one last gig. On that level, it was a rousing success. On the level of blood brothers in a stormy night with a vow to defend, it was transcendental. By November of 1994, Fred would pass and I'd be locked up on the north side of Jackson State Prison, for committing just seven measly robberies. Oakland County certainly has no sense of humor about such shenanigans. Brother Dan sent a letter informing me of Fred's demise. I recall reading it in One Block on the 3rd tier, just over the showers.  Wayne Kramer My eyes welled with tears. It's hard for most to understand, though I'm sure Big Rich gets it. The music of the MC5 & Sonic's Rendezvous Band provided the Hurley family with the bulk of our life soundtrack while growing up. No wonder we ended up...aw' just kidding. Funny how all these years later, the music that really keeps this lamp is acoustic gospel, though I've been listening to the SRB set from Lamphere High School in 1977 that Joe recorded without any authorization. In particular, Joey can be heard screaming "Awlrite Sonic! Empty Heart! RocknRoll!" during the cut, "Succeed". Whenever Joe got behind something, he really got behind it. That Lamphere gig was another conception of his and everyone knew it. All these years later, it's great to hear my little brother in the absolute prime of his life, out-shouting everyone in the auditorium. While incarcerated, Dan sent a picture from the Tyner Tribute of Wayne wailing onstage with while I crouched in the corner next to his amp. Wayne signed it; "They can't stop the clock!" Truer words were never spoken. For reasons unknown to me, cats like Fred, Joe & others never make it. Grace is a funny thing. All I know is to be grateful for every day of freedom from the cold, hard, external metal bars of the Jackson Cage & any self-constructed internal bars of active addiction. God and others know that I pulled more shit than Joey ever dreamed of. Consequently, that's why I really don't subscribe to the notion of karma. On that scale, Joe should still be here...not moi'. Many thanks to (survivor/friend/brother) Rich Dorris for initially recording and then sending this clip almost 20 years after-the-fact. You were good to Joey. He really liked you. That was the essence of his nature. If you were in...you were in. He protected his friendship with a pit bull tenacity. For better or worse, Joey always had your back and was in the zone that cold February night at the State Theater. He was in rare form...his element. I love how he appears at the 1:34 mark of this clip in his beret to say; "Rich...Dan....stay alive with the MC5". He was the only one to not drop the "F" bomb. The way he immediately ducks out of camera range is so Joey. He was on a mission from God & a very busy little beaver that night. What a handsome, lovable man. O' how I wish what he proclaimed to the camera to be true...that he was still with us. Moments like that with Joe were so special. Coming up on the 5th anniversary of death, my heart was to share one of those blazing moments of intensity with Joey.... when all was right in the universe. We will once again jam in our Father's house my brother. Shine on you crazy diamond.  All my love, Joseph Patrick Brother Tim Enjoy the clip, pics and know this is the heart of a bro still working through the grief. Besides, Sr. Pat, Nora & others keep buggin' me to write a blog. (DISCLAIMER: If repeated drops of the "F" bomb bother you, then don't watch this. There's really nothing profane. It's the rally cry lexicon of us who were there so relax) KOTJ! Tim Hurley  |
| SCOTT BATEY: U2'S BONO AND BILL CLINTON Posted: 24 Oct 2011 08:33 AM PDT   Bill Clinton and Bono  Bono.. Lady Gaga.. Kenny Chesney U2's relationship with former President Bill Clinton goes back to 1992 when U2 were in the midst of the ZOO TV tour supporting Achtung Baby. Every night on the tour, Bono, dressed as his alter ego, the devilish "MacPhisto" would call the White House from the stage and ask to speak to then President George H.W. Bush. AP PHOTOS  "MacPhisto" Bono's conversation with the White House receptionist would be played over the sound system so the entire audience could hear and before too long the White House receptionist would come to expect a phone call from Bono, er MacPhisto. After receiving his party's nomination for the Presidency, a perceptive and politically brilliant Bill Clinton capitalized on Bush's refusal to speak with Bono, to the ears of the 20,000-80,000 people who attended the ZOO TV shows, by calling in the radio show RockLine when U2 were hosting and a friendship was formed.  At one of Clinton's Inauguration balls in January 1993 which was televised on MTV, the other half of U2, Larry Mullen, Jr. and Adam Clayton joined Michael Stipe and Mike Mills from R.E.M to form a band called "Automatic Baby" (at the time R.E.M had released "Automatic for the People" and U2 had "Achtung Baby") where they played the U2 song "One". As an aside for real music fans, Michael Stipe also joined the 10,000 Maniacs for a rousing version of Lulu's "To Sir With Love". Over the last 19 years Clinton has attended a number of U2 shows and visited with them when possible. In November 2004 Bono and Edge also played the opening of the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park in Little Rock, Arkansas so it came as no surprise when they again appeared to support former President Clinton for his 65th birthday. Bono and Edge closed the show with a seven-song setlist: "Desire," "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," "A Man And A Woman," "Sunday Bloody Sunday," "Staring At The Sun," "One," and "Miss Sarajevo." A string section was brought to the stage for the last three songs in the set. The set list was much to be expected of an acoustic set with one exception, the song "A Man and A Woman" off 2004's "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" was played for the first time live. This was an interesting and daring choice considering that Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton and their well publicized marital problems were sitting in the first row. The song is about how painful relationships are and how there is often hurt and pain, but that true love will endure with the chorus discussing "the mysterious distance between a Man and a Woman ." And while all of this is good and nice and probably true, and they probably performed it in attempt to illustrate that despite their rocky relationship, Bill and Hillary's true love has endured, I thought it was a strange selection and instead put a spotlight on the infidelity their marriage has suffered. Bono also pointed out that President Clinton was probably the most loved American President in Bono's country of Ireland, other than JFK. He also acknowledged Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her efforts overseas. The other songs were well rehearsed and performed as can be seen on You Tube. Scott Batey  |
| RON ASHETON: FROSTBITER MOVIE SET Posted: 23 Oct 2011 08:27 PM PDT  Jake with one of the film's rifles My friend Dee and I went to open jam night at the Tap Room last Thursday and we met Matt Mruzek and Jake O'Quinn. Both young musicians on hand to jam. After their set I was chatting with Jake and somehow it came up that his Grandfather Bill Siemers was the director/producer of 2 of the films Ron Asheton acted in... Jake also told me that some of the original Frostbiter movie props were still in the basement of the old school house he and his band mates live/rehearse in.  Dig the suit of armor behind me... A chilling testament to the evil of a deadly creature of the North. According to Native American lore, it will rise to strike terror into the hearts of those who desecrate its resting place!  High power rifle Ron used in Frostbiter In the spirit of Evil Dead 2, with music from Ron Asheton (Iggy and the Stooges) and Elvis Hitler, Frostbiter brings the Wrath of the Wendigo to hideous, terrifying life. A pair of hunters find themselves on the run from a predator no park ranger could warn them about!  Door that Ron walked through An evil force called the Wendigo has been killing any human unfortunate enough to cross its path, until a hunter called The Guardian faces down the beast and traps him in a mystic circle made from the bones of his victims.  Piano that Ron loved to play However, two careless hunters looking for deer accidentally shoot the Guardian, and stumble upon the magic circle. Suddenly the Wendigo has been released, and they find themselves on the run from the beast. As they try to think of a way to keep the creature at bay, they are met by a strange woman who claims she can stop the Wendigo. One of the hapless hunters was Ron Asheton, known to rock fans as the guitarist with pioneering rock band The Stooges.  Close up of keyboard  Stove from the Frostbiter film So we decided to take a ride out and see this cool old school house. I also wanted to film Matt and Jake playing music too.  School House where Frostbiter was filmed Check this video I shot today with Matt on his sea foam green Stratocaster and Jake on Mandolin.... We also filmed a little harder rocking tune for video.....  I wanted to run off with old Jack Daniels box...  Jake's grandfather Bill Siemers on far left  Matt and Jake Matt, Jake and I did a little interview which is fun....  Jake O'Quinn Kimmer and Matt Mruzek ****Special thanks to my dear friend Dee for transportation and thanks Jace you did a fantastic job as camera tech and playing Bass.....*****  Dee Gilbert  Jake Jace and Matt Thanks so much to Jake for the big tour and history of Ron Asheton filming here and Matt is was a pleasure seeing you again and watching you both play such great music.... You can download Matt Mruzek's "Speak My Heart" click the triangle below READ MORE ON RK Ron Asheton LA Tribute Ron Asheton Died Ron Asheton  |
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