About me: Okay, here goes. My story starts back in the 60s. Wow am I that old? Anyway, My sisters boyfriend played in a band, The Fortuneers, and I thought it was the coolest thing in the world. I used to want to hang around with him. After getting to watch them practice a few times I was hooked. He used to let me mess around with his guitar and I used to figure out songs by ear. He told my parents that he thought I had a great ear and suggested they get me a guitar. I know it sounds sick but they went out & got me a Fender Jaguar & a Twin Reverb amp. I used to sit in my room & run the pick up & down the wound strings cause it sounded cool. I think I was about 6. After a couple years I started getting interested in playing drums too. Once again my parents, believing I had it, went out & got me a miniature set of Ludwig drums. I still messed around with the guitar from time to time but I fell in love with drumming. It wasn't long before I put a band together with some kids on the block, in Dearborn Heights. I think the 1st one was called THE SIT-INS. We played stuff like CCR, Beatles, Stones, Moody Blues, etc. We used to practice all the time and it wasn't long before we had a set list. My sisters boyfriend helped us a lot so we actually didn't sound bad. I remember we actually had a few paying gigs. The one I remember most is my guitar player's aunt's wedding reception.
Anyway I moved, to Farmington Hills, in 72 and immediately started jamming with some locals. We put a band together called HOME GROWN.
We used to play at every party in town. We also did some shows at the High School. My girlfriend, at the time, had an older brother that was in the band ZOOSTER. They had a house gig in Florida. They ended up coming back to the Detroit area but their drummer stayed in Fla. I tried out & got the gig.
This was real cool for me cause I was only 17 and they were older & playing bars & stuff. I remember playing the 24 Karat, West Side Six, and other bars and I had to lie about my age. I played with them until the mid 70's. I remember seeing a band called Tantrum and thinking they were really cool. The singer, Dave Edwards, had a raspy Rod Stewart sounding voice. I started talking with him and it wasn't long before THE LOOK was born.
Formed in the summer of 1977, The Look were considered one of Detroit's premier Rock and Roll bands. Touring all over the country headlining or opening for such acts as John Mellencamp, Cheap Trick, Joe Cocker, The Kinks, and many more, The Look received critical acclaim for their albums, live appearances, and air play all over the world.
"The Look" were discovered by Mark Stebbeds who recorded their signature song “We’re Gonna Rock (How About You?)” at Grand Funk’s private studio in 1978. Johnny Sandlin, known for his work with the Allman Brothers, Delbert McClinton, and Detroit’s own The Rockets, produced the rest of the album's nine tracks in Birmingham, Alabama's Music Place Studios which was released on the band's own independent label Plastic Records in 1981.
The album "We're Gonna Rock" was reviewed favorably by Billboard, Cashbox, Record World, Variety, and many other publications and was named one of the top ten albums of 1981 by People Magazine. They were the first Detroit band to appear on MTV and “We’re Gonna Rock (How About You?)” was a top #5 record in many major markets along with being #1 song in Detroit and San Jose, CA. The album was released in Canada on A&M Records. The "We're Gonna Rock" album received massive airplay all over the world but only 10,000 copies were reportedly ever printed.
The Look’s second album, “Look Again”, was produced by Mark Stebbeds at Detroit’s Sound Suite Studio and Solid Sound in Ann Arbor, MI. and was released on Quality Records in 1982.
"Look Again" surpassed the success of their first album. Their smash hit “You Can’t Sit Down” was played and rated on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand and scored a ‘94’ making it one of the highest rated records ever on his show and the video from that song was voted “best video by a local band” by the Oakland Press in Pontiac, MI. "You Can't Sit Down" was also played in regular rotation on MTV.
The Look signed with Fantasy Records in 1984 and spent six months in California recording their third album “Everybody’s Acting”.
This album captured the same driving spirit and blistering energy that made the first two LP’s a success and it also exhibited a striking sophistication to the sound which the group attributed to producer/engineer Phil Kaffel and veteran keyboardist Tim Gorman. Their first single and dance track from this album, “Memories”, was produced in four different mixes for radio and dance clubs and received air play on many radio stations throughout America and was supported by a major club tour sponsored by Miller Brewing Company’s Rock Network Program.
I think it was mid 85 or so when Dave Gilbert, formerly of the Rockets, approached me to join his band ROADHOUSE.
ROADHOUSE - Goin' to a Kegger
To this day I think Dave had the best voice of anyone that I have ever seen in the Detroit area. I jumped at the opportunity. We did several gigs & some live broadcasts for WLLZ that I still cherish today. The drugs and attitudes in that band kind of discouraged me and after that I just sort of quit playing for a while.
In the late 80's I joined some old friends & put together a group called TallDogs. In the early 80's we reformed The Look for a short time. From 04 - 06 I rejoined my old friend Jim Barry in the TallDogs. in 2007 I played several shows with The Student Driver Band. This group has some great original material!!
Currently I'm still playing an occasional show with the TallDogs & I have now signed on full time with
THE ROMEO FLYNNS
My son Max plays guitar too. He's 15 and he has 2 Telecasters, a Strat, a Les Paul Special & a Fender Resonator. His band is called Black Tie Project. Here we go again.
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THIS IS GREAT!!! (Pause the music above before watching) ..
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ROFLMAO!!! (Pause the music above before watching) ..
2 questions. 1. What was Grand Funks private studio like? and, 2. Who made all the money? Hey, what up? I got a guy playing with me now that use to live with Randy Volin back in the day. Steve Ross. Anyways, Stay Cool, PHJ from GrooveDog
What's been Shakin lately? I called ya a while back for a gig but I never heard from ya..... I hope all is well. Hey, I love Maxs' video production. Cool song, hey.....I have four kids (all boys) Peace,
