MC5 GATEWAY
presents
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THE CENSORED STORY OF
MC5 GROUPIESA
TESTIMONIAL FROM OUR SISTERS:
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THE
MC5 HAD, IN ITS HEYDAY, A LEGENDARY SQUADRON
OF GROUPIES WHO LIVED, BREATHED AND OTHERWISE SPENT A SIGNIFICANT PORTION
OF LIFE ON EARTH WORSHIPPING THE BAND. CHIEF AMONG
THEM WERE THE LOCAL LEGENDS,
THE HIGHLAND PARK STOMPERS . . . KEN KELLEY in Addicted To Noise |
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DENNIS THOMPSON , JOHN
SINCLAIR , ROB TYNER , MICHAEL DAVIS - PHOTO : LENI
SINCLAIR
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THE MC5 HAD THIS INCREDIBLE FAN BASE ... IT WAS A GROUP OF GIRLS THAT STARTED OUT AND CALLED THEMSELVES THE "GRANDE STOMPERS," AND THEY WERE LIKE THE STORMTROOPERS FOR THE MC5. THEY WOULD HITCHHIKE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINTER. WHEREVER THE MC5 PLAYED, THEY WOULD BE THERE BREAKING THE ICE, STARTING TO DANCE, GETTING THE AUDIENCE INVOLVED, FEEDING THE BAND AND GETTING THEM HIGH AND TAKING CARE OF THEM ALL THE NEEDS ... (LAUGHS) I MEAN, THESE PEOPLE WERE AMAZING. AND THEY CONTRIBUTED A LOT TO THE BAND'S SUCCESS. |
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LESLIE HANKEY , SUZY CHAMPION , LINDA ST AUBIN , VICKY HALL , JANIS JOHNS , SANDY PHILLIPS & MARSHA |
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JOANNA:
My sister, Lilli and I
were part of a group of girls that loved you guys. Remember the "Stompers".
We hitch hiked all over Michigan, Windsor, Ohio, and Illinois to get to
your gigs. What fun we had. I lost touch, but decided to listen to the
old CD's today, and wondered if there would be anything on the web. WOW.
Will any of the guys be in St.Petersburg or Tampa in the next year to
play? I would love to come. I am so glad that the real musicians appreciate
what you guys create, and played. In my mind, NO ONE was better than the
MC5.
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WE HAD SO MUCH FUN AND WE WERE FEARLESS AND WE LOVED THE MC5 BECAUSE THEY WERE THE BEST MUSICIANS. I GUESS YOU COULD SAY THEY MATCHED OUR ENERGY LEVEL AND CREATIVITY. | ||
We did not have a "club"
like you would understand a club to be. We
had no publications, no membership requirements except to love the MC5
and their music, and to be fearless.
We were the best of friends. I, Lilli (my sister), Leslie, Susie, Linda, were the first "members" and the first to start hitch hiking to their far away gig in other towns. And we were always at the Grande gigs. Later, Vicky, and Janice became stompers. There were some other girls that came once in a while, but they were not as addicted as we were. My sister and I did live in Highland Park, and all the girls stayed over at my house. My mom was so cool. I know now that she must have worried, but she was very understanding. At that time, I was the leader, probably because I was the oldest and bravest. |
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I can't remember if John Sinclair named us or Rob. It was one of them. I really don't know. Sometimes I think it was Rob and other times I think it was Sinclair. I think we got tagged the "Stompers" about a year after being their groupies. | ||
I was looking at all the gigs they did on the TIMELINE , I didn't see the one they did at a high school in Garden City, MI. It must have been in late 1966 or early 1967 because it was when I first started to go see them. Sue Champion and I went together. But I can't remember the date or who they played with. I wonder if anyone else remembers that gig. Of course I remember the place because I really got to know Rob and the others better. They were so real. Suzie was with me, and came back stage with me. | ||
JEFFERSON
AIRPLANE * RATIONALS * APOSTLES * MC-5 * OURSELVESFORD
AUDITORIUM DETROIT
1967
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I
think the Dave Clark Five played the Ford Auditorium... when I was a very
young teen. I remember the stage, the seats and music. I remember as I
was leaving, turning around outside the Ford Auditorium and saying ,"This
is a great place to see a band." When
they played at the Ford, I don't think we knew them well. But that didn't
stop us, we still went backstage uninvited. Sometimes I think back, and
I think that was one of the things the MC5 liked about us. |
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WOW. No distance was to great. And another time, 4 of us took a bus to New York City, saw them play, then followed them to Connecticut (hitch hiking of course). It was winter. Finding places to sleep was the biggest challenge, but we didn't care. It was fun and we love the MC5. |
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Leslie
Hankey, Linda St.Aubin, Marsha (can't remember her last name) and myself
all went. We had so much fun on the bus, and when we got off the bus at
the station, we did like we always did, we walked all the way the the
east side and found out where the Fillmore East was. We got there early,
so we walked around the east side. Many people warned us that it was not
a safe neighborhood, but we were not afraid. We had very little money,
and shared the little bit of food we could buy. Finally that night we
went to the Fillmore. They let us in because the 5 had told them we were
with them. What I remember most is how frightened the 5 were that the
whole thing was going to blow up and that people might get hurt. We were
back stage and the 5 told us they were scared for us! Leslie had spoke
with John Sinclair. He and the 5 were looking for a safe place to get
us to. We didn't want to leave until they played their gig. After all,
that was the whole reason for the trip. The crowd was violent acting and
abusive. I really thought some of the knives I saw would be used on the
5 and ourselves. I really admired the guys when they did their set anyway,
under all that pressure. Rob and Wayne did an excellent job of being true
to themselves and yet calming the "natives" down long enough to finish
the gig. The crowd was angry, but couldn't remain angry for long with
the band playing. You could tell the crowd loved the music, but they wanted
a fight. Well, eventually the music ended, the boys put us in a car with
someone they trusted and we stayed at someone's apartment. We told the
band that night that we would see them the two nights in Connecticut.
We hitch hiked, of course, to the gigs.
(Get the whole story of "The Battle Of New York" by Ben Edmonds in Mojo magazine issue 106, September 2002 / Check also "Riots I Have Known and Loved" reprinted here ©2002 by Wayne Kramer) |
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They would be so
blown away when they would come out on stage in a far away city and see
us there. I remember that we would ride in their cold equipment truck
for a ride home. Sometimes we partied after the gigs. We
haven't any photos or papers from that time. I wish I did. We were living
in the moment and didn't stop to think that we should record some of it.
I remember Leni [Sinclair] taking the pictures. I wondered how she could
focus on taking the pictures when the music was so awesome. I'm glad she
did.
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We
were not organized in any way. In fact, Janis Johns was the only one who
took pictures, and that was because she got the film and developing for
free from the store she worked at. I must tell you that
going thru the process of remembering those times made me remember who
I was then. And even though I'm a little bit wiser now, I lost something
when I left and started my life with my first husband. And just thinking
about it has made me want to be who I was, or is it, who I am? I was independent,
fearless, a leader, and bold. I just wanted you to know that this has
been a good thing for me. And now my grown up children know how cool their
mom was.
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When
we first started to go see them at their home, it was the apartment at
Forest and Warren. We may have seen them play a gig a few times before
they moved there, but I don't remember. We lived in Harrison Township,
near Mt. Clemens and then moved to Highland Park, which made it really
easy to see them.
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I only saw the MC5 practice once or twice, but I do remember clearly that they were relaxed and showed mutual respect for each other. They practiced with one goal, make good music. Rob and Wayne seemed to be the leaders, but in no way acted bossy. Michael was always quiet. Fred could be moody, up and down, but always an excellent musician. It seemed to me that Dennis worked hard and stayed on task. Of course, most of us were high, which made things peaceful and relaxed. Practices tended to bore me. I always wanted them to play a whole song, just like on the stage, but that's not what practice is. It is repeating and repeating until you get it somewhere to the place you want it to be. I was very naive. | ||
THE
AUDIENCE : "It was kids - some of them were in high school or
college, some of them had jobs, some of them couldn't find jobs for all
I know. But it was kids - under 25, probably mostly under 21 you know.
The local hipsters liked the band, if they liked rock'n'roll at all, but
it was 1200 kids or whatever at the Grande - there weren't enough hipsters
to fill a good-sized two story house, I don't think." - Dave
Marsh - PHOTO
: EMIL
BACILLA |
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Joanna : It seems to me that we started to go see them when I was 16 because I had a driver's license and we had started to go down to "Plum St." We went in and out of shops where we purchased incense, candles, beads, papers, and newsletters put out by Trans Love Energies (Sinclair's publications). We found out about the Grande and the MC5. We were all in high school. Lillian, my sister, was 3 years younger, but she was still apart of our group. Sandy Phillips was my age. Leslie Hankey, Suzy Champion, Linda St. Aubin and Janis Johns were all a year younger. I guess because I was the oldest and did all the driving that first year, I was the natural leader, all though all of us were bold and fearless. Later a girl named Vicky Hall, from Detroit's east side joined us. Another girl, Marsha, that we met when we followed the band up to Bay City, ran away from home and lived with me and my family. Most of us went to a high school called L'Anse Cruese, with the exception of Vicky, Leslie, and Marsha. It was near Mt. Clemens, Michigan. My mom later divorced and moved us to Highland Park. Well, all the girls hung out at our house, so I guess that's why we were called the Highland Park Stompers. It was really great because no one told us what to do. We didn't have boy friends at that time, so we did what we wanted to. Even the MC5 had no control over us. | ||
We would find
out where they were playing and do what ever it took to get there. Sometimes
we were lucky and we had use of a car (my mom's , Leslie's dad). We couldn't
get enough of their music. Some of the girls loved to get high and did.
I did occasionally, (you weren't cool if you didn't) but I didn't really
need to. Once they started their set, I was flying. I wish I could share that with you. It seemed as if their music came down off the stage and filled us. We danced, twirled, bounced and lost ourselves in their music. We dressed outlandishly. In fact the more out there we were with our clothes, the better we felt. And the MC5 loved our freedom. We represented what they sang about. We, of course, never wore bras and practically no make up. Sometimes the only things we had on were a T-shirt, jeans and sandals. We all had long hair and liked to wear mini skirts. We are the girls Rob wrote about in the remake of "Kick out the Jams." We didn't have boyfriends. The MC5 were all we wanted. No one performed like they did. And we saw all the best of Detroit and what the Grande had. Don't get me wrong. We loved some of the acts that came over. But no one did it better than the MC5. We were MC5 fanatics. I always say that the MC5 made me a music snob. After them, it was hard to find an equal. |
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It seems funny to be called a group of fans, but I understand why you would call us that. What we really were was a group of very wild, very creative, fearless, love to dance chicks who had no sexual hang-ups. We loved good rock and roll music, getting high, and sex. We were loyal to each other too. I don't think I could have said that when I was raising my children, but now that they are adults, I don't care. | ||
I
am not aware of any official MC5
fan club. As for me, I was having too good of a time with the
MC5 to run a club. < < Detroit Social and Athletic Club advert : I vaguely remember the name, but we just laughed at it because we knew we were the "Stompers." That name may have gone to some chicks that were from Grosse Pointe that followed the MC5 briefly. I'm not sure. |
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LENI SINCLAIR - PHOTO
: JACK COMBS
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I didn't realize that anyone would remember us. After all, we were only the fans, not the band. I sure hope Leni has some pictures with us in them --- Leni was always very kind to us girls and treated us with respect. I really liked her. The only actual filmings that I remember were at the place I thought was the Silver Bell, and of course, the Grande recording. Leni had a camera all the time, but it wasn't always a film camera. MC-5,STOOGES,DHARMA ,BOTTLE COMPANY THE SILVERBELL - CLARKSTON MI WINTER 1968 Ask someone if they remember someone filming them at this concert. I do because I remember thinking that the lights needed for the filming disrupted their performance. The band did complain about the heat under the lights and I think it was at Silver Bell. Also I remember John, JC and Rob telling us girls about how teenagers used to dance in the late 1950s. John and Rob were laughing so hard. It was fun! |
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I remembered a few more cities that we saw the MC5 in. I went to the timeline to check the dates. They are the Hideout in Grosse Pointe, May 31, 1968, Caseville, June 6, 1968, Tecumseh June 26, 1968, and Benton Harbor June 1968. It's so much fun remembering all those fun times. I really did not realize how often we went to see the band, but when you started putting it all together for me it sure added up. | ||
April 7, 1968 / The Who, Troggs, MC-5, RajaCNE Coliseum - Toronto - CanadaWe hitch hiked Sandy, Leslie & Me. Very cool concert. May 31, 1968 / MC-5, The Third PowerHIDEOUT in Grosse Pointe (East) 400 people attending June 1968 / MC5Sarnia Arena - OntarioHitch hiked up I94 and across the bridge in Port Huron over to Sarnia - Leslie, Sandy, Me. July 4, 1968 / MC-5Saugatuck Pop Festival3000 people attending. WHAT A BLAST. There were six of us in Janis John's Volkswagen! We rented a small room for all six of us. No one had much money. Leslie and Marsha brought some LSD for us. On the way to the concert we were air drying our jeans by hanging them out the windows. The band was glad to see us. We got high and the concert was great. The MC5 blew every other band away. What a great time!
Joanna: It is amazing that you found the account of what happened at the Loft. Yes indeed it was the Stompers. We couldn't believe what was happening. John's account of it is very accurate. We were pushed down the stairs. When I got home that night I tried to contact a local news station but had no luck. Later John asked Leslie and me to testify in court for him and Fred. We went to the attorney's office in downtown Detroit. We went to the trial. I think only Leslie was asked to testify. August
25, 1968 / MC-5FESTIVAL
OF LIFELincoln
Park - Chicago,
Illinois
(Well-known
MC5 gig during the '68
Democratic Convention) MC5 first album "KICK OUT THE JAMS" is released in early 1969 JOANNA : ... I did buy their single out of a sense of duty. I can't remember which one, but I loved seeing them live so much that the record didn't do much for me. I wish I had it today. When I left home, my mom threw out all my old singles and albums. MakeMyDay : Talking about the records ... I first experienced the music of the MC5 through their first and live album, thanks to a friend who owned a huge collection of records. When I first listened to KICK OUT THE JAMS I admit that it 'scared' me! Yes, it was the weirdest stuff I have ever experienced in music! It was very weird to me but attracting too.... JOANNA : ....You said something that has me puzzled. What scared you about the MC5 music? Let me know, because that is one feeling I never experienced when I listened to them. That may be because I saw them live. I don't know. I am curious. MakeMyDay : Well.... the sound, the songs, all that feedback, the whole stuff was very very raw ; I never heard anything like that before. It took some time for me to 'enter' their music, especially KICK OUT THE JAMS. First, I did not like it that much since I wasn't even able to listen to it from the beginning to the end! I remember listening to one or two songs ... then 3 ... and then the whole A side... before trying the B side... Frankly I am dubious when someone says that he/she fell in love with the MC5 just after hearing their album KICK OUT THE JAMS !!?! On the other hand HERE IS the magic of the Five ; I was ATTRACTED by their music. Yes, something captivated me. Something that was magic, the energy, an incredible energy, even though I thought the whole thing was taken in an 'unhealthy', dangerous feeling. "This bunch of guys must've been dangerous !..." Today when I listen to J.C.'s RAP it still gives me "goose pimples." THE POWER. Their music is powerful. That's it. Many years later, I would be into early Free Jazz thanks to the MC5 although I was listening to classic jazz years before that, when I considered that bebop was the ultimate avant-garde in jazz ... JOANNA : I
am so glad you told me why the MC5 scared you. I can understand that. So many times I found myself
bored with other bands. Of course, now I feel like I was too picky, and
should have appreciated the efforts all the other bands made. Want to
know how addicted I was to their music? I actually thought Bob Seger,
Ted Nugent, and dare I say it, Iggy Stooge were shallow and under energized. My brother went with me when the MC5 played at the Michigan State Fair grounds. He was about 7, and sat up on the stage, on the side. No one minded because he was so fascinated by the music and musicians. He saw all the acts, and he still remembers some of it. I was so glad to be able to take him to hear the music. I still think that concert made my brother love rock and roll. |
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Does anyone else remember the Battle of the Bands, which included the Five and Seger? It wasn't even a contest. Seger just didn't have the energy level that the MC5 had. Later it hurt me that Seger went on and the MC5 ended. I listened to Seger now and then, and appreciate his Detroit roots and the memories his music brings back, but if you would have heard them both live on the stage you would have to agree with me. The MC5 ruled! Can I tell you something funny? The Stompers loved it when the boys ripped their pants on stage! Wayne and Rob ripped their pants all the time. Funny, huh? Their girl friends sewed their outfits, which were awesome, but the fabric couldn't take that kind of abuse. Lucky for us! |
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Before I close, I wanted to mention that I remembered other cities that we saw the MC5 play in. Some of them are Ann Arbor, Romeo, The East Detroit Theater, East Side Crow's Nest, and I mentioned the State Fair gig that we took my little brother too ... and also : June
26, 1968 in Tecumseh, MI Were you there too ? Do not hesitate to add any commentaries to this or post a testimonial at makemyday@free.fr |
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Photo : Leni
Sinclair "...they
are not watching the MC5; they are watching the UP play. That was at a
free concert in Ann Arbor, Michigan in '68 or '69." Two stompers,
next to them, B. Edmonds and J. Sinclair
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Joanna : 2 of my Stomper buddies are on this picture. The girl in the very front, with the long brown hair is Vicki Hall, and the blonde next to her is Leslie Hankey. Wow. You have proof. Besides me, these two girls were the most devoted, crazy girls who loved the MC5 with all their hearts. | ||
Some of the photos made me laugh. Especially the ones taken of me the day of my high school graduation. June 1969. I looked so straight and conservative. That's the way my dad wanted me to be, so I made him happy that day. I was NOT like that. If fact, the night of graduation, I partied all night long. But I could sure fool anyone looking at me in a cap and gown. Even though I have had blonde hair for most of my adult life, and I don't see myself as a brunette anymore, Wayne, Michael and Dennis will remember me with these pictures. The only things missing in the pictures are the wild clothes, beads, and cigarettes that we were always smoking. '
The move to Ann Arbor ' Hamburg is where I only
went once. I got drunk on wine and drove for 2 hours back to my house-
I blacked out... I am still thankful that I didn't hurt or kill anyone.
I never drove drunk again. It really scared me and I was glad to be alive.
What I remember most when I visited was that although they were glad to
see me and very nice, I could sense that things were going wrong. I didn't
know what. I was just a good fan. I remember someone was doing speed.
It may have been Mike Quatro. I can't remember. They were talking about
how funny a speed freak acted. It was so tense. Rob hid in his bedroom
most of the time. He and Becky were expecting their first child. Everyone
was so "uptight." I couldn't believe it. I started to feel sad. I wondered
if that happened to all bands that began to have success. Psychologically,
I was their "cheerleader" not their "coach". I offered no advice and asked
no questions. I was afraid for them, but helpless to change anything.
That's why I never went back. I had loved going to Warren & Forest, and
the Hill Street house. I call those "the good old day."
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' Stopped seeing them '
I stopped going to see the band sometime after February 1970 because I had married and my then husband was jealous of the MC5 and the Stompers. He asked me to stop, so I did. He knew I cared for [the Five] and he felt threatened. He knew I was devoted to the Stompers. Maybe he was right, but I sure missed all the fun. The rest of the Stompers kept going, all though life was pushing it's way into their lives too. All these years, I remember those times with [the Five]. I was really sad when I found out Rob passed away. |
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SEND YOUR REACTIONS, ADDITIONS, CORRECTIONS TO FRANCOIS@MC5.ORG I wish to acknowledge the help given me by former Highland Park Stomper JOANNA RYAN who contributed generously to this article. Also I wish to thank LENI SINCLAIR for taking the time to search through her archives to provide us with great pictures - & thanks to Mike Mitch. ©2004 by Francois Hostal for MakeMyDay / MC5 Gateway SAME ADDRESS TO CONTACT JOANNA ROB "HE DID 'GET DOWN ' WHEN THE MUSIC GOT RIGHT " TYNER AND A GIRL FROM THE AUDIENCE , PROBABLY DURING THE SONG "I WANT YOU (RIGHT NOW)" - PHOTO : UNKNOWN |
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