The Heart of Detroit
Power, Community
The message of Ko Melina's ‘The Heart of Detroit’ project is the constantly necessary reminder that there is still the choice to be kind to others when faced with a challenge. The narrative around what 2020 was in local and global histories is still being written by our perception of the events, and while it was no doubt a tragic year, it was not all bad. What started out as a reaction to a personal incident for Melina, guitarist and back-up vocalist for Detroit rock outfit The Dirtbombs, turned into a project to highlight the stories of folks in Detroit. Focusing initially on small businesses and musicians, both of whom were hit especially hard by the pandemic, Melina would take a photo, conduct an interview, and post both on social media, usually with a little praise that she would add.
The project acts a unique way to connect to others in such a disjointed time, not only for Melina who began friendships with many of her interviewees, but also for her followers who were able to see the faces of people they knew and learn about people they didn't know within their city. Reacting to the news, Melina was sensitively listening to the moment in order to figure out what was a necessary story for which moment. Who needed to be seen and why? Because it adapts itself, the project is specific to its period. But in retrospect too, the photos and the stories remain beautiful as a way of crystallizing an alternate narrative from those periods, a supplement or a counter to the day-to-day bad news or the gloomy feeling that underlies this period.
The work is, in small part, a way of trying to undo the bad reputation that Detroit has gained over the years. But the main focus of the project is for the community itself. Composed of a long lineage of folks determined to keep the city alive, who have been doing the work for years, and young people who are just beginning, Melina tried to curate a collection of subjects that accurately reflect Detroit. And also to act as an objective witness to their stories, taking special care to avoid adding her own bias when possible.
Some of the stories are uplifting because they showcase heroic feats that have gone largely unnoticed. Others are touching because they are quiet, show the intimate details of people just living. "It's about a community of people that are trying", working for change and hoping for it.
The project acts a unique way to connect to others in such a disjointed time, not only for Melina who began friendships with many of her interviewees, but also for her followers who were able to see the faces of people they knew and learn about people they didn't know within their city. Reacting to the news, Melina was sensitively listening to the moment in order to figure out what was a necessary story for which moment. Who needed to be seen and why? Because it adapts itself, the project is specific to its period. But in retrospect too, the photos and the stories remain beautiful as a way of crystallizing an alternate narrative from those periods, a supplement or a counter to the day-to-day bad news or the gloomy feeling that underlies this period.
The work is, in small part, a way of trying to undo the bad reputation that Detroit has gained over the years. But the main focus of the project is for the community itself. Composed of a long lineage of folks determined to keep the city alive, who have been doing the work for years, and young people who are just beginning, Melina tried to curate a collection of subjects that accurately reflect Detroit. And also to act as an objective witness to their stories, taking special care to avoid adding her own bias when possible.
Some of the stories are uplifting because they showcase heroic feats that have gone largely unnoticed. Others are touching because they are quiet, show the intimate details of people just living. "It's about a community of people that are trying", working for change and hoping for it.
Statement by Omar El-Sabrout
Cornelius
This is @corneliusdetroit , he's the label manager for @undergroundresistance313 and a Cultural Activist, passionate about talking about it and uplifting in many ways. Every June (Black Muisc Month) he posts a song a day with detailed information and his knowledge game is strong! Most of his job had him traveling so covid 19 had him reevaluate life looking forward. How he could continue to uplift and spread culture in the future? He and I have had some wonderful conversations and they've boiled down to one thing: Those who are unhappy with this world have an obligation to change it. Detroit is lucky to have people like Cornelius.
Dale Crover
This is @drcrover , he's spent the last 36 years playing drums in the @melvinsdotcom as well as other bands, such as @reddkross for the last 3 years. He's a touring machine. He describes himself as pretty shy and introverted even though his job is not that at all. Dale says "Its weird to think about being in the Melvins for 36 years but at the same time, I feel blessed we've made it work this long and have a partnership that's worked and we've had to create the whole thing ourselves." Outside of the bands, he's married for what he thinks is about 18 years. "The good thing is my wife and I always look at each other and say 'wait, how long has it been?' so it's not like one of us says You don't remember?!?"
They have 2 kids, a girl, who's a teenager and a boy who is 11. Dale says"He does really great in math which he certainly doesn't get from me. He'll be my accountant someday!" His family is a great part of his life that he's made work, considering how much he tours, or rather used to tour and says "it's pretty unique that we've made the whole thing work and it hasn't fallen apart. It all works pretty well, both the bands and my marriage."
He would've been doing on tour with @reddkross had Covid not happened and says "I would have been in Detroit at least twice this year by now." But because of Covid, everything stopped. Right when this all started @reddkross was getting ready to go to SXSW and when it was cancelled, Dale thought "Wait a minute, SXSW is being cancelled? This must be pretty serious." The Melvins were touring back in February and they'd been hearing about Covid but it seemed like nothing was happening. Dale recalls @realkingbuzzo saying "Looks like this Covid thing isn't going to be a big thing at all. It's not going to be a Pandemic... Or maybe we're all gonna die. We'll see." Then a few days later, they both got sick. "The band we were touring with, a bunch of the guys had been sick and finally after hanging out in small dressing rooms, both Buzz and I got really sick, didn't think anything of it at the time because things were still happening, nothing was shut down so I didn't even think until way after that maybe that's what we had. Dale says they had all the symptoms, bad cough, couldn't breathe, tired for long periods of time. In May, they heard that one of the guys in the band they'd toured with had taken an antibody test and it had come back positive. @stevenmcdonald didn't get sick but he was sick after they had come back from Japan last year.
"This has affected everything for us. We can't play any shows so that takes away a large chunk of our income," says Dale "I don't think we'll realistically be able to do anything until at least next October. But even then, everybody's gonna want to tour so it's gonna be competitive and where the fuck are we gonna play? What's gonna be open? Who's gonna survive this? I'm usually a half glass full guy but I'm really worried about this." Dale is happy to have gotten to spend so much time at home with his family but its weird not touring and traveling when that's been his life for 36 years. He's got a solo record coming out, made an amazing video and the Melvins have been recording and working on streaming videos. "We're coming up on Thanks giving and it's like it was around the 4th of July so of course they're gonna ask people to stay home and not have another super spreader event. Hopefully it will help." Although Dale is based in LA, because of his touring, I would see him at least 5 times a year with all the bands he plays with. I miss him and hope that Covid doesn't kill the music industry.
Hailey Dukes
This is @wolf___hailey . DJ/writer and Communications manager @culturesource!
Jemina Abegg & Ben Swank
This is @jeminapearl and @revbenswank . Ben is a Detroiter living in Nashville, part of the legendary #Soledadbrothers and co-founder and co-owner of @thirdmanrecords . His wife Jemina is a 2nd generation musician, starting the band #beyourownpet when she was 15. Jemina has been spent the past year making one off screen print, tie dye shirts and donating the money to various groups, the latest batch earned her $1300 that she gave to defund the police. Ben and Jemina have 2 children, Lula, who is 7 and Elvis, who is 2. Lula's school was started with racial integration as an integral part of the school so Jemina has also been making kids' masks to make sure that all the children have them if in person schooling starts up again. And even if it doesn't, she'll have them to give out to children who need them. Amazing folks who I personally love.
Joseph Patel
This is @jazzbeezy , Before Covid 19, he was producing a feature documentary directed by @questlove and prepping to direct another based on the book "Contact High: A Visual History of Hip Hop". They worked a bit from home but had to shut down production for a few weeks and are in the midst of preparing to get back to work soon. He and his family are in Park Slope, Brooklyn extreme social distancing and wearing masks when they have to go out. Joseph and I met on one of his many trips to Detroit (pre Covid) while he was producing a documentary and we became fast friends. When I came up with the idea for this project, I called him and he was one of two people who took time to help me figure out how to make things actually work. He gave me so much advice on how to make my ideas work and for that I want to give him a big shout out and Thank you. We are not even close to being over this and as Joseph said to me "COVID-19 exposed the inequalities and injustices that exist in our society, evidenced by the fact that black and brown people are disproportionally affected by this virus. Literally the least anyone can do is wear a mask. And yet, that has become a cultural or “liberty” issue for some. Sometimes I think we live in the dumbest country on the planet." Thank you for your help Joseph! Mask up everyone!
Kimberly Todd
This is @souldelightfull , she's artistic, has strong roots in family and is the mother to 3 yr old twins. "One of the reasons I chose to be a photojournalist instead of being a different kind of Photographer," says Kimberly "I loved photography from a young age but didn't know know if I could make a career from it. I chose journalism because I liked the idea of social responsibility. I'm not just making pretty pictures to make money." Kimberly felt it was more of Community outreach, giving back, affecting the lives of people who didn't necessarily have people advocating for them. "I would describe myself as someone who has overcome and is still overcoming. So when Covid came, it was hard and it was invigorating at first because I felt a sense of purpose. I had to get the story, keep the community safe and get the information they needed so they could remain safe." She says.
Covid created alot of strain and pressure and she found herself, like many others, trying to numb herself from the pain and emotion coming from daily coverage. "Being a journalist," says Kimberly"there's always a burden of carrying other people's pain and suffering when you're reporting on it. But on top of that, dealing with black people being shot and killed by the police, this was on another level and it was a constant bombardment and there was no distraction." Kimberly says "In some ways that was a good thing because to me, there was never a distraction. But the rest of the world had to pay attention." At the same time, she has a family to take care of and a job to do. So she's been trying to maintain to her own health and sanity, saying that Meditation is really key. "When it comes to covering protests," she says" the protests for BLM, no matter what my political affiliations or where my personal interests align, are the same as the Trump protests. Protesters are angry, upset and they want things to stop and end. When you stop and take the time to talk to people and understand where they're coming from, you realize it's not much different, except they want different results." Kimberly is about the people and her Community. "I've learned that everyone has a story to tell. No one reads newspapers, they watch TV news and think they get the gist of what's going on and miss the nuance".
We spoke about recent encounters with racism that we've both had and she said "Theres different levels to systematic racism. They have this idea of what America is and it's up to us to hold them to these standards. You can't say it and then say "oh no, it's not for YOU, it's just for who we say it's for" No, that's not what it says. We're all here, you wanna utilize our resources, smarts and abilities and meanwhile America is what it is BECAUSE it's so diverse. It would never be half of what it is if it was Sweden or something because we never started as Sweden! I'm gonna make sure for me and my children that America is gonna be what it says it is."
Kimberly is incredible, loving and strong and I want to live in HER America.
Mary Cobra
This is @marycobra of the fabulous @thedetroitcobras . They had European tour plans for March of this year that were pushed to September of this year, then pushed again to September 2021. Now the plans are on hold indefinitely because of covid 19 travel bans many European promoters aren't honoring previous contracts or willing to put work in for shows with American bands that may or may not happen. As many people may or may not know, touring and live shows are the primary income for musicians. So let's hope that we can get our number of cases down so live music can live on.
Mikel Smith
This is @mikelsmith3736 , he's the owner of @threads_detroit and describes himself as "a crusty old guy who loves music and loves to run." He's been operating Detroit Threads going on 24 years. He was originally inspired to run a record store back when he was in the military. Mikel was in the army, stationed at Ft. Hood in Texas. At that point in time, there weren't any zoning laws in Texas and Mikel found a store that the owner had set up the front as the record store and the lived in the back. Weekends, he would DJ and advertise his shop. "We both turned each other on to alot of stuff." Mikel says "One of the first times I went looking for records I asked 'Do you have any Stooges?' and he said 'What?! You like the Stooges?' I'm thinking all my friends like the Stooges, doesn't everybody? Then the guy asks 'are you from Detroit by any chance? Now I understand'." That's how Mikel's interest in opening a record store came about. "Man, one day that's gonna be me."
Returning to Detroit, he opened a store in the 80s but it didn't work out and Mikel worked as a hair dresser, which he liked but it wasn't his passion. He came home one night and his roommate told him that he and his brother were going to open a record store across the street from Chene Park (now Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre) and Mikel decided to open a clothing store right next to it so it would be more of a draw. 9 months later, the other guys closed their shop and Mikel bought their inventory but had to move his store. The upside to moving was that his new neighbor was an avid runner who got Mikel to start running from 1/2 mile all the way to a 100 mile race out in Hell, Mi. Running taught him discipline. When we spoke about covid, he said "whoever thought we would have to live through something like this in our lifetime? It happened 100 years ago but you figure that's never gonna happen again." He was in panic mode at first but then tried not to panic too much. Mikel had to close and thought "what am I gonna do? If I got no business, I got no money and at that point, self employed people couldn't get unemployment. I'm gonna be out on the corner asking for handouts." 3 days later he began working on his online presence and section by section posted records on Facebook, Instagram and anything that wasn't already listed on Discogs, hoping that he could sell something to people who were still working. "I just wanted enough money to get by and feed myself." Mikel says "Slowly online business picked up and once they approved the covid unemployment, it saved me. So many people have lost their businesses and jobs it's insane. Still to this day, I feel like something's gotta give. I'm doing ok but not having festivals are killing alot of businesses. I consider myself lucky I'm still able to make my bills but I feel terrible for alot of people in the bar business, bands, DJs who aren't able to tour and do what they do. It really sucks." He continued by saying "Especially with cases on the rise again, the government keeps saying that they want to get relief for people but it ain't happening."
In February, there was a big storm that tore down his front awning apart. Out of the blue, his friends, Dustin Alexander and Angie Linder started a GoFundMe page without telling him and got him a new awning. They did everything, it was a real sign of Community and love.
Detroit Threads is open Mon-Sat 2-7pm. There's a limit of less than 8 people in the store at a time and masks are required. Mikel has reduced the number of listening stations and still worries about how we will all make it through this next spike in cases. I actually had to twist his arm to tell his story, Mikel is humble and truly worries more about others than himself. Buy some records or clothing from him because he's truly a good guy.
Tariq
This is @royal.riq , at 10 years old he got his first drum lessons, ended up going to the Performing Arts High School in Detroit, where he played in the symphony, marching band and Jazz Band. It's where he started getting serious and formed his musical and personal identity. He ended up at @uofmichigan to study Jazz, where his mother is a professor. His education there gave Tariq a chance to go to Cuba as well as taking Master classes from many of his musical heroes and he formed habits like meditating and stargazing. "I liked the idea of being able to look up at the sky and it would tell me something," he says"when I look up at the sky, what's it trying to tell me? It informs my art and alot of my compositions have been lofty concepts that can be close to me, sentimentally." He wrote a song for his father called "The Diaspora" because his father is a painter and Tariq says "I think of us all as human dispersals from the original humans. We're here to disperse hopefully the good things." Tariq feels wise beyond his 24 years on Earth saying "I'm about making art, making something that will outlast me, that can create a safe space for someone in all these times of turmoil that we're living in. I feel like being able to create a biome that's conducive to someone feeling safe is one of the most important things I can do. It's all about that and activism."
For Tariq, life has been a whirlwind since covid. "Like it or not, this year is gonna be in the history books. This year has motivated me to fight for activism, seeing all kinds of disparities between people and how certain situations are handled differently. It's been illuminating." Tariq spoke about how education is rigged so he feels it's important for him to be a mentor and a role model that someone can look at and feel that someone loves them. His motto is "Each one, teach one." Tariq says "when you have a heritage of something that's given down to you, the worst thing that can happen is that it's lost to the ages so I carry around the legacy of those who came before me." He feels fortunate that he hasn't lost anyone close to him during this time. One of his philosophical beliefs is that we're all Gardners into each other's lives so it's important to Tariq to nourish and give the people in his garden nourishment so that we can all grow. "One thing that I love about being a musician is being blessed to have a lot of male role models in my life that are good examples of how I want to be and mature. I have unlimited access to musicians, Max Roach, Marcus Belgrave, Elvin Jones. They can never do wrong by me".
"I feel like when covid is all said and done, politics aside, there's going to be a Renaissance in human connection and how we feel to be around each other. I know when I'm around people, I'm gonna wanna have a good time."
Tariq and I also spoke about Detroit. "We're privledged to be here. The only boundaries are where your mind stop you. You can do so much here".
As we spoke, his mother poked her head out the door saying "I heard voices, we're in crazy times but I heard happy voices." and then reminded Tariq to play a track for her studio class, which I found beautiful. She didn't ask him to take out the garbage, she asked him to play tracks. Although we had only met, I felt instantly comfortable with Tariq as we traded stories about being a musician. I'm so glad to have met him and can't wait to play music with him in the future.
Wendy Case
This is @wcasedetroit , she's a Detroit rock n roller, known for such bands as #tenhigh , #thepaybacks and her latest project #royalsweets . She's also a psychotherapist and art therapist and recently opened a private practice in Farmington Hills. The move came in response to the generalized chaos around her working life during Covid. "It clarified some things for me," she says. "I'd been wanting to do it for awhile - it seemed like a good time to take a chance." Arrow Arts Psychotherapy opened its doors three weeks ago. Specializing in trauma, developmental trauma and addiction, Arrow's services are open to anyone seeking help. Case offers a sliding scale for those with no insurance and, needless to say, the business is very artist and musician-friendly.
When we spoke, Case said that though she may come on strong, at her core she is a lover. She believes that the issues facing our world today are bringing out the best and the worst in people, and that taking it all in helps her decide what she wants her life to look like. "This is a crisis that's coming for everyone - you can roll over or rise up." Case describes herself as an eternal optimist and, though she was born in Akron and reared in the Carolinas, views herself as a sworn Detroiter: "Detroit made all of my dreams come true." I'm so glad that we have her - and that she's rising up! #womensupportingwomen
Zoë Villegas
This is @zoe_villegas_detroit , she's a writer, rocker mystic, full time Tarot reader who owns her own tarot business. The Oscar Wilde quote "We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars" is an apt way that she describes herself. She has deep ties to the city but covid has been really hard on her, being isolated. Zoë has been reading tarot over the phone, mostly to people who've lost loved ones to covid. "We're in an interesting place where people are reaching out for spiritual methods because things are so unexplainable and so I've received calls from people experiencing grief and financial hardship" she says "The way that covid has impacted Detroit is something that is not just a reality that some people have. We have the loss of homes, people having to continue to work in fear, single mothers who have to send their kids to school who are terrified. So most people I talk to are looking for some hope."
Zoë also has noticed a severe increase in aggression. "The tension is at an all time high, the misogyny, the abuse in our interactions, even in our smallest ways, transgressions happen. And I'm in a position of privilege!" Being surrounded by aggression has been a huge source of anxiety for her. Recently she went to the gas station and some men started messing with her. First it was one guy asking for her number. He wasn't wearing a mask and Zoë asked him to back up and the man began harrasing her and egged the other people in the gas station on. Zoë says"Normally, I felt like I could've talked shit back but I could sense that things were going to escalate and I might get fucking killed. So the sense of disposability of life increases aggression." But this has also been a time of heavy reflection for Zoë "As isolated as it can be, I've found alot of important revelations that have come from this time. I hold trust, what's really in people's hearts with the greatest honor and esteem."
She's taken this time to help raise money for people impacted by ICE, she's starting "Lonely hearts club" a monthly potluck for people who live alone and are having a hard time eating. People will bring a dish and Tupperware so they can take home food. She's doing all she can to survive and help others survive right now.
"Covid has shown how strong we can be." Zoë says "I couldn't anticipate getting through something like this before but I'm connected with the people I should be. I've had to let go of alot and reprioritize because this is a time of literal survival but I've found ways to cope. The truth is hard but it's important. Confront grief and pain and if someone is hurting, do something to lift them up."
Zoë is a beautiful soul and I see so much strength in her. She's the kind of person who we all need in a friend and I'm proud that she's one of mine.
Craig Brown
This is @craigbrownband , he's been a musician in Detroit for 15 years, playing in many bands and touring all over the world. He's also worked in the service industry since he was 14, starting at a bagel shop. Most recently he's bartended at @elclubdetroit and @pjslagerhouse. He's stopped bartending because of Covid and is working on getting his real estate license. He writes, plays and records music and through that he's made a lot of friends and connections. As we spoke, he stressed to me that even though he's travelled so much, he's never lived anywhere outside of the Detroit area. At the age of 36, this is the longest he's taken a break from playing since he was 19.
"Traveling keeps me sane and because Covid has kept me from doing that, it's affected what I am." Craig says. Many people see him as a goof ball but he's a conscientious person. At the heart of things he stands up for what he believes in. "Most people hate confrontation but I don't." He says," I'll always stand up for what's right." He's unhappy with Trump and his followers and said "If you don't know what a liar looks like by now, I don't know what the hell is wrong with you." Craig thinks about all the things going on and wonders what's going to happen. "There's things I don't understand, like how parents from Detroit public schools are blocking school buses because they don't want their kids to be in danger going to school and a few miles away you've got Grosse Pointe parents complaining about why there's an issue about schools opening. I hope that this is the bottom because how can things get worse?" He said. People might see Craig as a class clown but I see him as a guy with a heart of gold. Mask up for Craig!
Duane Daniels
This is @juust_duane , in front of his childhood home. Duane gives all for this community and loves being able to provide resources for those who need them. He's a fighter, fighting for equal rights and against injustice. Duane was homeless for 2 years, living in the back of a truck at work which made him realize he needed to look at life. He felt depressed and lost in life and never thought that he'd make it until he met @noo.limit.jaybo and moved in with his family. Since then, they've accomplished so much that they couldn't have done alone. Duane says "I've sacrificed and lost alot but I'm willing to put in the work to regain and regrow the community." Duane truly cares about others and is outspoken about his beliefs. "Seeing violence, having to bury so many of my friends was a wake up call to lead people to not go through life like that" Duane says "I want to prevent homelessness, homicides, help with mental illness, all things my community has lacked for decades."
He's building his happy ending by fighting for the people around him. "We all need to come together." Duane works with #dlive (Detroit Life is Valuable Everyday). They post up at hospitals to talk to victims and follow up because most of them have experienced trauma. They also are working with Detroit public schools, trying to get surveillance out of schools. Duane recalls experiences in middle school, walking through metal detectors, being forced to only use clear plastic backpacks an having books with 1/3 of the pages missing. "14 yr olds would get into dumb fights and instead of getting sent to the principal's office, they were getting maced by the police and thrown into the juvie system. So of course they're gonna drop out." He says. #dlive is trying to change that. When Covid hit, his Grandfather got the virus, which was devastating because his grandfather always seemed immortal to him. Duane was afraid to go outside because of Covid and also because of police brutality. He was afraid for his elderly family members and it made him see that he had to be the one they could depend on. He now protests with @detroitwillbreathe and says he's a fearless warrior. Duane is an inspiration!
Fred Thomas
This is @fredthomas ultra talented musician, who you may know from bands like #saturdaylooksgoodtome . 50% of his musical work was recording up and coming bands who are working on their first demos or just don't quite have enough money to record at a big name studio. I say "was" because he's decided that he isn't going to be recording until the pandemic settles down for the safety of everyone involved. Another hit for music, so everyone mask up when you're going out and stay home when you can!
Jessie Wagner
This is @jessie_wagner , she's got the most incredible voice and a new single called "Over and Over", out on @wickedcoolrecords ! You'll probably hear it on my @littlesteven_ug show. I love it!
John Bunkley
This is @j.k.bunkley he's an Artist, painter, sculptor and super accomplished musician. He started the band #gangsterfun in 1986, #theatomicfireballs in 1996 . The last gig he played was Black Christmas with the Suicide Machines at the Majestic and had 2 solo art shows last year. He has just finished working on a solo Rocksteady album! You can check out more of his work on his website www.johnbunkley.com Unfortunately he's seen too many pass away from covid 19 but it's made him want to help the people around him that are still alive. Since he has the knowledge, he's been helping people write paperwork for grants, unemployment and he's slowed down to be grateful for what he has: his Mom, Brothers, reconnecting with friends and The City of Detroit. When we spoke he said "I Dont have alot, but what I do have is for the sharing!" What a beautiful sentiment from a beautiful man!
Kenny Tudrick
This is @kennytudrick , he's been in so many bands over his lifetime that I can't list them all! But currently he's focusing on solo work. He's moved from Detroit to Croswell, Mi and built his own studio @theblackriverhouse . His life with his partner, @drea_s_d is where he has always dreamed of being. He's now a family man: Keenan, 25 who is out of the house, Luke, 18 who graduated this year with no ceremony and Lola, 16 who goes by Robbie and identifies as male. Kenny and Drea stand by the decisions that Robbie makes because there are too many homeless kids whose parents don't understand and they are determined not to be those kind of parents. Kenny told me "music and creating are all I've ever done and I want to make sure that the kids play and have the good solid foundation I didn't have." Part of the foundation has been his sobriety and building the studio so he could have his friends come from the city and record.
Unfortunately covid has stopped part of the dream. He's had calls from bands wanting to record but for safety reasons he hasn't been recording others. But he has been recording his own music. He's got a new singles where he's played everything and leading to a new album. When we spoke Kenny told me that he hopes, as a touring musician, people don't hate our country and we can turn things around. He's always had offers to play with bands but he's finally taking this time to focus on his music and his family. Kenny is one of the most talented musicians I know and I'm glad he's finally found his happy place.
Larry Hardy
This is #larryhardy , owner of @intheredrecords. Larry has been putting out records for almost 30 years, saying "The label is pretty much all I care about, I mean apart from my wife, my dogs and the usual bullshit that everyone cares about, the label is my singular vision and it's always been my singular vision." Music is his passion and he found a way to get involved even though he's not a musician and doesn't play in a band. "Records and music have kept me going through the pandemic." Says Larry "I get up and it's like, I'm putting out the next Scientists album. They haven't done an album since 86 and I'm going to do the next one. I worshipped that band when I was a teenager, so that keeps me going. I'm doing an #alanvega album that @palmyradelran played on, which is probably the last thing he did. That's insane to me. I'm totally a singular obsessive." Talking about In the Red Records, Larry says "Not Everybody thinks everything I put out is good but I don't care. I don't pick things based on if they're gonna sell, I do what I like and I'm passionate about it and I haven't lost that. I can't believe I make a living off it." He describes himself as a complete music nerd and that beyond the music he puts out he still cares about music. He just put out a new #demolitiondollrods album and says "its weird because I'm working now with all the same groups that I started with 30 years ago: #johnspencer, the Gibson Brothers, Cheater Slicks, Mick Collins and @dogjones65. That's who I started with and they still want to work with me so I can't be that bad!"
In terms of Covid and the past year, Larry feels like everything is completely fucked up right now. "I'm really hoping that next year is the complete opposite of this year. I'm hoping we're going to turn a page with a new president and everything starts slowly turning around." He's been donating money to worthy causes but staying locked down with his wife and dogs. "You feel like now is exactly the time you should be doing because our country is going to hell and with this election, if this guy gets a 2nd term, it's not hyperbole to say this country is probably fucked for good." Larry used to walk on the beach but it's become too crowded. He liked to take walks at night but because of the wildfires, he can't do that either. He and his wife, Robin have talked about "Lets see how the election goes because LA is really crowded and fire season lasts longer and longer." So they've been talking to an immigration lawyer about the idea of actually moving to Canada.
Larry has put out all #thedirtbombs records so I've gotten to know him really well over the years. He's a kind man. I've played pranks on him and he's always taken them in stride. For our country to lose someone like him would be a huge loss. For more info, go to intheredrecords.com Larry Hardy is one of the best.
Mike Mouyianis
This is @mouyianis , Boss man at @smallsbar. He's hardworking and fair but don't get on his bad side, he says "I can be your best friend or worst enemy. There's a very thin line".
Small's is one of our many independent music venues so with shutdowns, Mike had to come up with a way to keep the lights on, keep paying rent so he's been doing Renegade Kitchen. Carry out food, 4 days a week. "I'm working 5 times as hard for 1/3 of the money" Mike says "I used to see a thousand people a week but now I see 15 people on a good week, which includes the folks in the grocery stores that I go to. Being a social person it's hard." Pre covid, they had done occasional popups but now their revenue rests entirely on food, which Mike sees as one silver lining. "I can cook anything and my chops are on point now".
Covid has shown him who people truly are. "People either bitch online about covid being a hoax and refuse to wear masks or there's people like @jnavarrotraitorj who are doing amazing things and @billkozy who figure out how to survive. You see People's true selves." Mike says "People are mostly good but there's some where I realize that they were always assholes and now I don't ever have to deal with them again".
Before I had interviewed Mike, there were rumours swirling around about Small's being closed for Good. Mike said to me "Theres different points of view. Some people think when everyone else is gone, you're gonna be the only one standing. I say Maybe? Doing a couple hundred bucks in food every few days a week isn't the same as being open. I've lost so many shows. Even shows where you lose money on ticket sales but you make it up at the bar. That's all gone. People say "we promise we're gonna come back, but when is that gonna be?" But he, Natalie (his wife) and Kat aren't giving up. This is what they do. "We were never getting rich off Smalls but it's what we love to do".
Mike says that he's tired of being tired but if he didn't have this, he would've gone insane. "I'm not the most positive guy but throughout this, I've been the cheerleader. There are days when I think "Fuck. I DO NOT want to do this but I can't call in sick". They serve carryout food Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 6p-9p. Call in starts at 5.45p and the phone is 313-873-1117.
They did Thanksgiving dinner and sold out but people showed up and called wondering if there was food left. The only food that was left was the food that Mike had made for himself and Natalie and so he called home and Natalie told him "sell it, we can just eat whatever".
So until some real action happens with #saveourstages , help independent, non Live Nation venues like Smalls. Mike made me cheeseburger fried rice, which sounded weird but ended up being AMAZING. Remember that without venues like Smalls, your favorite bands of tomorrow may never get a chance to exist. Mike may come off as a tough guy but he's really sweet and has a really big heart with a lot of love.
Nick Zinner
This is @little_vampire , he plays guitar in the @yeahyeahyeahs as well as being an accomplished Photographer. He started out taking photos in high school and ended up majoring in Photography in college and currently has 5 photobooks published. When I was thinking about starting out this project, Nick and I talked about the photography aspect of things. As a kid, I'd worked in my uncle's darkroom and have taken photos here and there but am by no means a pro. Over the years, his band and my band have played together and hung out alot so I sent Nick many of early photos for the project and he gave me many tips on how to make them look better and boosted my ego in terms of my photography being "good enough". So I wanted to include him and say a big Thank You for helping me out. We may all feel helpless right now but there are things were can do and a big one is coming up in November. Please VOTE! In Michigan, we have mail in ballots so you don't have to go to the polls but everyone who doesn't, wear a mask and cast your vote in November! Thank you Nick.
Timmy Lampinen
This is @timmylampinen , he's been the force behind amazing bands like #theclonedefects ,#humaneye and most recently @timmys_organism . Besides being great bands, he's always used his voice in times when it's needed. With all the madness going on, Timmy's a true punk in the fashion of speaking out against injustice. We need more people like him in this world.
Tunde Adebimpe
This is @tadebimpe , he's an artist , actor, makes music, art, animation and sometimes speaks poetically without meaning to. He and I met in 2006 when #thedirtbombs were touring Europe and his band, @tvontheradio were on the same circuit and they showed up at one of our shows in Hamburg. We ended up touring with them in 2008. Tunde describes himself as "a sack of bones with a little bit of meat thrown in".
When we spoke about Covid and the times that we're living in now, he said "I feel like everyone has had so much access to so much imagery and mood altering situations and sometimes a complete distortion of their reality that makes life feel fake". Watching the past 4 years and how the country has changed because the person with the most attention is an actual TV host is just crazy at this point because this person has been injected into reality, but we're still watching TV so it's reality TV and has had dire consequences. "Process the idea that upwards of 200,000 people have died and that being classified as a war time crime. It's so reckless, it's some real death cult shit" says Tunde. "It's a fucking triple layer cake of a pandemic, fight for civil rights and an election." He urges people to vote saying that " the reason you vote is so you don't have to think about whatever the clown show this idiot is but also because we should be in a place where he's not the topic of conversation anymore".
He's thankful for the time he's had to spend with his daughter, who is 4. Everything is new to her so she's thinking last year I learned to read, this year I wear a mask and that's what I do. Tunde says "I want to see the movie where people were actively inspired to get things fixed."
I'm with Tunde, that's the movie I want to see too.
Young Eli
This is @eternityoreli , he's a man of many things but mostly Music. Dayon began making music at a young age to pass the time. He was at a new school and didn't know many people and found that music was one thing that everyone shared in common. He truly began to find a love for music as the years passed and he started to lose alot of his friends to gang violence and had less people he could talk to. "Why am I getting so close to people when they keep on passing away?" He thought. But Dayon's dreams are bigger than that.
"Music describes me but I'm for the people." He says "My dreams are bigger than music. It's only the gateway." Hi goal is to create a label to allow other people to attain their goals, dreams and aspirations. "I see music as a door that allows me to create more doors for other people that need their voices and stories to be heard because I know how it is being secluded. Feeling like it's you vs the world."
Dayon and I spoke about growing up and he said "My neighborhood has always been bad. I lost a friend when I was 13, it was gang violence related and right after that, I lost my friend Drea. She was just sitting on her friend's porch and somebody came by and started shooting and took her life too. These were close friends, people I talked to everyday so just growing up in my environment, what they call "the hood" there's always been problems." He stressed to me that you don't have to be in a gang to fall victim to the drama of it all. "Sometimes it's the people you connected to. Maybe you're not in the gang but connected to someone else, they're in a gang and lose their life and you're affected. It makes you look at things differently cuz losing people builds up emotion, sorrow and sadness. I want to do better and stop all the violence".
Dayon was adopted and says "My people weren't really there for me so I really wanna do better. I wanna be there for others. I wanna be in my family's life, my friend's lives so they have somebody to talk to, somebody to depend on because I never had that."
During the pandemic, he's had alot of bad things happen, family members lost to covid. He lost his cousin 2 months ago and the day we spoke, his godsister had told him that she had just tested positive but Dayon says that he's also met alot of great people. He's been able to get great things done with the time off, making music and with people being at home, his music has transcendent since people have the time to listen. "My life has always been a rollercoaster, ups and downs. So when life goes good, I feel like life is gonna go bad but it can't get worse so things always get better." Dayon says "Thats why I never get too down because I always realize that there's better." Ever the optimist, Dayon says"Most people look at "the hood" as a bad place but I see so much potential. I'll always give back to my community." He tells his girlfriend "just look outside, look at the bsky, look at the trees. It's stuff that people don't look and see. Don't take anything for granted and cherish everything cuz there's always people in worse conditions than you."
Dayon has high hopes that he can change the future. "I see so much potential in Detroit, in the people. NOTE THE BEST AND WORK ON THE REST. There's hope in our city and in these neighborhoods."
I have so much admiration for Dayon, through all the adversity, he's still got that PMA and the future is wide open and so bright for him. He's a man who truly loves Detroit and the people and the city should love him right back because he so deserves it.
Crystal aka Etta
This is @crystal.mioner . Music lover, writer and independent journalist. Covid 19 and quarantine set her into working with @blackbandcamp a catalogue and spotlight for black musicians and artists. Amazing work! You can also see how much she's accomplished at @themioneragency . Much love Crystal!
Dale Wilson
This is @dalejwilson , his life , both personally and professionally revolves around art. He works in film and plays bass for @thedetroitcobras so he was pretty much decimated by Covid19. @thedetroitcobras had a big 2020 tour set up but @marycobra sat all of them down in February and said that she didn't think that things were going to happen. #sxsw2020 being cancelled solidified the fact that live music was a wash. "All film jobs and live music died", said Dale. He had always supplemented his income buying and selling records but that too dried up with the USPS taking huge hits
His moved in with his girlfriend @allisonvincepaintings because he had bought a house that was unlivable and spent time with Alison and his friends @teazo and @jeremy_storko . He had kept himself off social media and recalls that the last thing he had posted was in 2019, during the @thirdmanrecords 10th anniversary party in Nashville but on his birthday this year (March 20), he wrote a post asking people to use this once in a lifetime period of time to stay home.
Dale admits to initially having a hard time. Both film and music are a time suck so suddenly being in a situation where he could just sit around and do nothing was weird but he's thankful that he's had Alison to spend the time with. While Dale is political, he still avoids social media saying that he feels "People just post because they want to seem involved instead of actually being involved."
Instead, he's begun to address the problems of race when it comes to the film industry. "In Detroit, almost all the shoots are exclusively white. How do you get the word out? It's skilled labor, but it's still labor" he says "There aren't enough people of color, we need to start a dialogue, train people at a young age and give them the ability to move up."
He recently got a film job but at the last minute, it got pulled. "There's so many new safety factors now, covid compliance officers, etc." But Dale would rather stay safe and healthy. While many are eating at restaurants, the closest he'll come is carry out. "Alison works in the service industry and that's risky enough for both of us." Lots of love to Dale.
DUANE_313
This is @duane_313 , he's a progressive organizer and an incredible musical performer! He's been "the teenage weirdo", "the brand new dog" and "the jet black eel" but now goes by just DUANE! For someone so young, he's put out so much music! Check him out on Bandcamp :
https://duanethedetroitartist.bandcamp.com/album/dtw2lax-back
Jaleel Bunton
This is @jaleezy , he's an amazing musician that I had the honor of touring with in 2008. Jaleel was playing drums for @tvontheradio at the time and our bands celebrated the election of @barackobama on that tour. We've remained friends and he says "In the simplest terms, I'm here trying to accept being totally overwhelmed at times with gratitude, at times with with fear and mostly overwhelmed with wonder." Jaleel feels that we're in a situation where there's no good reason we can't excel. "We need to credit the human ability to work together dynamically, look at all the knowledge, all the progress and all the common cooperation that makes incredible shit happen." He says all this because ultimately art has been, in his life, the most compelling way to get people to unite and see that. "For me personally, music is the way to personalize Everybody. My life has been trying the best to show that we all have endless potential. The easiest way to have an enemy is to dehumanize them and music puts everyone on the same frequency." He tries to spread happiness because so much of the mindless energy in the world is because he feels like people feel fucked up. "When people feel respected, healed and embraced, they tend to act less crazy." He says.
Because of covid, he says he's been going through phases, probably just like everybody else but he hasn't been playing music, which has been detrimental. "Playing music live, having an audience and sharing that audience is like an affirmation so there's a vacuum in my life and there's nothing I can do about it." Jaleel has lived his life being around others, embracing even strangers so it's been hard. "I've always given people the benefit of the doubt because I've been denied it, as a black person." He says "I suffer from the defecit of the doubt at every turn. It's a painful reality that you're guilty until proven innocent, dumb until proven smart. The energy now is just trying to be safe and I need that to end soon." We spoke about the election and how in cities like Detroit it really came down to the black voters. Jaleel said "Its great but scary because there's a multicultural country and then a non multicultural country and it scares the shit out of me." He feels we have to look at at realities, the climate being one of the most important. "I look at where we've come from , humans compared to everything else and for better or worse we've been successful but we're about to blow it." He says "Direction isn't defined, we can be anyway we want, it just takes strong leadership. I've seen really beautiful things and really ugly things and I can't fully embrace the negativity or else I'm just done."
Jaleel misses seeing people's faces. With covid cases soaring, he's staying safe and wearing his mask when he's out and hoping that in the near future he'll be able to see other's faces again. He and I both are huggers and can't wait for the day when we can hug again.
KC Powers
This is @kidcongopowers , he has always lived his life as an underground artist, outsider and a queer person from a young age. "I've lived my own life, my own way outside of whatever constraints "normal society" put on me" he said. That led him to follow musicians then somehow become a musician and then became a musician making records with his first band, #thegunclub . Kid learned to play guitar in the Gun Club and the band took off.
After The Gun Club, he joined #thecramps which had an even bigger following and allowed him to do the things he wanted to do. Kid says "I haven't had to live by having a normal job or normal lifestyle and I've traveled. I've lived in Europe, I've lived in London, New York, LA and Washington DC so I feel like I have a grasp on different cultures and the way people live, even regionally in America." He's now living in Tuscon, AZ where the summer was record high temperatures and wildfires. Because of covid, he was quarantined and felt he couldn't escape unless he got up at day break , took hikes and ran errands to get home by 9am to get home to the A/C. "In the mid 80s, when I was in The Gun Club we moved to London when Reagan got his 2nd term because that's when I saw the far right come in and take over." Kid says "It was 1984 and the Olympics were coming to LA and a huge wave of nationalism was happening and we could see that it was disgusting. It was very much like now but with a friendly face. It was also during the AIDS epidemic so another epidemic was happening at that time too and they were trying to ignore that the same way that the Trump administration says that covid isn't there, don't worry about it and it's going away. That's what they were saying about AIDS. So I feel like I'm at the same rodeo again." Because he's lived in so many places and travelled so much, Kid says THAT is the reason nationalism doesn't make sense to him. "It's not considering the rest of the world. For me the frustrating part of the Trump administration is that they aren't cooperating with other countries about issues that are good for people. Bailing out of climate summits and not listening to scientists. We gotta nip it in the bud. It's already way out of control but if we can reverse, some sanity needs to come and take precedence".
Kid Congo and his band, the Pink Monkey birds are a very touring band with a new record but because of covid, all touring plans were cancelled. "Putting a stop to touring has been damaging for us, my band. That's how we made our livelihood, where we sell the most records and where we connect with our people." Kid has taken the time to finish a book he's been writing about his life for the last 12 years. "As Patti Smith said "people have the power" so that's why everyone voting is so important. It's not just President, it's also local, senators, judges, it's important to think about local because that's where the power is as well" he says "In the 80s with the AIDS epidemic groups like ACT UP got things done. They said silence=death and that's the only choice: say something or die, take action or die. I feel the stakes are very much the same with covid". I personally love @kidcongopowers, we've been friends for years and even though I've been a fan of his, he's always been a friend to me. Mask by @weardiop! So wear one and vote!
Leonard King
This is the legendary #leonardking . He's a drummer, composer, vocalist, band leader and teacher. He's had a long and storied career as a musician starting as a child. His first record was released in 1967 under Leonard King & the Soul Messengers, a 45 called "The Barracuda", that was put out by Inferno Records. Since then he's has been on hundreds of other recordings including playing drums on #lymanwoodardorganization 's 1970 Detroit Classic "Saturday Night Special" . Currently, he runs his own record label, Uuquiplue records and also the #lymanwoodard for the arts organization. When we spoke, Mr. King expressed his feelings that dismally Americans already don't trust each other and that lack of trust has led to what he calls "looney-ship" instead of leadership. Mr. King said "People complain when they need to organize, and if you're not going to do that, then shut up." For more information go to www.leonardkingdrums.com
Michelle McKinney
This is @jahra56 , she is so many things to so many people. She's a brilliant musician that broke out of the shadow of her husband and believes that true musicians are of the people, the voice of the age. She's a mother who wants to make sure she passed down her legacy to her children. She's managed to bring an Afrocentric Community into the lives of her children and well as bringing African ways of being into schools and the communities. Jahra Michelle has done so much it's hard to capture it all in this small bio. Jahra Michelle told me the history of of the shekeré and a troupe she created of women who played the shekeré, sang and played drums. She is a Hakamma. The name comes from Sudan near Mt. Jebel. "They say at the foot of the mountain is the most rich, lovely earth, probably the Garden of Eden." Jahra Michelle says. "The Germans came and saw these dark people and called them "fūr" and Dar meant Land so together it became Land of the blacks." For many years they didn't have a concept of jail but hey had female judges who would teach the children of the community songs about people who had done things against the community. "So the people were shamed by children singing comical songs into good behavior. These women were called Hakamma but later it became corrupted. The men were taught to be the historians and the balance of power shifted. Women were once the griots were put aside and the men became the griots. Hakamma translates loosely to "woman of wise words" and that is why Jahra Michelle formed her troupe. She's travelled all over the world and sees how much of an effect the music of Detroit has had. She considers herself a citizen of the world.
Covid put Jahra into isolation. She misses being hugged and touched. During the summer, she was able to play with her troupe but as the weather has gotten colder, it's not possible because you really need your hands. "As a teacher, I was disappointed because I couldn't bring them through the whole process," Jahra Michelle says "But I was blessed because my daughter sent her 19 yr old son to live with me. It was difficult at first because he's a teenager who didn't want to hang out with his grandma!" She was happy to go back to work but she ended up getting covid. "I was so tired and trying to keep away from my grandson but it brought us closer because he was so concerned." Says Jahra Michelle.
She's been volunteering for the ACLU, phone banking for the election and says "Ive never experienced an election like this before. Trying to take the power of the vote from the people." She says "Its so "Land of the free..." No one can easily vote but those with white privilege. This election, these bullies are doing their thing and have all these people talking "fake news" and trying to confuse the issues. But I see you. WE see you.
Jahra Michelle and I moved signs around her front yard and she offered to let me join her troupe and learn once it's safe. I couldn't think of a more wonderful thing to do. Much love to you Jahra.
Nick Speed
Here is @nickspeedent ! He's a producer/ DJ extraordinaire, helping keep music alive in Detroit!
Scott Goodstein
This is @scottgoodstein. He blends art, music and culture for organizing and movement building. Scott has managed campaigns for decades pioneered social media organizing and media organizing and mobile communications for @barackobama 's campaign in 2008. He's founded creative campaigns for Artists for Obama in 2008 and Artists for @berniesanders in 2016. "Currently, I've co-founded Artists United for change, an independent campaign to get the vote out that's purchasing billboards in battleground cities." These billboards are not for the faint of heart of heart but tell the truth. You can learn more at @rememberwhattheydid
Scott says "Covid has been a struggle for campaign managers, organizers and activists. For the people who like to solve problems, this was an enormous challenge and the challenge and pandemic didn't have an end in sight." Like many of his colleagues, he was sprinting from project to project. Saving apparel companies to change their business to FDA approved PPE, helping labor union members communicate with members during times of massive layoffs, the list goes on and on! During all of this, he for a call from students who wanted to build an online grocery store. With a lot of work, Scott was able to become an advisor to the team. As of today, invisiblehandsdeliver.org has been able to deliver almost $2 million in groceries, prescriptions and necessities to at risk families since it's beginning in March 2020.
"I wish there wasn't a need for grocery delivery, PPE or other programs, "Scott says"I have become more enraged at the Trump administration. So I spent the last few months working to show voters exactly what these politicians have said and done".
Using fact checked quotes and engaging some of the country's critically acclaimed artists to illustrate them, he started @rememberwhattheydid with a personal loan and now there's over 200 billboards in battleground cities. Also the team has printed over 60,000 posters and partnered with groups like @voicesofmichigan .
"I'm exhausted,"says Scott "but like everyone I know I'm doing everything I can to change the administration, praying that we win the election next week and that Covid relief is finally on the way!"
If you're in Michigan, chances are you've seen some of the billboards. They are amazing and I commend Scott on his hard work. @voicesofmichigan has been teamed up with Scott to get the message out. So please mask up, vote and let Scott get some well deserved rest.
Vincent Arvel Chandler
This is @vincentachandler. He's a lecturer of jazz studies at @waynestate , freelance jazz Trombonist and has been an instructor of workshops, camps and programs for students in music education. He's involved in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Civic Youth Ensemble, conductor for the Civic Jazz Orchestra. Vincent is married to an Opera singer, brother of 4 sisters and 2 brothers and grew up on the west side of Detroit. He came up in the Detroit school systems and says that "Music became my life, gave me purpose." Vincent recounted his childhood, growing up in the inner city, where his neighborhood heroes were pimps, drug dealers and gang members and says "A lot of my peers moved towards that direction but good parenting kept me away from those things. Music singlehandedly distracted me from the streets because once I fell in love with it, instead of running the streets, I'd be up in my room practicing for hours because that's what I cared about more than anything." Eventually the music started taking him out of the "hood" and he began to see how the other side lived. "I started being in bands, workshops, weekend camps with privileged kids and got a chance to see what a life of music looked like and that was something I could pursue after high school."
Vincent also began working professionally with a blues band called "Chicago Pete & the Detroiters", which provided him with some money and introduced him to Rodney Whitaker, who is the director of Jazz studies at MSU and married to Chicago Pete's daughter. Vincent and Rodney began playing in jazz bands together and from there he found that there were many great musicians in the area who would hire young musicians which gave Vincent the opportunity to play with them when he was in his 20s. He began to tour internationally with world class recording artists like #wyntonmarsalis but it was never enough to sustain a life in music. He found himself working odd jobs, everything from cashier at fast food joints and CVS to janitorial work and dishwashing. "I did that for most of my adult life." Vincent says" I tried to move to NYC but that didn't work out so I came back. I decided I needed to finish my degree if I was ever going to change my life for the better." So at the age of 40, he got his bachelor's degree in fine and performing arts and then a Master's in 2012 at the age of 42 at @uofmichigan . "I'm probably the one of the only people who can say that they were a janitor at the same college that they were a professor." Vincent has performed original music for most of his career, he has over 100 original compositions. He teaches at @waynestate now and feels the best way to reach or mentor is hands on. "It's one thing to stand in front of students and give them instructions and another thing to hire them and have them play music with me. That's something I've done throughout my whole career".
Miller Duncan, the chair of the department predicted how bad covid was going to be and started preparing last December. Because of that, they were able to successfully transition to virtual learning. Vincent is glad to still be employed and his students are still being educated but feels a deficit in his life because he's realized how much his students energize and inspire him. All of his live gigs have been cancelled, his wife had a role that got cancelled and one of Vincent's dream jobs that finally came through, teaching at @interlochenarts was also cancelled. But he had applied for the Kresge artist fellowship in November of last year and won it. So he's a 2020 Kresge artist fellow. "The whole music industry is affected and we have to support one another. Friends who rely solely on gigging and have had to completely shut down may not get their lives back till next year? That's devestating."
Vincent is not wrong, the music industry is dying because of the pandemic. Not only the musicians but venues, agents, sound engineers, etc. We gotta protect the arts. Mask up for Vincent and all of your favorite Musicians or live music may not survive.
Willy J Peso
This is @willyjpeso , ultra talented musician and entrepreneur. He's got a brand new EP called "12 Plants" out now on iTunes. Click his name for more info. Great vibes!
Ko Melina
instagram ↗︎This is me @komelina , I've been playing fuzz bass in #thedirtbombs since 2003. I also host a radio show on SiriusXM 21 @littlesteven_ug since September 2004. @the_heartof_detroit is a photo project I started When it was announced that the federal government was going to give out small business loans (PPP). I got super bummed hearing that the loans went to the Lakers and Ruth Chris' Steak house and other corporations that I felt didn't NEED the money.
Having worked at mom and pop restaurant/bars and having friends that owned the same kinds of places, I immediately felt helpless because I'm not a doctor or super rich. So I decided that since Detroit has always had a small town feel, I'd start taking photos of small businesses, people who are doing good things, artists, musicians and organizations that are helping Detroiters battle covid 19. The idea was that hopefully people would see the pictures and be moved to help. I decided to take all the pictures in back and white with everyone wearing face masks and hope that if/when they find a cure for covid 19, I will go back and take pictures of everyone in color without face masks.
I've been working on the project since April 20th. The project is 100% non profit. Besides some donations from people for gas money, I've been using my own money to do everything. It's been a labor of love because I've met so many wonderful people who continue to give their time, make meals for hospitals, homeless shelters, kids who no longer got school lunches even though their businesses might go under. The project has reaffirmed my sense of the community of the true city of Detroit. So many musicians have had tours cancelled, people unemployed but there's still hope and I post a picture everyday of someone who embodies that.
