On August 26, 1969, what was first billed as the 2nd Saginaw Pop Festival, but later changed to the 1st Michigan Pop Festival, became the biggest rock and roll event in Bay City, Michigan, up to that time. It drew an estimated 4,000 music lovers to Roll-Air on State Park Drive for a day-long show that featured some of the state’s finest bands.
The singer Meat Loaf is best known for his Bat Out Of Hell album trilogy consisting of “Bat Out Of Hell”, “Bat Out Of Hell 2: Back To Hell”, and “Bat Out Of Hell 3: The Monster Is Loose”. The overwhelming success of the trilogy is the primary reason that Meat Loaf is one of the biggest-selling artists of all time, with worldwide sales of over 80 million records. He has also appeared in over 50 movies and television shows, most memorably for his role as Eddie in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Many of his fans may not realize the importance that Michigan and its artists played in the early years of Meat Loaf’s career. His first recordings were done in the state, and he is represented on the MRRL Hall of Fame ballot for his work in both the Popcorn Blizzard (a.k.a. Floating Circus) and the duo of Stoney & Meatloaf. In 1999, he published Meat Loaf - To Hell and Back: An Autobiography, a humorous look at his life and career that included some priceless anecdotes about his Michigan connections.
Bay City is a great place to grow up and live. It is relatively quiet and safe and provides numerous recreational activities. There are a respectable number of good restaurants and bars in town, although there is a noticeable lack of live music options. Unlike many Michigan cities, the downtown area of Bay City seems pretty healthy. Sports have always played an important role in the city and there are ample opportunities for citizens from children to adults to participate in a wide variety of athletic activities. The Rail Trail and Riverwalk are stellar additions to the community that encourage a healthier lifestyle. The public school system is in fairly decent shape and the town has both a junior college and university nearby to provide higher education at a reasonable price.
The big economic news is that Uptown at River's Edge project has finally gotten off the ground. The former 43-acre industrial site along Bay City's riverfront is now the home of Dow Corning and will soon include McLaren Bay Region, Chemical Bank, a new hotel, and a number of new restaurants and shops. It's hoped that 500 new jobs will be created, and in the words of former mayor Chris Shannon: "It's not just the jobs; it's the intangible...that, after decades of economic decline and jobs loss, this brings a level of confidence that investment in Bay City has returned." So where does Madonna fit into all of this?
American Record Pressing in Owosso, Michigan, was one of the state’s most important record producing plants during most of rock and roll’s first two decades. ARP’s legend is large. Besides pressing records for an array of major labels in the United States, the company also pressed the first Motown 45s, the first single by The Beatles to be released in America, as well as many of the records released by Michigan teen bands in the 60’s on a wide variety of small independent labels. Despite its interesting history, the story of the ARP’s ownership, its daily operation, and the mystery surrounding its untimely demise by a fire in 1972 have largely gone unreported.
Forget the lists in Rolling Stone, Pop Matters, Spin and all the other music publications and sites; MRRL’s annual list of the Best CDs is the work of two unrepentant rock and roll junkies who boast a combined total of nearly 120 years of being slaves to the music. With no record company freebies to influence their decisions, Mid-Michigan’s Dr. J and Metro Detroit’s Larry V. present the best of what they bought, borrowed and burned for the 5th consecutive year.
Lynn-J and I had the opportunity to attend the 2014 opening night performance of Lennon: Through A Glass Onion at the Union Square Theatre in New York City. Being a major fan of John Lennon, going to the show was a mixture of excitement and trepidation. I knew that I would enjoy the music but would the presentation do justice to one of rock and roll’s most interesting and talented individuals?
By Cole Waterman
BAY CITY, MI — Nearly five decades since a group of first generation Americans recorded one of the best known and most influential songs of the 1960s in a humble, homespun studio in Bay City, the ditty is garnering recognition in its hometown.
Equal parts protopunk and garage rock anthem, Question Mark and the Mysterians' "96 Tears" is to be declared Bay City's official rock 'n' roll song by Mayor Christopher Shannon at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 14, at Old City Hall, 814 Saginaw St. Following the dedication, the band is expected to perform at the downtown Bay City eatery.
Shannon said he has been in discussions with local music historian Gary Johnson for some time regarding how to properly give the song some recognition.