Splatt Gallery
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Flyer for Rock & the Sharks at the Tilbury High School in Tilbury, Ontario, Canada, June 1, 1973.
Volume Nine - 1973 - Page Eight
Splatt Gallery's History of Michigan Music Posters
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Another killer poster by Michael Krueger for the Avalon Ballroom in Chicago, Illinois, this one has the Ann Arbor band Lightnin’ appearing on June 1, 1973. We read about the gig in the Ann Arbor SUN newspaper, and thought, “OMG, there might be one of those cool Aragon posters for it”, and sure enough, there is.
An appealing ad for the band WAR, published about a month after their appearances at the Pine Knob Music Theater in Clarkston, Michigan, June 2-3, 1973.
WAR – Gypsy Man (1973)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNBm5_f7gKc
Another cool booking at the Grand Valley State College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and another cool poster, for El Chicano on June 3, 1973.
El Chicano – Viva Tirado (1970)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fai-fjwslDE
Poster/flyer for Alice Cooper with Flo & Eddie at Madison Square Garden in New York City on June 3, 1973.
Newspaper ads for back-to-back shows by Tim Buckley and the Siegel-Schwall Band at The Brewery in East Lansing, Michigan, June 3-4, 1973. As noted in the Discount Records ad, the Siegel-Schwall Band was making a live recording, which was later released as the “Live Last Summer” album.
The Siegel-Schwall Band – Live Last Summer (album) (1973)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1EqqGXHkqs
Nice illustration for the “Audio Aftermath” radio show on WKAR in East Lansing, Michigan, published in the June 4, 1973 issue of the Joint Issue newspaper.
Dennis Preston poster for Rock & the Sharks appearing Mondays and Tuesdays at the Westside-6 in Detroit, Michigan, beginning June 4, 1973. A Jerry Patlow presentation.
Cover of the June 5, 1973 issue of the Ann Arbor SUN newspaper, announcing the start of the Sunday Free Concerts for the summer of 1973.
A full-page ad on the back cover of the June 5, 1973 issue of the Ann Arbor SUN newspaper for the third album by Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, called “Country Casanova”.
Cartoon by Larry Behnke, published in the June 5, 1973 issue of the Ann Arbor SUN newspaper.
An item in the “Michigan Boogie” feature in the June 5, 1973 issue of the Ann Arbor SUN newspaper noted that the Ann Arbor band Wild Boys had self-released their debut single “Madness Reigns / Outskirts Of '73”. The audio to the A-side can be heard via the link below. It’s pretty damn good.
The feature also included stories of the bands Lightnin’ and Detroit, both making their Chicago debuts, and noted that guitarist Steve Gaines, formerly with Rio Smokehouse, had joined the band Detroit.
Wild Boys – Madness Reigns (1973)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZoj7m2rqvs
An ad for the “Madness Reigns/Outskirts of ‘73” single by the Wild Boys that appeared in October 1973.
A story in the June 5, 1973 issue of the Ann Arbor SUN newspaper described how the owners of the Eastown Ballroom in Detroit, Michigan, had remodeled to bring the building up to code, and asked the readers to petition Detroit Mayor Roman Gribbs to re-open the venue.
An unusual poster by Stanley Mouse for an art gallery showing of David Best Ceramics in Santa Clara, California, with the opening reception on June 5, 1973.
Two full-page “thank you” ads from Alice Cooper at the conclusion of the “Billion Dollar Babies” tour, which ended on June 7, 1973 after 64 shows in 59 cities in 90 days. It broke the box office record for a US tour previously held by the Rolling Stones.
Poster for the cancelled show in Santa Monica, California, June 8, 1973, billed simply as “Iggy”.
Poster for Suzi Quatro at the Hastings Pier in Hastings, England on June 8, 1973.
Poster by an unknown artist Sherrill Grogan/WA Graphics for Ornette Coleman at the Strata Concert Gallery in Detroit, Michigan, June 8-10, 1973.
The Ghoul makes an appearance at the Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio, June 9-10, 1973.
Full page ad in the June 9, 1973 issue of Billboard magazine for Rare Earth’s eighth album, produced by Norman Whitfield.
Rare Earth – Hum Along and Dance (1973)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6BIJupf_oY
Neat little ad by an unknown artist for the Full Tilt Boogie Ballroom in Monroe, Michigan, with their June 1973 schedule. The Motor City Mutants make a couple of appearances, as do the band Uprising, the Whiz Kids play a show, the British band Hookfoot are on a circuit as we’ve seen them on other posters, unknowns Ken & Perky and Rockin’ Reggie show up, and two Friday nights of “Folk singing (free)”.
An atomic handbill by Mike Brady, Sunset Studio for Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti, Michigan, June 9, 1973.
Volume Nine - 1973 - continues - HERE
A full-page London Records ad for the tenth album by Savoy Brown, coinciding with their appearance at Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti, Michigan, June 9, 1973.
An ad for the Odyssey in Ann Arbor, Michigan with Radio King appearing June 8-9, 1973, and also later in the month. In between, the Mojo Boogie Band had two nights, and Walrus every Thursday.
Alice Cooper on the cover of the June 1973 issue of CREEM magazine, his third cover appearance, and an issue that was packed with Cooper features.
The issue carried the results of the magazine’s first readers poll and Alice had won Best Single (“School’s Out”), second Best Album Cover, the #4 Top Album, #3 Top Group, #2 Top Live Group, #5 Best Male Singer, #8 Worst Group, and “Punk of the Year”.
In addition, the issue had a three-page feature “Alice Cooper’s Alcohol Cookbook”, and two main feature stories.
"Alice Cooper's Alcohol Cookbook" from the June 1973 issue of CREEM magazine.
The results of CREEM magazine’s first reader poll were published in the June 1973 issue. The top three albums were “Exile on Main Street” by the Rolling Stones, “Eat A Peach” by the Allman Brothers, and “Never a Dull Moment” by Rod Stewart. The top three singles were “School’s Out” by Alice Cooper, “All the Young Dudes” by Mott the Hoople, and “Tumblin’ Dice” by the Rolling Stones.
Other results included Best Album Cover (Lou Reed’s “Transformer”), Best New Group (Blue Oyster Cult), Worst Group (Grand Funk Railroad), Critic of the Year (Lester Bangs) and Drug of the Year (Quaalude).
Illustration by Dennis Garascia for the cover of Music Noose #3, June 1973, a small booklet size publication from Birmingham, Michigan that covered area concert news. The back cover, shown below, had another Garascia illustration and a petition to re-open the Eastown Theater in Detroit.
The back cover of Music Noose #3, June 1973, from Birmingham, Michigan, with illustration by Dennis Garascia.
An interview with John Sinclair in the May 31, 1973 issue of the Northeastern Ohio Scene newspaper. The region’s admiration for the Detroit sound was explored and further reflected in show reviews of the band Detroit, the Amboy Dukes, and Stevie Wonder, with an upcoming appearance by Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen.
A Westbound Records ad for the single “You’re Getting a Little Too Smart” by the Detroit Emeralds, released in May 1973, their final, of four, #1 hits on the Billboard R&B Singles chart.
Detroit Emeralds - You're Getting A Little Too Smart (Album Version) (1973)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=556zH4MuPL8
A show preview for the band Detroit appearing at the Castaway Lounge in Newton Falls, Ohio on May 26, 1973. To answer the author’s question, there were no former members of the Detroit Wheels in this group. Also shown are ads for Detroit at the Lion’s Den in Akron, Ohio on April 6, 1973, and at Memorial Hall in Salem, Ohio on July 13, 1973.
Poster/ad for Carole King’s first Michigan appearance, at the Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkston, on May 28, 1973. It was the season opening concert at Pine Knob, since Jerry Lee Lewis, scheduled to open the venue the night before was stranded in Memphis, Tennessee by bad weather.
A full-page magazine ad with Alice Cooper pitching his own line of eye mascara. In a story titled “Schlock Rock’s Godzilla” in the May 28, 1973 issue of Time magazine, the lead-in paragraph reports, “Leading department stores round the nation are now stocking the Alice Cooper line of unisex cosmetics: Alice's Whiplash mascara will soon be followed by perfume, rouge, deodorant and "Take a Bath with Alice" bubble bath.”
It's a well written story with anecdotes about Vince Furnier’s upbringing, and it can be found here:
https://www.alicecooperechive.com/articles/feature/time/730528
Grand Valley State Colleges in Allendale, Michigan does it again, with another nice poster by “Snider” for Leo Kottke on May 29, 1973.
A collection of ads documenting Bob Seger’s heavy roadwork in early 1973. A number of these billings were still using the outdated “Bob Seger System” name.
On January 6, opening for the Raspberries in West Palm Beach, Florida. On February 14, opening for Ted Nugent & the Amboy Dukes in Columbus, Mississippi. On March 2, headlining at the Southside Drive-In in Fort Myers, Florida (although the two films being shown were “Let It Be” and “Strawberry Statement”, for some reason, the photo is a still from “Mad Dogs & Englishmen”). On March 4, with Cactus, at the Fun-Lan Drive-In in Tampa, Florida.
On March 10, with Cactus at the Warehouse in New Orleans, Louisiana. On April 8, opening for Cactus, along with Catfish, in Louisville, Kentucky. On April 14, opening for Buddy Miles and Cactus in “An Evening of Boogie” in West Palm Beach, Florida again. On April 18, opening for Cactus, Bloodrock, and Goose Creek Symphony at Brannan’s Tobacco Warehouse in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
On April 21, opening for Cactus in South Bend, Indiana. On May 12, headlining “the Singles Thing” at the Orlando Fairgrounds in Orlando, Florida. And on May 25, 1973, opening for the Doobie Brothers and Argent in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Dennis Preston made the coolest posters for shows with The Dogs. This one is for a show at the Shelby Roller Inn in Shelby, Michigan, May 26, 1973, along with the Motor City Mutants and Licking Stick. Preston’s posters for The Dogs frequently added “Rock and Roll Band”, making the phrase as part of the band name, but this is the first time we’ve seen them billed as “from Detroit”, so we can conclude that they had made their move into their 12 bedroom three-story house near Tiger Stadium by now.
Poster for Alice Cooper in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on May 26, 1973.
Humble Pie made their ninth trip to Michigan, performing at Cobo Arena in Detroit for two nights, May 23-24, 1973, touring in support of their sixth album, “Eat It”, which featured Steve Marriott’s long-desired addition of backup singers to the group.
Humble Pie – Black Coffee (1973)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykTHduR1Oxc
Ad for the Side Door Saloon in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, using the same four words again, “Nationally Known Rock Group” in billing an actually not too-well known anywhere band, here it is for Justice Miles, May 23-26, 1973. It seems like the Detroit area media spelled the name as Miles, while the listings in the Ann Arbor Sun use the spelling Myles. In either case, we cannot find anything about them (or him).
An ad for a thirteen-hour benefit for WDET-FM radio station in Detroit, Michigan, May 24, 1973.
Poster for Alice Cooper’s Billion Dollar Babies show in Portland, Oregon on May 24, 1973.
An ad for Phil Ochs at The Stables in East Lansing, Michigan, May 24-26, 1973. We like the way that the ad has him announcing the booking to follow, it would have been cool if they would have continued it as a format.
We’ve got a pretty good handle on the bars and clubs in the college towns of Ann Arbor and East Lansing, Michigan, but we have more digging to do to find where live rock and roll was playing in and around the city of Detroit. We’ve found some action at Our Place, the Eastwood, West Side Six, and here is an ad for Dirty Helen’s Saloon. Radio King & his Court of Rhythm performed there in March, followed by Ronnie Prophet, and here with Doug Kershaw, May 25-26, 1973.
A full-page Motown Records ad in the May 19, 1973 issue of Billboard magazine for the third solo album by fourteen-year old Michael Jackson.
A full-page ad for the single “Daddy’s Home” from the debut solo album by Jermaine Jackson that sold over a million copies and was awarded a Gold record in March, 1973. Jermiane’s second solo album was released on May 6, 1973.
Unlike his brother Michael, Jermaine quit the group, Jackson 5, when he started his solo career, being replaced by brother Randy. And he also married Berry Gordy's daughter Hazel in 1973.
An ad for Stevie Wonder with Taj Mahal and Pharoah Sanders at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California on May 19, 1973.
Bruce Springsteen’s first Michigan billing on May 19, 1973, opening for the Guess Who at Masonic Auditorium in Detroit. Still relatively unknown, they misspelled his name, and in any case it appears that this show was cancelled. He would not return for another two years for his actual debut.
Newspaper ad for Aretha Franklin at the Forum in Inglewood, California on May 20, 1973.
Record company ad for the new album and single by the British band Argent that was published around the time of the band’s appearance at the Masonic Auditorium in Detroit, Michigan, sharing the bill with the Doobie Brothers, May 21, 1973. A fine tune, but we prefer this one from a year earlier, which Rick Wakeman has cited as having the greatest organ solo of all time.
Argent – Hold Your Head Up (1972)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBnSWJHawQQ
Record company ad for Black Oak Arkansas, appearing at Cobo Hall in Detroit, Michigan, they opened for Humble Pie, May 23-24, 1973.
A full-page Atco records ad for the first live album by Black Oak Arkansas, coinciding with two shows opening for Humble Pie at Cobo Hall in Detroit, Michigan, May 23-24, 1973.
A newspaper ad for Isaac Hayes at Olympia Stadium in Detroit, Michigan on May 20, 1973.
A full-page record company ad for the first live album by Isaac Hayes, coinciding with his appearance at Olympia Stadium in Detroit, Michigan on May 20, 1973.
A full-page RCA Records ad for the tenth studio album by The Guess Who, coinciding with a string of Michigan shows, at MacInnes Ice Arena in Houghton on May 18, 1973, at Masonic Auditorium in Detroit the following night, and at the L.C. Walker Arena in Muskegon the night after that.
Newspaper ad with Brownsville Station opening for Johnny Winter and Foghat in Birmingham, Alabama on May 18, 1973.
