I am a mid-west guy. Oh, I admire other parts of the country. The west coast with every kind of terrain imaginable, and every kind of person. The romance of the south with magnolia blossoms, mint julips, and the moon low over Alabama. The east coast with its oily frenzy, and Springsteen songs blasting out of beat up Chevrolets. Fly fishing in Montana. The skiing in Colorado. The glamor of Las Vegas. The Cuban nightlife in Miami. But in spite of all of that, I am a midwest guy.
I am from Michigan. Home of Motown records, Gibson guitars, Dominoes Pizza, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, and Stroh's beer. Proudly the boyhood homes of Gerald R. Ford and Al Green. Proudly the starting spot for Grand Funk Railroad, Bob Seger, The MC5, Iggy and the Stooges, ? and the Mysterians, Meijer, and Steelcase Office Furniture. Ashamedly the home of Ted Nugent and Amway.
I am hot summer nights. I am 7-11 Big Gulps. I am seeing Charlie Huhn play with Vic Amato and Co. at Danny J's, and Ronnie Frey at the Bavarian Inn. I am "Think Twice" by the Pedestrians on the Fenton Label, and I am with Robbie Kirkwood buying a pound of weed. I am with Bill Baker and Jerry Ford walking down the C&O Railroad tracks with a bottle of Boone's Farm looking for Kerouac's ghost, I am with Tom Sutton as he stumbles and trips into a college class, way too high and in a fringe jacket. Mary Booth, and Mary Lindsay, where are you? I am with Bill, and Louie, and Bob at Cook's Bridge.
I am with Jerry in his parent's garage late at night trying to find obscure radio stations - and our delight at finding WLAC out of Nashville. I am with Bobby Jackson working midnights at a Holiday Inn and embarrassing him by trying to cheat off him in biology lab at GRJC. I am in Buck Creek and then burning off blood suckers. I am hearing Fergie sing and Doc Donovan on the radio. I am Great Lakes, and Petosky, Charlevoix, and the Cherry County Playhouse. I am the Mackinaw Bridge. I am an island with nothing to offer but the smell of horse manure and fudge.
I am with John Goss in his camp in the rafters of his parents garage where we stashed our Playboy magazines, I am listening to The Fredric at a fundraiser for a cancer ridden Randy Covert, I am Joe Miklusiac, Robin Chilvere, Gordie Gipner, and Kelly Hage away in Viet Nam, I am Genese and Troy and Valkerie. I am with Tommy Hillson when he was on a motorcycle and an old lady pulled out in front of him. I am there. I swear I am there.
I was there with WGRD's Wayne Thomas, and WLAV's Jay Collins, not to mention, Hoover Gideon. I was there with Bruce Grant on WOOD because he's the only one who gave school closings on snow days, I was there with Buck Barry and Fireman Freddie, I loved that while I was in 5th Grade ABC began an affiliate in my town, but bummed because we couldn't tune it in on our black and white set. My 5th Grade teacher Mr. Acey, can I only say that I wish you were alive today so that you could die again, you worthless prick?
Why is it that when I think of my shop class in high school all I can remember about it is that I just bought a copy of "Between The Buttons" by The Rolling Stones? I love that.
