14/05/2009
Working Band, Band Working
Detroit has a fairly consistent history of ignoring bands people elsewhere seem to like. There are plenty of stories of the Stooges and MC5 getting responses from Detroit crowds that varied between hostile and apathetic. Eventually, those bands became the model for a lot of Detroit kids who’s parents were the ones ignoring those bands, this is ironic, but maybe not very important.
The White Stripes picked up steam touring with other bands in opening slots and with releases on Kill Rock Stars. The national press broke “White Blood Cells” here just like they did everywhere else. Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t remember them being particularly embraced before that album. You might argue their work to that point didn’t deserve local celebrity and that Detroit along with everyone else was just ready for Jack and Meg when they dropped that memorable album.
The list goes on, Alice Cooper, Eminem, hell Kid Rock couldn’t get noticed outside of Mount Clemens even when he was spinning for Carson Daly on MTV. But they all broke big and then were warmly embraced by their hometown. Local artists that turn their noses up at those names would pop a boner if any showed up at their Wed. night Lager House gig.
Bob Seger and the Insane Clown Posse are the only ones I can really think of that were famous locally and then famous nationally (maybe Grand Funk and the Nuge too). You could argue that Seger isn’t appreciated or ICP understood outside of the mitten to this day.
I’m thinking about this because I’ve been thinking about Bump. A band that has virtually nothing in common with any of the bands I mentioned above. But they are from Detroit and I think Detroit would like them better if they were from somewhere else. I could have substituted about a half dozen other touring bands from Detroit in place of Bump, but they’re having their CD release this Saturday at the Stick, so they’re my example.
We’re a funny town. We say we value hard work, but we don’t like trying “too hard”. Promotion and professionalism make us nervous, but we sign off on arrogance and braggadocio as having “attitude”.
Take the Metrotimes review of Bump’s new album Forward. Brett Callwood makes some decent points on the album and concludes that it lacks passion. Personally, I’d question whether or not the recording captures the band’s passion — but I don’t think he’s out of line with his conclusion. He didn’t love what he heard and he wrote that in his critique.
But a lot of the review is dedicated to the press release. I’d agree that Bump doesn’t sound like Bowie, as a pull quote in the release suggests. But the subtext here is that Bump shouldn’t have a press release, because that’s pretentious bullshit that bands from LA do. Again, I’m not trying to single out Callwood, I just think his review is indicative of an attitude that is prevalent around these parts.
It’s an attitude that says bands like Bump shouldn’t go on tour for 3 months at a clip and play to rooms full of non-Detroiters. It’s an attitude that questions how did this band plays bigger rooms in Detroit when “I” didn’t see them first at some dive. They sure as hell shouldn’t be getting airplay on the River between Sam Roberts and Sheryl Crow — though how would I know since in my car I only listen to 3rd gen hardcore mix tapes I scored at the Salvation Army.
It’s an attitude that says you succeed because you have raw talent that gets recognized by the powers that be and plucked up by a major. You don’t quit your day job and go on the road and pay your dues, because you don’t have to. You hit the proverbial rock lotto (not the earth day event) and cash in. Hard work doesn’t enter the equation until you want to discuss how hard you worked in your “Behind the Music”.
Maybe this attitude’s everywhere. I wouldn’t know, I’m not from everywhere.
I’m not saying you have to like Bump, anymore then you have to like Deastro, the Stooges, Rare Earth or the Dirtbombs.
I am suggesting that if Bump is the kind of band you would like or could like, go see them and ask yourself, if they were from Topeaka or Glasgow, what would I think of them.
Bump plays with My Dear Disco and the Back Off Saturday May, 16 at the Magic Stick.
Text posted at 12:35
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