The parallels between Detroit and the UK’s second city are really quite striking, both are blue collar conurbations and delivered a hard edged sound that was shaped by an industrial cityscape. However, Michigan had ingredients that Birmingham lacked, namely an overseas conflict and the Civil Rights movement. Due to social inequalities and over zealous policing, Detroit was a tinderbox just waiting for a flame, and the spark was provided by countless bands who became conduits for the upheaval that was crackling the air. Motor City Is Burning: A Michigan Anthology 1965-1972 is a mammoth set that evidences a diverse music scene that was united by a revolutionary spirit. The sounds contained within are incendiary, so handle with care.

Largely running chronologically, the first disc treats us to sublime sounds that are straight out of the garage. Forged in the same foundry as the Nuggets compilation, this is a fuzzed-up brand of rock that places its foot right on the distortion pedal; it is proto-punk in the truest sense and, with everything boiled down into its purest form, delivers a set of songs that are devoid of any filler. Yet, it also avoids east categorisation and subsequently we get a moody version of ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ by Terry Knight & The Pack which brings to the surface the anti-materialistic message hidden on the original whilst The Rationals serve up a spiky and angular version of The Kinks’ ‘I Need You’. As a collective whole, these songs were the complete antithesis to those found in the Billboard charts and therein lies their revolutionary spirit. There was a do-it-yourself ethos to these groups which wrestled back the means of production and acted as a portent for punk that’d come to prominence a decade later.

If there was one band who epitomised the explosive, no nonsense brand of rock for which Detroit became famous then it was surely The Stooges who were led by the irrepressible Iggy Pop. They bookend this collection with ‘1969’ and ‘I Got A Right’ and two more rebel rousing anthems you’ll never hear. Along with MC5 (who follow ‘1969’ with their own call-to-action ‘Teenage Lust’) they were largely responsible for giving Detroit its reputation and magnetic pull. Listening to this second disc, it is patently obvious while New Yorkers Kiss were so enamoured (writing ‘Detroit Rock City’ and partly recording their classic Alive album there) while the Alice Cooper band (represented here with ‘Halo Of Flies’) relocated to Detroit from their native Arizona. Listening to this disc straight after the first gives an indication of how quickly that “Detroit sound” evolved from three-minute thrashings to progressive rockers by Frijid Pink, Grand Funk Railroad and the aforementioned Alice Cooper. Yet what unites all these songs is a certain energy and no matter in what guise they appear, they push the needles firmly into the red.

After the all-guitars-blazing aesthetic of the first two discs, the third eases into a more measured groove. That’s not to say it is any less explosive, far from it, only it attacks from a different angle and a prime example would be The Temptations. They predate most of the bands on the first two discs and open the third with ‘Ball Of Confusion (That’s What The World Is Today)’ and it was a damning indictment of the state of the planet. Many might not think of Motown as a political record label, yet The Temptations put any such notions to rest and their contribution with an adept piece of social commentary. The heavy funk found on Chairmen Of The Board’s ‘Hanging On To A Memory’ is just as powerful as anything The Stooges released and proves that there’s more than one way to skin a cat. There’s still plenty here to attract fans of rock such as Warlock (not to be confused with the ‘80s metal band) and a funky version of ‘Gimme Shelter’ by Ruth Copeland to close proceedings, making a fine counterpoint to ‘Satisfaction’ on the first disc and bringing things nicely full circle.

With a war raging in Vietnam and the streets of Detroit equally ravaged, Motor City Is Burning: A Michigan Anthology 1967-1972 tells a social history in a way that mere words never could and found a host of bands pouring fuel on the fire and fanning the flames.

• Motor City Is Burning: A Michigan Anthology 1967-1972 is released via Cherry Red Records on 21st March 2025.

Track List:

Disc One:

1. ? & The Mysterians – 96 Tears
2. Jenny Take A Ride! – Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels
3. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction – Terry Knight & The Pack
4. Next To Your Fire – The Pack
5. Mystery Man (Demo Version) – Dick Wagner & The Frost
6. Baby Won’t You Let Me Tell You How I Lost My Mind – The Spike Drivers
7. It’s Too Late – The Pedestrians
8. Who Do You Love – The Woolies
9. Mo Jo Hannah – The Underdogs
10. I’m So Glad – The Scot Richard Case
11. I Need You – The Rationals
12. She Makes Me Happy – The Shaggs
13. Where You Gonna Go? – The Unrelated Segments
14. Tell Me Why Your Light Shines – The Lykes Of Us
15. Action! (Speaks Louder Than Words) – Tidal Waves
16. Mystic Cloud – The Pagens
17. Things Are Different Now – The Innsmen
18. Night Walkin’ – The Unknown
19. Don’t Put Me On – The King’s Court
20. Till Tomorrow – House Of Commons
21. A Winner Never Quits – The Solitary Confinement
22. Help Me Find Myself – The Troyes
23. Christianne – The Hearsemen
24. Come See About Me – Dearborn City Limits
25. Outside Woman Blues – Felix
26. Stranded In The Jungle – The Apostles
27. Somehow – The Thyme
28. I’m Alive – Tommy James & The Shondells

Disc Two:

1. 1969 – The Stooges
2. Teenage Lust – MC5
3. Up All Night – SRC
4. Road Runner – Brownsville Station
5. All Along The Watchtower – Savage Grace
6. Halo Of Flies – Alice Cooper
7. Life Everlasting – Earthen Vessel
8. Inside Looking Out – Grand Funk Railroad
9. Right Away – Head Over Heels
10. Pretty Girl Why – Resolution
11. Dreams Selection – Sunshine
12. Wake Up People – Kopperfield
13. Spider’s Eyes – Bump
14. I Can See The Light – The Glass Sun
15. Brave New World – Boa
16. Pain In My Heart – Frijid Pink
17. I Got A Right – Iggy & The Stooges

Disc Three:

1. Ball Of Confusion (That’s What The World Is Today) – The Temptations
2. I Call my Baby Pussycat – Parliament
3. Psycha-Soula-Funkadelic – The Politicians
4. Reflections – Diana Ross & The Supremes
5. Flower Girl – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
6. Scorpio – Dennis Coffey & The Detroit Guitar Band
7. Inner City Blues – Rodriguez
8. The Motor City Is Burning – John Lee Hooker
9. Hey Black Man (Part I) – Ed Robinson
10. Hanging On To A Memory – Chairmen Of The Board
11. Bring The Boys Home – Freda Payne
12. Indiana Wants Me – R. Dean Taylor
13. Twenty Nine – Marshall & Newell
14. Sidewalk Cafe – Rare Earth
15. Walk Down The Path Of Freedom (Single Version) – Sunday Funnies
16. Can’t Turn Around Now – Fork In The Road
17. Crumbs Off The Table – The Glass House
18. 1200 Miles – The Flaming Ember
19. Everyday Fun – T.N.T.
20. Thrills Of Love – Warlock
21. Gimme Shelter – Ruth Copeland