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Dan Gilbert

Corporate bureaucracy that blocks innovation — and small thinking in general — needs to be squashed in order for organizations to thrive and overcome what Dan Gilbert dubs "horizontal gravity."

Gilbert used a speech this morning to leaders from 72 Gilbert/Rock Ventures/Detroit Venture Partners companies as a platform to talk about thinking big, not getting lost in the weeds of spreadsheets and the benefits of making decisions quickly.

About 200 employees listened to Gilbert's remarks, which served as the opening session to a company meeting of the Gilbert companies, called Family Reunion IV.

Gilbert, describing himself as a science and history buff, said the forces at work in corporate organizations should fight for small gains and big thinking simultaneously. While it's important to sweat the details, like correct spelling and functional details of a website, it's just as important to experiment, allow employees the chance to fail and put investment dollars toward promising ideas.

Spreadsheets, for example, are a way to track data but morale and innovation aren't found there, he said.

"Spreadsheets measure, but they don't create," he said.

"Nobody I know who is successful is a small thinker. Big thinking overcomes horizontal gravity."

While some decisions require due diligence and heavy research before final sign-off, other kinds of decisions can be made quickly so a team can move forward, Gilbert said. Recalling a recent meeting with business magnate Warren Buffett, Gilbert said a big takeaway was that there is no proof that taking longer to make decisions in business life leads to better decisions.

It's also important, Gilbert told the crowd at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center, not to forget the value of relationship-building, the threads that become the basis for success.

Oct 4 2012 By Walter Rogers in Featured , Sales , Work.com

Jack Lessenberry

 

 

Essay/Analysis: Political Commentator

A Detroit native, Jack recognized that he wanted to become a journalist during his graduate studies at the University of Michigan. (He had previously set out to be a historian.) Now, he boasts thirty years of eclectic journalism experience. Jack has worked as a foreign correspondent and executive national editor of The Detroit News, and he has written for many national and regional publications, including Vanity Fair, Esquire, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, and The Oakland Press.

Currently, he is a professor of journalism at Wayne State University and a contributing editor and columnist for The Metro Times, The Traverse-City Record Eagle, and The ToledoBlade...in addition to his work at Michigan Radio.

Throughout his years of journalism experience, his favorite memories are of interviewing Gerald Ford about Watergate in 1995 and winning a national Emmy for a documentary about Jack Kevorkian in 1994.

On a personal note, Jack stopped watching TV -- except for documentaries -- when Mr. Ed was canceled.

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Commentary

12:40 PM

FRI JUNE 1, 2012

Tale of Two Races

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By JACK LESSENBERRY

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Detroit Mayor Dave Bing couldn't have enjoyed reading his city's newspapers when he woke up on Mackinac Island yesterday morning. The Detroit Free Press splashed a story across its front page saying the business community wanted longtime Wayne County political fixer Mike Duggan as the city's next mayor.

The Detroit News's editorial page editor said the business community had decided that it is time for the mayor to go, and then called on the mayor to, quote "use the excuse of advancing age and poor health" to not run again next year.

Yesterday morning the mayor came out to face the press, and naturally, was asked about his own future. Standing on the Grand Hotel's magnificent porch, all the mayor would tell us reporters was that he had eighteen months left in his current term (it's actually nineteen), and he felt the need to "get as many things done as I possibly can." Now, I don't have an opinion on whether the mayor ought to run. He previously has said he was going to.

Frankly, if you know anything about how government works, the worst thing Bing could do would be to announce early that he isn't running. The moment he does that, he becomes a lame duck, and immediately loses much of his power and influence.

But beyond that, I am astonished at the business community's chutzpah in attempting to say who ought to be Detroit's mayor. Do they think our memories are that short?

Seven years ago, the business community was highly decisive in a Detroit mayoral race. Freman Hendrix was one of the final two candidates. He was a decent man with a finance background who had served as deputy mayor in the Archer administration.

Hendrix had grown up in a working class neighborhood. He had joined the Navy, and had put himself through college. I thought he had the potential to be a good mayor who had the ability to relate to average citizens. But the business community wanted the incumbent: Kwame Kilpatrick.

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Jack Lessenberry Commentary: Film Tax Credits

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By JACK LESSENBERRY

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Well, we are heading into the holiday weekend, and if the weather holds up, many of us will be barbecuing or going out on the water. But some of us will be going to the movies.

And your odds of seeing a major motion picture made in Michigan are a lot smaller than they were a few years ago.

That’s because the film incentive established by the Granholm Administration ended when Rick Snyder became governor and Republicans took over both houses of the legislature.

The governor doesn’t believe  special exemptions and tax credit deals are good policy, and you can see logic in that. But there is always an exemption that proved the rule, and the film industry credit was one of those.

Frankly, I can’t tell you whether the generous breaks we granted the film industry were a net economic plus or minus for Michigan. I have seen studies that came to opposite conclusions.

My guess is that it probably cost the state a little more than it gained financially in the short run, but had the potential to be a huge economic plus in the not-very-long run. But analyzing this from a purely financial perspective misses something.

I’ve been in this state a long time, and I can’t ever remember anything that got people as excited. They went to see films being made, and volunteered as extras. People got an extraordinary kick out of seeing Clint Eastwood on the street or Jack Nicholson in a restaurant. When a film was released that was shot partly in your neighborhood, you went to see it regardless. This was a big deal.

Well, what was an open-ended tax credit was slashed to $25 million in incentives under the new governor. Hollywood promptly pulled up stakes and left, in the process hurting a lot of Michigan businesses who serviced the film industry.

Now, there is  vague recognition in the legislature that we’ve lost something. The state senate wanted to boost the amount available for the film industry to $100 million; eventually, they compromised at $50 million. Some people were excited about this yesterday, and spoke as though this meant that the filmmakers will be back.

But I’ve got news for them: They won’t be. Oh, a few more independent small films may be made here. But don’t expect Meryl Streep to show up, or another Gran Torino to be made.

And here’s why. Republicans should remember an important principle they knew when they reformed the corporate tax structure. Businesses like lower taxes. But they really value stability. They have to know their fixed costs, and be able to expect they’ll remain consistent. You can’t do business in a place where you constantly worry the legislature may pull the rug out from under you.

If we are serious about bringing the film industry back, we need to restore some kind of open-ended tax break and guarantee it would stay in place for a decade. Then, they might think we meant business. If there’s anything this state needs, it is an exciting new industry that gives young people some incentive to stay here.

Even if the film industry itself turned out to be a long-term loss leader, my guess is that restoring its credits would be well worth it.

Jack Lessenberry is Michigan Radio’s Political Analyst. Views expressed by Jack Lessenberry are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of Michigan Radio, its management or the station licensee, the University of Michigan.

 Internet Radio On The Rise

Read more: http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/174321/internet-radio-on-the-rise.html?edition=46659#ixzz1ucTSX91b

 The Blog Is reviews Eliza Neals’ award-winning CD, ‘Messin’ With A Fool’

 Messin’ With A Fool is Detroit music through and through, and Eliza Neals is a vocal powerhouse.  The album is blues.  It’s rock and more.  It’s also a full spectrum of emotion with a decidedly modern, yet sparing production style driven by the ever present low volume percussive Telecaster sound of producer Martin “Tino” Gross.  Tino has once again outdone himself on every track.  What you get is a wildly successful collection of soulful songs that capture the essence of traditional and contemporary American music.

Terms like diva and chanteuse are often thrown around when her name comes up, but after a very close look at this album I cautiously think of her as the female Delbert McClinton, though such comparisons rarely do an artist in her league justice.  Although this work is a thoroughly contemporary treatment of what is traditional, the subtext that unifies the material is blues and bluesy rock in the broad sense.  Intertwined are elements of urban- and down-home soul, a trace of jazz, even traces of punk rock here and there, an occasional exuberant homage to the Rolling Stones in places, and even a flirtation with the “field holler” music that preceded the blues.

But wait, that’s not all.  There is also New Orleans gris-gris, deconstructed Motown, mid-’60s rock ‘n’ roll (think Mitch Ryder), white Southern gospel, Holly Springs-style Mississippi hill country blues (think R. L. Burnside), one or two nods to modern dance music-style scratchy LP slips and slides, funky jazz, and playful absurdest avant gardeelements all designed to entertain.  And there is the magic potion of Eliza Neals’ voice. 

The Songs

Good God, where to begin.  “Can’t Stop” is the title track, so to speak, since the phrase “messin’ with a fool” actually takes place there.  This is a Delbert McClinton-style song.  It also contains swamp guitar licks with lead guitar pleasingly right on top of the vocals.  It flows right into to the avant garde barn yard absurdity of “Pig.”  Are all men pigs?  I hope not, but what about the current discourse on the right?  Oink, oink, dance music touches, too, the way Tino did R. L. Burnside’s very last record.  Driving blues.  Nice.  That recording blended hip hop with hill country blues and it was ingenious.  “Pig” is right out of the church, too, ironically enough.  The song is good natured, but experienced, the persona Neals puts across throughout the entire album.

“I like pigs,” she declares at the start of the song.  “I like me a cute old pig.”  What’s not to like.  They are the mainline smart critters of the bucolic landscape, the barnyard scene that is country blues.  “I don’t care what you all says, I’m singing about a pig,” declares a voice at the start of the song, in spoken word fashion, that I think is most certainly Barrett Strong talking.  He’s a famously affable critter, himself, a true Motown giant.  I say he walks on water.  “Barrett, do you like pigs?” she asks.  This is funny stuff, “Pig.”  It may be my favorite one.

But there are so many good ones.  Take the Johnny Bee-authored song, “Rather Go To Jail,” that so supremely puts across his brilliant drum work formerly heard with Mitch Ryder back in the day, and now featured in both the Howling Diablos, fronted by Tino Gross, and the Rockets with Jim McCarty.  This song starts off with a Latin rhythm and then breaks into a declarative horn, a trumpet.  Wow.  The horn punctuates throughout.  And Eliza burns up the street.  There’s a touch of gris-gris here, too, but not as much as track 4 and 5.

“ESP” will be a natural to vintage Dr. John fans the way the chorus starts out.  “People, people,” they sing in several part dissonant harmony.  It all takes you to a place you don’t know.  Tino’s harp is a nice touch, too.  The occasional modulation is also very nice.  The mind transcendence thing has to have some voodoo to it, and some id.  “It’s not about what’s real, it’s about the feel.”  “In Charge” goes down the voodoo road even further.  Holy gris-gris!  Hot and cold running gris-gris.  This is the anthem for an in-charge woman.  “I’m in charge, I’m in charge,” repeat.  Note the wha wha, too, this is a nice touch.  And so is both is the overdubbing of Neals’ voice, and her percussive acoustic guitar.

That almost Stones feel is a Martin Gross hallmark.  Consider Car Wash, for example.  I want to do another review of that, a retrospective perhaps, with the last two Howling Diablos records combined in it.  Are you listening Tino?  Back to the review at hand.  This is where “Shame” comes in.  Detroit as rust belt is a constant here, with some of that Tino-style almost Rolling Stones thing anchoring it down.  It’s kind of a Shame.  “So I’m doin’ five years for robbing someone, ” Neals sings.  “It’s kind of a shame, people got to do what they got to do.”  You see the factory has closed down, it’s a Detroit thing.  “He’s A Man’s Man” is great straight ahead rock.  I like it.  And there are songs “Misery” and “Love Hurts More,” too.  So true.

“Rainin’ In Detroit” is a neo-Motown/blues song.  Yes!  But it also reminds me of that John Hiatt song that Buddy Guy recorded so well.  The one about that big lake in New Orleans.  It has lot’s of rain, too.  Except this one is in Detroit City.  “It’s rainin’ in my heart,” so it goes.  Back to breakin’ a few rules.  “Can’t Stop” is loaded with that Louisiana swamp content.  Got to love it.  “Every time I ask you a question all you do is put me down,” the singer laments.  “I know when enough is enough.”  Can’t get enough of that swamp, that progression.  Crusin’ for a bruisin’.  She goes though a lot.  “Livin’ With Yo Mama” has that horn sound again.  Bravo.  I like the organ.

There’s a lot more here, but that’s all I have time for right now.  What about “Money” and “Been  a Long Time?”  But who knows, after all, this is a blog.  I might still get to it later on.  All I can say is get your hands on the album.  Twitter Eliza Neals @Eliza NealsRocks, call the executive producer, H. J Neals, at 646-522-0285, or visit The Detroit Diva on Facebook.

The People

Naturally it’s an all-Detroit crew headed up by producer-collaborator Martin “Tino” Gross, who performs on guitar, and a mix of bass, some backup vocals and more on every track.  As the producer, his masterful fingerprints are everywhere.

On piano are Leonard Moon and Jimmie Bones.  Barrett Strong Jr. does some organ, Kenny Robinson is the trumpet man, and in addition to Tino, guitar parts are shared by Don Duprie and Mike Smith, as well as some acoustic guitar by lead vocalist Eliza Neals.

Backup vocals are provided by Barrett Strong Jr., Jimmie Bones, Carley Hartwell, Johnny “Bee” Badanjek and Gross.  Bassists Mo Hollis and Don Duprie also contribute.  It’s all about collaboration.

The Production

The team of producer Martin ‘Tino” Gross, and co-producers Barrett Strong Jr. and Eliza Neals have brought some really winning stuff to this fine indie CD.  It is sparring, authentic and innovative with lots of cross-genre activity going on, but the entire package rocks on with the the blues tradition as a centerpiece.  Gross is a much-in-demand producer and the front man for the Howling Diabos.  Strong is a Motown legend.  Neals is the diva.  The CD was recorded at Martin “Tino” Gross’ recording crib, Funky D Studio, by Tino Gross, Detroit, Michigan, for E+ H Records, Detroit, Executive Producer,  H. J. Neals, who can be reached at 646-522-0285.

The album cover photos and album design were conceived by HJN Consulting.com.  The CD photo was taken by John Gnotek.  It comes in a nice cardboard fold-over design with lot’s of valuable information, and with no jewel case to crack and break.  There are also music videos of “Misery,” “Love Hurts More” and “Man’s Man” at Eliza Neals.com and posted on Youtube.com.  Dig in, people, this is a good one.

The Songography

1. “Misery”  (D. Manchua)  2:47 seconds

2. “Man’s Man”  (E. Neals / M. Gross)  3:07 seconds

3. “Shame”  (M. Gross / D. Duprie)  3:19 seconds

4. “ESP”  (E. Neals / M. Gross / B. Strong)  3:12 seconds

5. “In Charge”  (E. Neals / M. Gross / B. Strong)  3:54 seconds

6. “Rather Go To Jail”  (J. Badanjek)  4:03 seconds

7. “Rainin In Detroit”  (M. Gross / E. Neals)  3:40 Seconds

8. “Livin’ With Yo Mama”  (E. Neals / H. Neals)  2:28 seconds

9. “Been A Long Time”  (M. Gross / E. Neals)  2:30 seconds

10. “Money”  (B. Gordy / J. Branford)  3:08 seconds

11. “Can’t Stop”  (E. Neals / M. Gross)  3:42 seconds

12. “PiG”  (E. Neals / M. Gross)  2:33 seconds

13. “Love Hurts More”  (E. Neals / M. Gross)  3:27 seconds

The Postscript

I first met Eliza Neals and co-producer Barrett Strong Jr. when they visited my radio show, City Arts & Sounds, in the late ’90s.  Somehow I knew at the time that my acquaintance with them would prove fortuitous.  It was 20 years after I first started doing radio (Art in Detroit, on WCAR-AM), and while I was a blues columnist at the Michigan Chronicleunder the late Sam Logan’s generous guidance, a blues writer at Big City Rhythm & Blues, and a Saturday night blues reporter for Dave Dixon (WXYT-AM).  I renewed my friendship with Eliza Neals only last year at the most recent Detroit Music Awards.  I was there with my cohorts from the Rock ‘n’ Roll Lawyer Show (WCXI-AM) at the invitation of entertainment lawyer Sheldon Kay.

It was great seeing her again.  Next thing I knew she and Martin Gross were cooking up a new album, and she was kind enough to send me an advance copy of it to be reviewed.  That’s when I decided to re-configure my just-started blog into an Arts & Entertainment Review, from what was an existentially absurdest running commentary, which was too obscure to really take hold outside of Paris.  “If is, is, is not is not, isn’t?”

For that I am eternally grateful because I would not have made that format change without her kind presence.  That is when I decided I would end a five year hiatus from music writing.  It was time to come back from obscurity, myself, and this is my first in a series of CD reviews, and what I hope will become a burgeoning online Arts & Entertainment Review.  Your comments and suggestions are most welcome at theblogis.wordpress.com.  Artists that wish to submit their CDs for review can contact me at Facebook, or at 248-652-4759, and send their discs to me at The Blog Is, 911 Medford Court, Rochester Hills, Michigan 48307-3089, Attn. George Seedorff, Editor.  Keep those cards and letters–and CDs–coming in, folks.  And now I must return to the joyful grind of a one-man band.

–George Seedorff, Copright 2012

Ultra Sonic Gas Can is a brilliant piece of work.  Why?  Tino Gross and the men and women at Funky D Studios hold the Detroit sound in the palm of their hands.  The Detroit sound is formidable, but how amorphous is it, how multifaceted?  The Motor City certainly has its jazz, blues, Gospel, soul, rock , doo-wop, rap, punk, techno and country heritage.  It’s not much of a folk music town, you have to go to Boston for that.

In Detroit there is a cultural aura where one can imagine a Baptist preacher looking down from the pulpit at the music’s blue collar pageantry, giving it his tacit approval.  This man of the cloth is permissive when it comes to compassion in the the great social struggles.  But is about old time religion when the word of the Lord is about socioeconomic justice.  The struggle between good and evil.  The struggle of the common man.

At root there is a Southern connection in the Motor City that follows the route taken in the Great American Migration of the 20th century, from South to North, from injustice to justice, from poor to less poor.  The music also follows this path.  From the Delta to the factory.  Now what if somebody in the here and now came alone and made the Detroit sound even more eclectic by adding to all of the above-named genres, plus some decisive elements of  California surf, California slide, house music, hip hop, and even a trace circus music, the big top, the big time, and the big town, stepped on by an apocalyptic industrial free fall.  Isn’t surf music a kind of a circus sound with the sun beaming down on the the waves to light up all the performers?

Amid that Motown morality tale, what if the music still stood taller than ever after the fall, as a sort of conscience statement for all that has taken place, like a preacher might do.  What do you call this phenomenon?  Try urban Gothic.  Southern Gothic going North, from rural to more urbane.  In Ultra Sonic Gas Can there is dark humor, secular existentialism, and a motive for social justice along with a pretty progressive brand of religiosity.  Now consider Gas Can as an example of urban Gothic music, like Southern Gothic, but urban and more Northerly.  The city is different, it is radioactive and funky.

The music of the Howling Diablos is on the same trajectory as the New Orleans sound, but the frigid cold of the Detroit winter, the big panoramic rust belt flavor, disintegrating housing, burned out storefronts, and abandoned skyscrapers all serve to give the Detroit sound a blizzard-like Northern polarity, except in the summer.  Detroit feels like the South in the throes of July and August, with all the gritty humidity and almost unbearable, stifling heat.  Most of the year a gray overcast rules Detroit’s weather.  The people of Detroit climb inside of the music to turn these meteorological disparities into a great, smooth ride, with AC, super suspension, a super smooth transmission, even on a half rusted out old hoopty cruising the inner city streets, east and west, south of Eight Mile Road.

Ultra Sonic Gas Can captures all of this with 13 tracks that define the modern Detroit sound.  It may be about struggle, but it’s also about a great rewards.  If it was light and airy, the sound would be from somewhere else.  Tino Gross, the Howling Diablos  band leader, guitarist, lead singer, producer and either author or co-writer of each song on the album as gone all the way here.  Funky D Studios seems to have coalesced as the successor to Motown and is the new gold standard for the Detroit  sound.  The “people talent” on board is like an artist colony.

The Songs

Before there was Motown Records, there was Fortune Records, its precursor.  That was in the days of old school R&B, doo-wop, Detroit blues, rock-a-billy and more.  At the center of it all was Devora Brown.  The second track onUltra Sonic Gas Can is devoted to her.  It starts with some novel guitar distortion punctuated by some tight wha wha, and driving harmonica.  Then the lyric, I was so alone, didn’t know which way to go, spent the whole day by the pay phone, I never heard nobody except myself.  Self reflective in a way that the Detroit street was about to have a voice.  That is followed by the chorus, Devora, Devora Brown, she’s the one makes the deal go down, Devora Devora Brown, she pushing that Detroit sound…I never heard nobody, except my self.  Then reference is drawn to never having to go back to the Detroit House of Corrections, or DeHoCo, as it was commonly called during the Fortune era. Is this not a statement about musical emancipation?

It was late one night, I was so uptight, I didn’t know wrong from right, everywhere I looked the sky was on fire, those needles on the record, and needles in my arm, somebody went and pulled the fire alarm, the bums in the street wanna know why…  Fortune was located along Third Avenue in the Cass Corridor, known for its junkies, whores and derelicts.  Out of this forlorn footprint was born the Detroit Sound.  Track seven, “Detroit On My Mind,” takes the storyline further.  In a funky blues rock fashion, it suddenly occurs to this listener that Funky D Records is the new Motown, and that’s quite a statement.

The proof of that is encapsulated in track 12, “Sold Out,” an exquisite rap.  Here among the foreclosures and mean streets, it seems apparent that Detroit is like a battlefield.  Spoken word.  Sold us out, no doubt, livin’ on the front lines, hah, it’s like a war zone out here, man we just the soldiers.  And then the rap. Times got tough in the land of plenty… hookin’ up cheap meat, tryin’ to make ends meet, living in your car, startin’ to [draw the] heat, East side to West side where the Mustangs roam it’s foreclosed homes, you know they sold us out, no doubt.  With these images, the only place to go is back to Marvin Gaye’s immortal words, makes ya’ wanna holler, makes ya’ wanna shout.  This becomes the refrain.  A choice like this, no accident, joins this effort to the very best that Motown Records produced  when it was thriving and still in Detroit.  Selling these ideas, persuasively, calls for a rap, and Tino Gross, and a rap artist who goes by the name of Hush get it done.  Detroit’s a strong rap town, and this is a strong rap tune.

That sound and sentiment feeds directly into track five, “House Party,” where it’s house music and party time, brilliantly constructed. That along with some driving funky rock seems to harken back to Hastings Street in the Black Bottom section that once stood as a testament to black music in the 1940s and ’50s.  It is gone but not forgotten today, nor are the house parties forgotten that helped the locals make ends meet.  John Lee Hooker was part of this scene.  The dance music turntables are well oiled and screeching here.  There are strong raging Gospel elements as well, thanks to the incredible backup singers, which is also pervasive throughout the entire record.  “Hook-Up,” track three, hooks into this grove as well, but in more of an R&B, almost comic way.  It is the hook-up that puts an end to misery, after all.

“Funky Parade” is all about New Orleans.  Here Louisiana is the promised land.  Professor Longhair, Fats—it’s all there.  Johnny Evan’s R&B-style sax rules here.  Take me down to New Orleans to the parade, I gotta let my mind unwind in the shade.  There are also a couple of country-based tunes, too, with that poignancy that only a pedal steel guitar can produce.  One is a real heart breaker.  If  “You Make Me Good” is sweet, moving and sentimental, with a note of spirituality to it (and a lot like the past 15 years of Bob Dylan’s current muse), then “Too Broke To Break Up” is pure hilarity and so true when you are at the bottom.  It’s hard to move into the post matrimonial state and go “splitsville” when you just plain don’t have the cash to make it a clean break.  Hello Heartbreak, I guess it’s just me and you, I got the blues ’cause I just got the news, my baby said that we are through, now wait a minute darlin’, ain’t no need for you to cry, we ain’t got no money, we’re kinda broke, can’t afford to say good bye. This is reality for a lot of people

My favorite songs on the CD ironically travel to the West Coast in more than just spirit.  One in particular, “Blues King,” speaks of a supreme blues man who once reigned over East LA in the glory days, in the era that also witnessed Diz and Bird at their creative height under the bright lights of Hollywood.  It’s not about Walt Disney, here.  It’s a then and now story, too.  These days this king of the blues is elderly, has diabetes, and has a grandson who is into rap.  One spectacular element of the song is its brilliantly executed California-style slide guitar–it has to be a Les Paul.  It is a driving and horn-like force just like it ought to be.  And there is “Surfin’ In Detroit,” what is to Detroit what the song about surfin’ in Rockaway was to the Ramones.  It features lots of classic surf guitar, but somehow this morphs into something akin to circus music.  This song is satire.  Now, on to hard driving rock.  That would be track 11, “Wiskey River, which is also a hangin’ judge song where the protagonist does not want to go back to the penitentiary, or even more likely, wants to avoid to being hung from an apple tree.  Here a hard-driving Duane Eddy-like style guitar steps  right out front.

That just leaves the album’s signature songs, track one, “Mr. Right Now,” and the final track , “After Party Re-Mix” of the same basic tune.  Both tunes share the same lyric line.  I may not be Mr. Right, right, but I’m, Mr Right Now, right now.  First time through it is done as a rap tune with a deep R&B shadow voice, and the track 13 is another take on rap, but more sinister.  No romantic ballad is this.  What ya’ say you and me and that body head back to the crib for and after party that’s right.  Outrageous, funny, bold and sexist, what more can be said.  As I previously stated, Super Sonic Gas Can is a brilliant piece of work.  It has to be owned from coast to coast.

The Production and Personnel

Back to the innovative cross-genre nature of the album.  It’s all there, and integrated with the taste of a musical sheriff that has come to town to make the town safe for things to come.  It is without precedent.  All the tools are used to create a masterwork and, Tino Gross has done the City of Detroit proper.  The spine of the recording is the Gospel-style collection of amazing backup singers.  They are Kymberli Wright, Eliza Neals, Carley Hartwell, Valerie Taylor, Chris McCall, Pat Baron, Uncle Kracker and Hush.

The core of the Howling Diablos are Tino Gross on vocals and guitar, Erik Gustafson on guitar, Mo Hollis on bass, Johnny “Bee” Badanjek on drums and tambourine, Johnny Evans on sax, flute and harp, and Jimmie Bones on Keyboards.  Additional musicians include Jim McCarty on guitar, Kenny Robinson on trumpet, Jim Morris on pedal steel, Mike Smith on guitar, Gary Indiana on guitar, Tim Diaz on guitar and B-3 organ, and Shannon Boon on drums.

All tunes were produced at Detroit’s own Funky D Records by Tino Gross, and engineered by Nigel Burnside.  The assistant engineer was Dave Linden.  Additional studios include Mike E. Clark’s Fun House, Steve King’s 54 Sound Studios, and the Tim Diaz’ Soupcan Studio.  Mastering was done by Jeffrey Reed at Tap Root in Oxford, Mississippi.  The superb artwork and cover design was provided by Bette Chapelle.  Ultra Sonic Gas Can was recorded in 2011.

The Songography

1.    “Mr. Right Now”    (M. Gross/Zwara)    3:05

2.   “Devora Brown (ooh mow mow)”    (M. Gross)    3:23

3.   “Hook Up”    (M. Gross)    3:22

4.   “Blues King”    (M. Gross)    4:20

5.   “House Party    (M.Gross/Clark)    3:30

6.   “You Make Me Good”    (Based on a poem by C. Mayo)    3:36

7.   “Detroit On My Mind”     (featuring Uncle Kraker and the Detroit Wheels)    (M. Gross/Shafer)    3:33

8.   “Too Broke To Break Up”    (M. Gross)    3:23

9.   “Surfin’ In Detroit”    (M. Gross)    3:46

10. “Funky Parade”    (M. Gross)    3:41

11. “Whiskey River”    (M. Gross)    3:59

12. “Sold Out” (featuring Hush)    (Gross/Carlisle)    4:26

13. “After-Party Remix” (featuring Robert Bateman)    (M. Gross)    3:40

The Postscript

This review is the second in a three-part series of all Funky D material that has already included Eliza Neals’ album called Messin’ With A Fool.  The final CD for consideration is Hart County by the Horse Cave Trio, which will be posted on theblogis.wordpress.com in the very near future.

I first met band leader and producer Tino Gross in the early to mid 1990s sitting at a table at the old Sully’s music hall, at the time truly Detroit’s home of the blues. It was located in Dearborn, Michigan, where the Mustangs roam.  The Howling Diablos was already an established cross-genre star band out of Detroit with a following well past the city limits.

This is a band that steadily just keeps on keepin’ on with constant growth and a superlative record of achievement. The Howling Diablos has gone on to achieve a world-class place in American music with the last several string of monster albums.  Tino has always been most kind to me and a very approachable cat.  His Funky D Records is jointly operated by Gross and his partner, Linda Lexy.

I wish to thank Tino, Linda and all the folks at Funky D for making it possible for me to review this extraordinary album.  As I said twice in the review, I believe that Funky D Records in its current form is the logical successor to Detroit’s legendary Motown Records of 50 years ago.  It is been a while since we have had something quite like this in the Motor City.

— George Seedorff, copyright 2012

George Seedorff

Detroit, Michigan, USA

George Seedorff is Editor-in-chief at "The Blog Is" (theblogis.wordpress.com), an Arts, Entertainment & Music Review Blog.

 Detroit Red Wings: It’s Not Time to Panic Yet in Hockeytown

 Online Radio Moving Up The Charts

Read more: http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/171672/online-radio-moving-up-the-charts.html?edition=45326#ixzz1rMFTd5nd

 From the blog of Josh Linkner

OVERNIGHT SUCCESS?

Angry Birds, the incredibly popular game, was software maker Rovio's 52nd attempt. They spent eight years and nearly went bankrupt before finally creating their massive hit.

Pinterest is one of the fastest growing websites in history, but struggled for a long time. Pinterest's CEO recently said that they had "catastrophically small numbers" in their first year after launch and that if he had listened to popular startup advice he probably would have quit.

James Dyson "failed" in over 5100 experiments before perfecting his revolutionary vacuum cleaner.  Groupon was put on life support and nearly shut down at one point in its meteoric rise.

When looking at the most successful people and organizations, we often imagine a smooth journey straight to the promised land.  But when you really examine nearly every success story, they are filled with crushing defeats, near-death experiences, and countless setbacks.

 We often celebrate companies and individuals once they've achieved undeniable success, but shun their disruptive thinking before reaching such a pinnacle.  Before Oprah was Oprah, before Jobs was Jobs, they were labeled as misguided dreamers rather than future captains of industry.

In your life, you've probably had a setback or two.  When you stumble, it's tempting the throw in the towel and accept defeat.  There's always an attractive excuse waiting eagerly, hoping you'll take the easy way out.  But the most successful people forge ahead.  They realize that mistakes are simply data, providing new information to adjust your approach going forward.

 The ubiquitous WD-40 lubricant got its name because the first 39 experiments failed.  WD-40 literally stands for "Water Displacement - 40th Attempt." If they gave up early on like most of us do, we'd sure have a lot more squeaky things in the world. 

 You have a mission to accomplish and an enormous impact to make on the world.  You will inevitably endure some "failures" along your journey but you must realize that persistence and determination have always been primary ingredients in accomplishment. 

 Don't cave to your mistakes, embrace them.  In fact, mistakes are simply to the portals of discovery.  There's an old saying that "every bull's-eye is the result of a hundred misses."  So the next time you feel the sting of failure, just realize you're likely one shot closer to hitting your target.

And who knows?  Maybe after a few dozen failures and months or years of hard work, you might just be that next "overnight" success.

 

New York Times
USA Today
Wall Street Journal
Washington Post
Entertainment Weekly
Amazon.com
Barnes & Noble

 

 From the blog of Josh Linkner

March 26, 2012

 

 Radio is not “Just About Radio”

Posted on: Mar 14, 2012 in Digital Strategy, Insights, Internet Radio

 The Scorecard

While there’s plenty of nostalgia for bringing competitive baseball back to the historic Tiger Stadium site, the numbers don’t add up.

 Nostalgia in the sporting world is a funny thing. Sports businesses are built on it — we proudly wear jackets, jerseys, and hats from teams long gone. Yet despite our yearnings for yesteryear, no one has figured out what to do with our beloved, but aging, stadiums.

While our professional sports teams have a combined history of being active over three centuries, does anyone recall where the Tigers played their inaugural season in 1894? Answer: Boulevard Park, near Belle Isle (roughly at East Lafayette and East Grand Boulevard). If new revenue had sustained Boulevard Park, we’d be attending minor league and youth games there today.

Cobo Arena, once home to the Detroit Pistons, long since disappeared as a viable sports venue and today is being transformed into a conference and banquet center as part of a larger renovation of Cobo Center.

Olympia Stadium, demolished in 1987, succumbed to old age and a provision in the Red Wings’ lease that prevented the venue from competing with city-owned Joe Louis and Cobo arenas. The Wings also stipulated that the city couldn’t sell Olympia to a competitor.

Down the road, a new use for Joe Louis Arena may be considered (perhaps as an expansion of Cobo Center). The Red Wings are weighing whether to build a stadium in an area bounded by I-75, Woodward, Temple, and Grand River. If the deal is consummated, parking will be a key component in completing the transaction. The Palace of Auburn Hills can offer major recording acts competitive contracts because it drives plenty of revenue from parking and concessions sales — Olympia Entertainment will surely want to take advantage of similar opportunities; Joe Louis Arena, due to its position along the Detroit River, does not have that luxury.

While there’s plenty of nostalgia for bringing competitive baseball back to the historic Tiger Stadium site, the numbers don’t add up. The Tigers left the city-owned complex 12 years ago. Since that time, the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy has raised $150,000. It was far short of covering a $15.5 million plan to preserve a portion of the stadium while operating a museum and a ballpark.

So what happens next to the Tiger Stadium site? Until an entity meets Detroit Economic Growth Corp.’s (DEGC) mixed-use development goal of “highest and best use,” the 9.5-acre parcel at Michigan and Trumbull will remain as is. But baseball nostalgia isn’t completely dead; dreams for the future are alive and well — even more so now that DEGC, Detroit’s Recreation Department, Think Detroit PAL (Police Athletic League), and Chevrolet are restoring Jayne Field, a complex of 11 baseball diamonds near McNichols and Conant on the city’s east side.

Think Detroit PAL, which serves 1,400 youth and sponsors nearly 100 teams each year, operates baseball fields in other parts of the city, as well. “Chevrolet’s support is a grand slam for Think Detroit PAL and our youth,” says George Jackson, DEGC’s president and CEO. “If that money had been poured into the Tiger Stadium site, you’d be looking at one ball field instead of 11 ball fields. If  businesses, nonprofits, and individuals would like to support youth baseball in Detroit, we encourage them to embrace existing parks and recreation facilities. It offers the biggest bang for the buck.” db

R.J. King

rjking@dbusiness.com 

Weekly fishing guide report from Michigan DNR 

Weekly fishing guide report from Michigan DNR...Looks like the Steelheaders in the rivers are getting the best of it...Ice? PFSSSST!

Southeast Lower Peninsula Fishing Report

Lake Erie: Has open water fishing. The occasional jumbo perch and some bluegills were caught off the docks at the Metro Park Marina. The bait of choice was minnows or wax worms, depending on the day.

Huron River: Has open water and was producing some bigger steelhead.

Detroit River: Has open water with minimal ice coming downriver. Few anglers were out except for those fishing the canals around Gibraltar.

Maceday Lake: In Oakland County was giving up good numbers of lake trout in 5 to 10 feet of water however ice conditions will be unpredictable with the warm weather.

Lexington: Watch the edges where the ice is thin. Catch rates were not as good as last week but those putting in some time were catching steelhead, the odd brown trout and some perch when using wax worms, spikes, minnows or a bare hook.

Port Sanilac: Ice conditions are poor and not fishable.

Harbor Beach: Ice fishing activity is confined to about half of the City Marina and Offshore Marina where anglers are sorting through perch. Detroit Edison apparently went online and blew the ice out of the discharge channel.

Saginaw Bay: Ice conditions remain marginal to poor throughout the bay and the ports on the outside of the Thumb. Windy conditions blew out some of the ice in various locations so anglers will have to be flexible in picking a place to fish. Warm weather this week will not help, so be careful out there! Wear waders and possibly a floatation jacket or float coat if you go out. Most are fishing in 2 to 5 feet of water with soft colored beads on jack hooks. Perch ranging 8 to 14 inches were caught off Newman, Townline 16 and Cody-Estey Road but some of the ice blew out so be careful. Perch anglers inside the Linwood Marina were also sorting out a few keepers. Some were fishing off the Bay City State Park, but success rates were unknown. Near Quanicassee, perch success was hit-or-miss at Vanderbilt Park. Lots of small perch and the odd pike were caught in the marina basin at Sebewaing. Ice conditions between Sebewaing and Bay Port were not consistent. Some quads have gone through the ice in this area. The ice in Wildfowl Bay is in poor condition. An air-boat went out to the Slot off Geiger Road for walleye but they broke the ice most of the way out there. They did report seeing lots of dead and dying gizzard shad, so the chance that a walleye will hit your spoon is pretty slim. Poor ice conditions have stopped anglers from fishing along the breakwall at Caseville. Ice shanties were out at Port Austin for those spearing pike.

Saginaw River: The Shiver on the River Walleye Tournament kicked off last weekend, and it looks like boat fishing will be the way to go. Ice has been pushed out of the Rust Avenue ramp and a dock has been put in. The Zilwaukee ramp has been cleared and boats should have access from the ramp on Cass Avenue which is on the south end of Bay City. In all cases, anglers should bring along a spud and a bag of salt to deal with unforeseen ice conditions. The ramps were still iced in at the Veterans Ramp in Bay City and Essexville. At the mouth, the Patterson ramp had too much ice to launch a boat.

Tittabawassee River: Some boats have been launching at Gordonville Road and going up to fish below the Dow Dam, but success rates were poor because there are not a lot of walleye up that far. Floating ice can be an issue. Not much activity elsewhere because of ice at the launch ramps.

Southwest Lower Peninsula Fishing Report

St. Joseph River: Has fair to good steelhead fishing. Try spawn or jigs with wax worms below the dams.

Grand River at Grand Rapids: Has boat and shore anglers catching steelhead and walleye. For steelhead, try chartreuse spawn bags, wobble glows with a 5 foot leader, or white jigs with 3 or 4 wax worms. Those back bouncing are using spawn with a 2 foot leader between the dam and the lake. Those trolling caught steelhead and walleye on Hot-n-Tots. Good colors were black and gold, orange and gold or blue with red lips. Walleye were caught off the Fulton Street Bridge when using white twister tails or bucktail jigs.

Grand River at Lansing: Most of the action continues to be for steelhead at the Webber Dam and Prairie Creek near Ionia. No word on walleye fishing.

Lake Lansing: Had ice however conditions will deteriorate rapidly with the warm weather. Stay safe and fish in shallow waters only for right now.

Lake Ovid: Had ice however conditions will most likely not hold after the current warm spell.

Northeast Lower Peninsula Fishing Report

Grand Lake: Has ice for walleye and perch fishing though anglers may want to consider foot traffic only.

Long Lake: Has ice but anglers will need to use caution near the areas that had open water. This lake is usually good for bluegill, rock bass, walleye, and pike.

Thunder Bay River: There was ice on the turning basin. Anglers are catching small perch there and at the boat harbor.

Hubbard Lake: Has ice but anglers will need to use caution as there are thin spots.

Au Sable River: Has very good steelhead fishing.

Lake St. Helen: Is still producing fish for ice anglers using wax worms, mousies or wigglers. Walleye were better in the early morning or late evening.

Higgins Lake: Is producing perch and pike off Sam-O-Set Park but there is pack ice in the area. Smelt were taken off the launch on the west side in 30 feet of water. On the south end, anglers caught pike, perch and lake trout off the State Park and Lincoln Avenue. Lake trout were caught on tip-ups. For pike, anglers did well on tip-ups and while spearing. Rainbow trout were caught near the Conference Center and Big Creek by those using wigglers. Early morning and late evening were best.

Houghton Lake: Still has some open water along the west shore. Travel conditions were listed as slippery so you might want to wear some cleats. Walleye were caught along the north shore, the East Bay and near the Cut River in the early morning or late evening. Pike were hitting on tip-ups with sucker minnows. Look for crappie along the north shore. Perch were hitting on blue shiners along the south shore.

Tawas: Ice fishing activity is confined to Jerry's Marina and inside the state harbor. In the marina, they are spearing a few pike and sorting through perch and sub-legal walleye. Most are fishing in 15 feet of water. Anglers should not be venturing out near the edge of the ice. No walleye is worth risking your life for. Inside the State Harbor, perch were caught however you will need to sort out the small ones. Some nice fish were seen but no one caught any.

Au Gres River: Most of the fishing activity has been concentrated in the lower river, although a few anglers were venturing out onto the bay just south of the breakwalls. The river is producing sub-legal walleyes and lots of small perch.

Northwest Lower Peninsula Fishing Report

Small lakes in the area have ice however some of the large lakes are not safe.

Lake Charlevoix: The main basin does not have safe ice.

Torch Lake: Does not have safe ice.

Elk Lake: Does not have safe ice.

Lake Cadillac: Ice fishing is going strong with sporadic catches of crappie, perch, and walleye. Pike are hitting on tip-ups with sucker minnows.

Lake Mitchell: Has ice fishing as well. Try the Big Cove for pike and crappie.

Lake Missaukee: Is another good lake for ice fishing however the panfish action was just fair.

Manistee River: Has very good steelhead fishing. Anglers have caught some nice fish including some fresh fish that have moved up into the river.

Pere Marquette River: Still has steelhead for the taking. Try flies, spawn or wax worms under a bobber.

Hamlin Lake: Has ice but anglers need to use caution and avoid the deep waters. For bluegill and crappie, try the shallow waters of Indian Pete's, the Middle or the South Bayou.

Upper Peninsula Fishing Report

Little Bay De Noc: Ice conditions improved however there are still areas throughout the bay that are dangerous. A couple vehicles fell through the ice on the northern end of Butler Island. This area is always dangerous and should be avoided at all times. Anglers are ice fishing in the northern bay and off Gladstone however any ice south of Gladstone should be considered dangerous. Pressure cracks have been a real problem this year as they seem to be moving around on a daily basis. Use extreme caution when crossing them! Walleye reports were good and the Gladstone area produced the best for those jigging rapalas 6 to 8 feet off the bottom in 25 to 30 feet of water. Some caught fish from the Center Reef when jigging rapalas or using tip-ups with sucker minnows in 18 to 28 feet of water. Several large walleye and good numbers of pike were reported in this area. The best walleye catches are early morning or between dusk and an hour after dark. For those looking for whitefish, the ice was just starting to form off Sand Point, so the ice is not safe yet. Catch rates for perch were still fair to good around Kipling. Try jigging minnows, wigglers or spikes in 5 to 17 feet of water.

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 Schwartz talks Lions from Super Bowl site

Lions coach Jim Jim Schwartz was in Indianapolis in advance of Sunday’s game and reviewed the highlights of the season in a national interview. (US PRESSWIRE)

 

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Mike O'Hara joined the Detroit News in 1966 and covered the Detroit Lions for that paper from 1977-2008.  He's covered every sport during his 40-plus years in the business.

 

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Check out the FOX Sports Detroit Girls page to see their latest photos.

The Lions didn’t make it to Super Bowl XLVI, but head coach Jim Schwartz was in Indianapolis in advance of Sunday’s game and reviewed the highlights of the season in a national interview.

The Lions had a turnaround season in 2011, with a 10-6 record that put them in the playoffs for the first time since 1999.

In an interview on ESPN’s popular "Mike & Mike in the Morning" show Thursday morning, Schwartz answered questions on a variety of issues.

They included the team’s upward trend after a decade of losing, the performance of Matthew Stafford, Ndamukong Suh and Calvin Johnson, and Schwartz’s expectation of running backs Jahvid Best and Mikel Leshoure returning from injuries.

Schwartz’s prognosis for Leshoure and Best had a slight bit of news value.

Leshoure missed all of his rookie season because of a torn Achilles sustained in training camp. Best went out in the sixth game with a concussion and did not return.

There has been speculation that Best might not play again because of a history of concussions.

Schwartz spoke of having both available in the upcoming season.

“We get those guys back on the field, you’ll see more pieces in place in our offense, and we’re going to be very difficult to handle,” Schwartz said.

The controversy surrounding Suh -- magnified by a stomping incident on Thanksgiving Day that resulted in the NFL suspending Suh for two games -- arose midway through the interview.

Schwartz was asked if Suh will learn from his negative experiences.

“I think he’s already done it,” Schwartz said.

The Lions have been characterized by many as being undisciplined because of personal-foul penalties. That image was heightened by the Suh incident and a rash of penalties incurred in a loss at New Orleans the next week in a Sunday night game that was televised nationally on NBC.

Schwartz reiterated what he said often during the season -- that he wants his defense to be physical and is most concerned about penalties that happen after the whistle, as opposed to penalties incurred during the course of action.

“When you’re a team that rushes the passer and is around the quarterback a lot, that’s (penalties) life in the NFL,” Schwartz said. “The referees are going to protect the quarterback. There’s a very fine line between getting a great play and a hit on the quarterback and drawing that penalty.

“It’s different to lose your composure after the whistle. I think we put that behind us as we continued on throughout the year.

“There are a lot of steps we’ve taken as a franchise. Dealing with success was a big, big part of that, learning how to be able to get through that.

“That stuff flies below the radar when you’re 0-16. Nobody sees that. When you’re in national television games, when you’re fighting for division championships, fighting for playoffs -- that stuff becomes a lot more scrutinized.

“That’s something you have to learn to deal with. I think we did.”

Schwartz compared Stafford’s development to that of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady -- a three-time Super Bowl champion.

Stafford played all 16 games for the first time in his three seasons with the Lions and passed for 5,038 yards and 41 touchdowns. He turns 24 next month.

“You think about all the different things,” Schwartz said. “He threw for 5,000 yards, led the Lions to the playoffs for the first time in a decade. He’s experienced so much in the NFL at this age.

“I think when Tom Brady was 24, he’d never thrown a pass in the NFL. Stafford’s thrown for 5,000 yards and led a team to the playoffs.

“He’s also dealt with a lot of the adversity of being injured and dealing with that kind of scrutiny. That will make him better in the future and make us better in the future.”

Schwartz stressed the impact that Johnson has on defenses and his teammates.

“Being a defensive coordinator for a decade, I know how difficult it is to defend against a guy like that,” Schwartz said. “There are no good calls against Calvin Johnson. He can be doubled, and he still makes the play.

“It gives the quarterback a place to be able to go with the ball, but it also frees everybody else up.”