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Splatt Gallery's History of Michigan Concert Posters
Volume Eleven - 1975 - Page Seven
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An ad for the newly-opened Showcase Theatre (site of the legendary Eastown) with Kraftwerk, the show date was moved to June 1, 1975.
The “Jimmie Walker Dynomite! Show” came to Cobo Arena in Detroit, Michigan on June 1, 1975, featuring Rufus & Chaka Khan, Kool & the Gang, Ramsey Lewis, Mandrill, and Parliament-Funkadelic (show earlier advertised at Olympia Stadium).
Newspaper ad for Black Oak Arkansas with Golden Earring at the Michigan Palace in Detroit on June 4, 1975. The ads for the Palace were getting a little more elaborate, rather than the long column list of several shows at a time, the ads were being made for individual shows, with photos.
The English rock group Bad Company made their second Michigan appearance, their first as the headlining act, at the Olympia Stadium in Detroit on June 4, 1975, following on the heels of the release of their second album.
A poster/flyer by an unknown artist for a Hall Party at the United Dairy’s Hall in Detroit, Michigan, with Holy Smoke and Kurbstone Beauteaze on June 6, 1975. We should be seeing more of these two bands as both were fairly active. Our next post will be the logo for Holy Smoke that was created by Gary Grimshaw. Searching for information on the Kurbstone Beauteaze is a bit more problematic, we keep ending up on porn sites that infect the computer with malicious adware.
Logo for the band Holy Smoke, by Gary Grimshaw.
An ad for Alice Cooper in New Orleans, Louisiana on June 7, 1975, using a different image than the usual Drew Struzan tux and top-hat portrait. Before the show, Alice took a leisurely stroll down Bourbon Street accompanied by the nine-foot tall Cyclops from the show. This was the 48th show of the tour.
Poster/ad for Thin Lizzy with a UK tour starting on June 10, 1975 and the release of the single of their cover of the Bob Seger song “Rosalie”, seen in performance at the link below.
Thin Lizzy – Rosalie (1975)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSo9CC2wKVI
Poster/flyer by an unknown artist “J.F.” for Robin Tyner Fireworks at the Red Carper in Detroit, Michigan for two weeks, starting on June 11, 1975. Rich Dorris informs us “The Flaming Rose is a nice tribute by Grimshaw for his Best Friend, Rob Tyner!”
Poster for the Fourth Annual Bay Area Kool Jazz Festival in Oakland, California, June 13-14, 1975, featuring Aretha Franklin.
On June 14, 1975, Bob Marley & the Wailers appeared at the Showcase Theater in Detroit, likely the first time that reggae music from Jamaicans was performed before a large audience in Michigan, respectfully discounting Johnny Nash, an early proponent in the mid-Sixties who, however, was born in Houston, Texas. Poster by an unknown artist for Bamboo Productions. Shotgun opened the show.
A full-page Island Records ad for the “Natty Dread” album by Bob Marley & the Wailers, with tour dates, including the show at the Showcase Theatre in Detroit, Michigan on June 14, 1975.
Bob Marley & the Wailers – Revolution (1975)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni_KSJPhrXM
A good old-time style ad for the Showcase Theatre in Detroit, Michigan, noting its past as “the Legendary Eastown”.
Poster for Rare Earth with KISS in Corpus Christi, Texas on June 15, 1975.
Poster/full-page ad for Alice Cooper in Los Angeles, California, June 17-18, 1975, with the earliest use of the phrase “Ol’ Black Eyes Is Back”, an obvious piss-take on Frank Sinatra’s 1973 album “Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back”.
The poster also promotes the single “Only Women” which is how the single of the album track “Only Women Bleed” was released, since the song was mistakenly presumed to be about menstruation, when actually Alice was ahead of his time in calling out domestic violence.
The song was co-written with guitarist Dick Wagner, who had the riff and melody from a song he had written when in the band Frost, but had never released. The uncharacteristic ballad was one of Cooper’s biggest hits, reaching #1 in Canada and #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also spawned three notable cover versions, which we’ve included below:
Alice Cooper – Only Women Bleed (album version) (1975)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av0mSkBALRo
Julie Covington – Only Women Bleed (1978)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VpRP00-Xxk&pp=QADQAwE%3D
Ike & Tina Turner – Only Women Bleed (live) (1975)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie_u53Se_3g
Etta James – Only Women Bleed (1978)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQvC8ZgWcJA
Poster for KISS in Jackson, Michigan on June 18, 1975.
It’s been documented that Ted Nugent took his “first ever” vacation for three months in the summer of 1975, and that when he returned, it was no more Amboy Dukes, Nugent would become a solo artist.
From the concert database there is a clear stop after these shows at the Electric Ballroom in Atlanta, Georgia, June 18-21, 1975.
His shows pick up again on September 12th, opening for Rare Earth in Dayton, Ohio. Some of the billings and ads, such as the September 15th show in Ann Arbor, incorrectly still have the Amboy Dukes listed, but by the end of September most promoters have caught on that Ted Nugent is a solo artist.
His first solo album is also released in September 1975, the back cover is shown above and the photo is clearly from the Electric Ballroom in Atlanta, which was in June, before vacation.
Guessing that Nugent would not use a photo that was not of the band on the record, we’re deducing that the band in the photo was his first solo group with Derek St. Holmes on guitar and vocals, Rob Grange on bass, and Cliff Davis on drums.
Chances are somebody you knew, perhaps even yourself, stored their record collection in a Peaches Records & Tapes wooden crate. The first Peaches “superstore” opened in Atlanta, Georgia in 1975, the first Peaches Records & Tapes store having opened on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles by Tom Heiman in 1974. The earliest mention of the Atlanta store that we’ve found, so far, was in the June 19, 1975 issue of the Atlanta newspaper The Great Speckled Bird. They eventually grew to have about 45 stores around the US.
Illustration of Stevie Wonder by Milton Glaser on the cover of the June 19, 1975 issue of Rolling Stone magazine. Wonder was the eighth Michigan-related artist to appear on the cover, joining Rob Tyner, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye Alice Cooper Lily Tomlin and Suzi Quatro.
Poster for Alice Cooper with Suzi Quatro in Portland, Oregon on June 20, 1975, the 56th show of the “Welcome to My Nightmare” tour.
A poster by an unknown artist for a country music concert in Saginaw, Michigan on June 20, 1975 with Johnny Rodriguez, Tanya Tucker, and Freddy Fender.
An ad for Two Generations of Brubeck with Sky King and Rabbits at the Showcase Theatre in Detroit, Michigan on June 21, 1975.
Ann Arbor, Michigan had its summer Sunday free concerts, neighboring Ypsilanti had summer Saturday free concerts, such as this one on June 21, 1975, featuring Synergy, Bolo and Subliminal Kid, artwork possibly by Gary Kell.
The adventures of Ted Nugent & the Amboy Dukes outside of Michigan from the beginning of the year through June 21, 1975. Acts that they shared the stage with included KISS, Aerosmith, WAR, Montrose, Strongbow, Force and the Steve Long Band.
Poster by an unknown artist, possibly Dennis Loren, for Ted Lucas with an extended string of shows at the Pretzel Bowl in Highland Park, Michigan that began on June 23, 1975.
Poster for Alice Cooper with Suzi Quatro in Vancouver, Canada on June 23, 1975.
From Rolling Stone magazine:
“The status of Alice Cooper's tour was thrown into doubt after AC fell off the stage during his June 23rd ('75) Vancouver show, breaking six ribs and suffering a concussion. The accident occurred after the opening number, "Welcome To My Nightmare", as AC chased the Nightmares into a ten-foot-tall toy box. The box tipped over, flipping Alice on his head into the security barriers.
“After being treated in the dressing room, Cooper returned to the stage 40 minutes later, his head and sidewrapped in bandages. He was able to perform several numbers before ending the abbreviated show to cheers from the 17,000 in attendance. He was then driven to the local hospital [Barnaby General], where he received 15 stitches to his head.
“AC appeared against his doctor's advice at his next date, in Edmonton, three days later, although warning the crowd he wasn't fit enough to put on an entire show. 35 minutes into the performance he collapsed after experiencing breathing trouble. Ticket refunds were offered, although no one was reported to have asked for one. The next day, manager Shep Gordon sounded a pessimistic note on the status of AC's next show, in Minneapolis June 28th:
"Everybody around him says he looks horrible.
“But on the day of the performance, a publicity aide to Cooper said he was feeling "pretty spirited" and that the show would go on, adding "he's just going to be really careful."
Exactly two years to the date, and at the same venue, Pink Floyd returned to the Olympia Stadium in Detroit, Michigan on June 23, 1975. A second show was added for the 24th.
Pink Floyd played three new songs in the first half of the shows, followed by “The Dark Side of the Moon” in its entirety. Those three new songs were "You Gotta Be Crazy" (which would later become "Dogs"), "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" and "Raving And Drooling" (which would become "Sheep").
Cover of the tour book for Pink Floyd’s 1975 US tour, that included two shows the Olympia Stadium in Detroit, Michigan on June 23-24, 1975. Newspaper ad announcing the addition of the second show.
Cover art for the bootleg “Detroit Diamonds”, the full concert recording of Pink Floyd at the Olympia Stadium in Detroit, Michigan on June 24, 1975. It was also released under the title “All Due Respect”, which is the one linked below since you can select the tracks.
Pink Floyd – Live in Detroit, Michigan (6/24/75)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Y8B6yCFEHg
Newspaper ad with Rare Earth opening for the Average White Band in Nashville, Tennessee on June 27, 1975.
Poster by an unknown artist for a benefit party for the Fifth Estate newspaper in Detroit, Michigan on June 28, 1975, with two of our favorite words on a poster – Free Beer. On subsequent posters for this event “Free Beer” was replaced with “Sorry, the permit for beer was revoked”. Bummer.
Poster by Jake Pierre for a show with Commander Cody & his Lost Planet Airmen at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California on June 28, 1975.
Newspaper ad for Alice Cooper with Suzi Quatro in Bloomington, Minnesota on June 28, 1975, the 61st show of the “Welcome to My Nightmare” tour. This was the last show for Quatro, as she leaves the tour due to demand for a new record.
An ad for the Sunday Free Concert in Ann Arbor, Michigan on June 29, 1975, featuring the Lyman Woodard Organization, Eric Glatz, Rabbits, and Mojo Boogie Band.
The month of July 1975 from Stanley Mouse’s “Monster” calendar.
The MC5 on the cover of the July 1975 issue of Gulcher, a music newspaper in Bloomington, Indiana. The issue featured an interview with Wayne Kramer that had been conducted the previous November when Kramer’s “New MC5” were performing at the Uprising in DeKalb, Illinois.
The complete interview can be found here:
https://d.facebook.com/MC5.TrueTestimonial/photos/a.110785028955253/4252971574736557/?type=3&source=57
Stevie Wonder on the cover of the July 1975 issue of National Lampoon magazine.
The front cover of the July 1975 edition of The Lansing Star newspaper in East Lansing, Michigan, art by David Wehrwein.
Suzi Quatro poster from the July 1975 issue of the Swedish music magazine POSTER.
Alice Cooper appeared on the cover of CREEM magazine for the fifth time with the July 1975 issue. It would also be his final cover appearance.
The winning entries of CREEM magazine’s “Rock Dreams” contest in the July 1975 issue.
A spoof Elvis Presley movie poster by Gary Ciccarelli in the July 1975 issue of CREEM magazine.
A full-page MCA Records ad for the ninth studio album by Elton John, “Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy” on the inside front cover of the July 1975 issue of CREEM magazine. The album was certified gold before its release, and reached #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart in its first week of release, the first ever album to achieve both honors.
The “fantastic” artwork was created by British artist Alan Aldridge, who also provided the illustrations for the book “The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics”, created the logo for the Hard Rock Café, and made many highly recognizable album covers. Much of his work can be seen here:
https://www.lambiek.net/artists/a/aldridge_alan.htm
Newspaper ad for Eric Clapton’s first Michigan appearance as a solo artist, at the Olympia Stadium in Detroit on July 1, 1975. The band line-up includes Detroit-born Marcy Levy, who will later become known as Marcella Detroit.
Levy started her career in the band Julia, along with Bill Mueller, aka Blue Miller, who frequently opened for Bob Seger, blurring the lines as they were also sometimes incorporated into Seger’s bands. Levy contributed backing vocals on Seger’s “Back In ‘72” album, which led her to working with Leon Russell, moving to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and then being hired to join Clapton for this tour. Drummer Jamie Oldaker was also part of the Seger-Russell-Clapton nexus, and keyboardist Dick Sims had also contributed to the “Back In ‘72” album.
The tour returned to Michigan eleven days later, in Kalamazoo on July 12th. After that, it would be three years before Clapton would again perform in the state.
Eric Clapton – Mainline Florida (1974)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2b_D9YAogc
A full-page Columbia Records ad for the St. Louis, Missouri prog-rock band Pavlov’s Dog touring in support of their debut album, with a show at the Pine Knob Music Theater in Clarkston, Michigan, opening for ELO on July 1, 1975.
A smashing ad for a Demolition Derby at the State Fair Race Track in Detroit, Michigan on July 5, 1975.
A full-page ad from Aretha Franklin thanking Cash Box magazine for naming her Best Female R&B Vocalist in the magazine’s July 5, 1975 issue.
Newspaper ad for Alice Cooper with Johnny Winter and Leslie West in New Jersey on July 6, 1975.
An ad for the Red Carpet in Detroit, Michigan with Brataxis beginning a week-long engagement starting on July 9, 1975. That same day, in a hospital in Detroit, a boy named John Anthony Gillis was born. Growing up with the nickname “Jack” he would later marry his girlfriend Megan and in a reversal of tradition, he would take her last name, White.
Lovely poster from Grand Valley State Colleges in Allendale, Michigan for a National Poetry Festival, July 9-19, 1975.
Volume Eleven - 1975 - continues - HERE
The July 1975 calendar of events at the Raven Gallery in Detroit, Michigan.
An ad with KISS opening for Rare Earth in Tusla, Oklahoma on June 13, 1975.
