About The Detroit Punk Archive
The Detroit Punk Archive is made possible thanks to matching grant support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation as part of the Detroit Arts Challenge program. The grant was awarded to Rob St. Mary in October 2017 to complete this archive site and three vinyl compilations of tracks from the bands that played in the scene by the end of 2019.
If you have stories, images, audio or other materials to share, please get in touch.
Text written, expect where noted, by Rob St. Mary
Audio interviews conducted and edited, except where noted, by Rob St. Mary
Web design by Chris Urbanski
Web design/development by Mark Szymanski
Images
The Detroit Punk Archive includes images from the collections of local artists, creators, and collectors. Members of the various bands have also shared materials from their personal collections. The sources of all the materials are noted as applicable. I would also like to thank the following people for giving so freely in the collections for the site.
Ben Blackwell
Kevin Knapp
Joe Sposita (Images Courtesy of S. Kay Young)
Jerry Vile
Paul Zimmerman
Bethany Nixon
Deborah K. Pastor
Tex Newman
Gerald Siclovan
Tom McHenry
TM Caldwell
Glenn Barr
Michael Spencer
Victor Dawahare
Gerald Zasuwa
Dave Toorongian
Pat “Scruff” Shaw Collection (Images Courtesy of Sara Ostoin)
Interviews
The Detroit Punk Archive features interviews conducted and edited by Rob St. Mary (unless otherwise noted). Here is a complete list of all the interviewees, short description of their relation to the era the archive covers as well as the year in which the interview was conducted.
Art Lyzak – Vocalist in The Mutants, Son of Lili Karwowski of Lili’s – 2018
Barry Henssler – Vocalist in The Necros – 2011
Bruce Nichols – Guitarist in The Ivories – 2019
Cary Loren – Artist, Musician in Destroy All Monsters – 2011
Chato Chavez – Booker of Nunzio’s – 2018
Cherry Blackwolf – Keyboards,Vocals in The Algebra Mothers – 2018
Chip Sercombe – Filmmaker, “Face the 80s”, Bookie’s Club 870 Scenester – 2018
Danny Fields – Signed The Stooges & The MC5 to Elektra Records, Manager of The Ramones – 2008
Dave Hanna – Musician, Bassist in The Ramrods, Guitarist in The 27 & The Boners – 2018
Dave Rice – Musician, Bassist in Algebra Mothers, Guitarist in L-Seven – 2018
Dave Uchalik – Musician, Guitarist/Vocalist in The Reruns – 2019
Don McAlpine – Musician, Guitarist in The Traitors – 2018
Don Was – Musician, Vocalist in The Traitors – 2017
Frank Callis – Musician, Bassist in Retro & L-Seven – 2018
Gerald Shohan – Guitarist in Coldcock – 2019
Gerald Sicolvan – Guitarist in The Zooks, Retro – 2018
Gary Reichel – Vocalist in Cinecyde, Founder of Tremor Records – 2011 & 2018
Gary Zasuwa – Guitarist in Service – 2019
Glenn Barr – Guitarist in BADHABIT, Artist – 2018
Glenn Johnson – Drummer in Leisure Class – 2019
Greg Kutcher – Guitarist in The Pathetx – 2018
Greg Upshur – Vocalist in The Seatbelts – 2018
Hiawatha Bailey – Vocalist in the Cult Heroes – 2019
Jerry Vile – Vocalist in The Boners, Co-Founder of White Noise magazine – 2011
Katy Hait – Vocalist in The Sillies, writer/editor of White Noise magazine – 2012
Ken Kondrat – Musician, Guitarist/Vocalist in The Reruns – 2019
Kory Clarke – Drummer in The Attitudes & L-Seven – 2018
Mark Kliem – Writer at Spooee! & Street Life, Bookie’s Club 870 Scenester – 2012
Mark Leavitt – Vocalist in The Pathetx – 2018
Michael Goldwater – Musician, Bassist in The Pathetx – 2018
Michael Halloran – Musician, Bassist in The Plugs, WDET host of “Radios in Motion” – 2018
Michael Rushlow – Musician, Guitarist in The Pigs, Rushlow-King Combo, The Boners – 2018
Michael Smith (aka Smitt E. Smitty) – Drummer in The Blind, Zero Ambiance, L-Seven, Figures on a Beach – 2018
Mike Murphy – Musician, Drummer in The Denizens & The Boners – 2011
Mike Skill – Guitarist/Bassist in The Romantics – 2019
Mike Watt – Founder/Bassist in The Minutemen, Bassist in The Stooges – 2008
Niagara – Artist, Vocalist in Destroy All Monsters – 2011
Nikki Corvette – Vocalist in Nikki & The Corvettes – 2019
Paul Zimmerman – Artist/Writer, Co-Founder of White Noise magazine – 2011
Ralph Valdez – Artist, Bassist in Algebra Mothers & Retro, WDET radio host – 2011 & 2018
Richard “Tex” Newman – Musician, Guitarist & Vocalist in R.U.R. – 2018
Rick Mills – Musician, Guitarist & Vocalist in The Seatbelts, R.U.R., Crayon Killers, The 3-D Invisibles – 2018
Robert Mulrooney – Musician, Drummer in The Ramrods, Coldcock, The Sillies, The Mutants – 2011
Rockee Berlin – Vocalist in Flirt – 2018
Roderick “Legs” McNeil – Editor/Co-Founder of Punk magazine – 2008
S. Kay Young – Photographer, Photos for White Noise magazine, Bookie’s Club 870 Scenester – 2011
Scott Campbell – Musician, Founder of The Sillies, Original Co-Booker of Bookie’s Club 870 – 2011
Skid Marx – Musician, Bassist in Flirt & The Seatbelts – 2018
Sue Rynski – Photographer, Photos for White Noise magazine – 2011
Tim Retzloff, PhD – Detroit gay historian, Assistant professor of LGBTQ studies/history at Michigan State University – 2018
Vince Bannon – Musician, Guitarist in The Sillies & Coldcock, Original Co-Booker of Bookie’s Club 870, Clutch Cargo’s and St. Andrew’s Hall – 2018
Walter Wasacz – Writer for White Noise magazine, Bookie’s Club 870 Scenester – 2011
Wayne Kramer – Co-Founder/Guitarist in The MC5 – 2008
Donors
This project would not be possible without the generous support of the following donors to the Detroit Punk Archive who helped to unlock a matching grant from the Knight Foundation in the fall of 2018.
Alice Schneider
Amado Guadarrama
Amanda Van Huis
Amy Yokin
Andrew Jartz
Ann Delisi
Ann Mass
Anonymous (11 donors)
Aristides Rudnick
Bethany Nixon
Brian Shellabarger
Dan Austin
Dante Chinni
David Feeny
Ebrahim Varachia
Eddie Logix
Erin Carr
Erin Marquis
Gary Reichel
Greg Hurd
Greg James
Hannah Guth
Inney Prakash
James Von Hatten
Jean Mason
Jeff Milo
Joshua James
Karen Dybis
Kelly & Michael Sternberg (Barton Malow Company Foundation)
Kim Kozlowski
Kris Shaw
Mark Finnell
Mark Stewart
Michael Kruger
Mike Murphy
Nestor Rychtyckyj
Paul & Alisa Zimmerman (Frank R. and Faye M. Zimmerman Family Endowment)
Rob Cousineau
Rob St. Mary
Ruthann Ciszewski
S. Kay Young
Shannon Wambaugh
Susan Howes
Thomas Her
Tim Toy
Torya Schoeniger
Vince Bannon
Wayne Woodward
A special “Thank You” to:
Andrew Blauvelt, Laura Mott, Sarah Doty, and the curation team at the Cranbrook Art Museum.
Steve Byrne, Kathy Kieliszewski, and the Freep Film Festival.
Ben Blackwell, Dave Buick, Roe Peterhans, and the visionaries at Third Man Records.
