| Prime Movers Blues Band with Iggy Pop "Orange Driver" |
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Digging out these old recordings has been
fun, but it also has made me realize what a
great place Ann Arbor was in the middle
Sixties. The Prime Movers Blues Band formed
in the summer of 1965, the same time as the
Grateful Dead were doing the identical thing
out in San Francisco. Neither knew about the
other. Later, of course there was interaction
among these new music groups that were
appearing all over the country. There was
something in the air. It was the Sixties!
The Prime Movers had gone to Chicago. We had
seen Little Walter, Big Walter, Junior Wells,
Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, and all the blues
greats playing live.
I can remember one night listening to Howlin'
Wolf play in a small club in Chicago. The
room was empty and dark; there was no one
there but a couple of us. Wolf was up front
sitting on a chair next to the great blues
guitarist Hubert Sumlin. Wolf's music went
into our ears and then deep into my brain.
Time just slowed down and then seemed to
stop. The walls around me (and my body)
became sort of transparent and it was as if I
was somewhere out in deep space, just my
mind alone, outside of time and place. My
body just kind of disappeared. All that I
could hear was Wolf's sound in my ear and
brain. I lost all sense of a personal who and
where I am.
When folks ask me why I listen to and study
the blues, it is more than just 'good music'.
Blues (for me at least) has been a way to
touch home, to go between the clock-ticking
seconds of my life, somehow stepping outside
of time, and get a sense of my life at a
deeper level. Blues has always been for me a
journey to see the nature of my own mind -- a
refresher course in who I am and why I am
here. Music has always been that for me.
The main band members included:
Michael Erlewine
lead Singer, harmonica
Daniel Erlewine
lead guitar
Robert Sheff (keyboards)
AKA Blue 'Gene' Tyranny
Jack Dawson (bass)
James Osterberg (drums)
AKA "Iggy Pop"
Or
J.C. "Jesse" Crawford (drums)
This video produced and edited at Heart
Center Studios in Big Rapids, Michigan by
Michael Erlewine.
Those interested in being notified when the
Prime Movers album is release can send an
email to
Michael@Erlewine.net.
Poster images used with the kind permission
of Gary Grimshaw, who can be reached at:
www.GaryGrimshaw.com
© Copyright
Heart Center Studios 2008
Analog to Digital Transfer by
www.FilmTransfer.com
Tags : Prime Movers Blues Erlewine Osterberg Iggy Pop HCS Heart Center Studios |
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Affichage : 2012
Durée : 518 s |
| Prime Movers Blues Band with Iggy Pop "Rock Me Baby" |
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A lot of you have emailed me telling me how
much you enjoy hearing these old Prime Movers
tapes. I feel the same way. I have not heard
these since this set was recorded, some 41
years ago. We just found the tape! And you
all ask about Iggy and how was he as a
drummer.
Let me make it clear that Iggy was a GREAT
drummer. He worked hard at his drumming and
practiced until he got it right, like
learning to do the 'double shuffle',
something he learned from the great Sam Lay.
It took him weeks, but he got it down cold.
And you wonder if he was as wild in the Prime
Movers as he is as Iggy Pop? I don't want to
disappoint anyone, but in truth, my memory of
Iggy was as someone who was always polite and
respectful, at least to me. I can't remember
ever having an argument with him, but then I
can't remember all that well anyway.
We all loved Iggy. Wish he would get back in
touch. It would be great to have a reunion of
the original Prime Movers Blues Band in Ann
Arbor.
I have included some of the photos we have of
Iggy and one of his two best friends at that
time, Panther and Famous. Panther White was
our honorary manager and perhaps the funniest
human being I have ever met. Famous is Lynn
Goldsmith, who became (pardon the pun)
'famous' as a rock photographer. Iggy,
Famous, and Panther were great friends. Well,
here are some shots.
- Michael Erlewine
The Prime Movers Blues Band was founded in
the summer of 1965 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. If
lasted about seven years. Most of the band
members all lived in a house at 114 N.
Division Street, appropriately called the
"Prime Mover House." It still stands today,
owned by the University of Michigan.
The main band members included:
Michael Erlewine
lead Singer, harmonica
Daniel Erlewine
lead guitar
Robert Sheff (keyboards)
AKA Blue 'Gene' Tyranny
Jack Dawson (bass)
James Osterberg (drums)
AKA "Iggy Pop"
Or
J.C. "Jesse" Crawford (drums)
Photographers: You know, I don't know who
took some of these photos, but here are the
photographers we worked with, who were our
friends. They probably did most of these.
Al Blixt
alblixt@dannemillertyson.com
Andy Sacks
Sacksafone@AOL.com
Stanley Livingston
slivingston@provide.net
Tom Copi
This video produced and edited at Heart
Center Studios in Big Rapids, Michigan by
Michael Erlewine.
Those interested in being notified when the
Prime Movers album is released can send an
email to
Michael@Erlewine.net.
© Copyright
Heart Center Studios 2008
Analog to Digital Transfer by
www.FilmTransfer.com
Tags : Prime Movers Blues Erlewine Osterberg Iggy Pop HCS Heart Center Studios |
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Affichage : 3357
Durée : 525 s |
| Prime Movers Blues Band with Iggy Pop "Yonder's Wall" |
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The Prime Mover Blues Band formed in the
summer of 1965, lasted about five years and,
like all things in life, gradually dissolved.
Iggy, of course, went on to create 'The
Stooges', Jack Dawson to play bass with the
Siegel-Schwall Blues Band, Robert Sheff to
become the avant-garde composer Blue Gene
Tyranny, Daniel Erlewine to play lead guitar
for the Sam Lay Blues Band (and to build
guitars for the likes of Jerry Garcia and
Albert King), and Michael Erlewine became an
archivist, interviewed most of the blues
greats, and created the All-Music Guide
(allmusic.com) and other large Internet
sites. By March of 1971, Michael was the only
one left, playing piano and singing in bars
under the name "Ann Arbor Heart Song." It was
then that he met the love of his life,
Margaret, married her, and found what he had
been searching for and singing about. He
gradually stopped playing.
Over the years there were more than 37
members in the Prime Movers. A few of these
are listed below:
Lead Singer, harmonica
Michael Erlewine
Guitars:
Daniel Erlewine
Craig Johnson
Ron Asheton
Jay Edwards
Keyboards:
Robert Sheff
Garby Leon
Bass Guitar:
Jack Dawson
Ilene Silverman
R.T. Vinopal
Drums:
James Osterberg (Iggy Pop)
J.C. Crawford
Phillip Erlewine
We are happy to say the Michael and Daniel
Erlewine, Robert Sheff, and Jack Dawson are
all still alive and well. Iggy Pop is alive,
but is not in touch with the rest of the
band.
This video was created, edited, and compiled
by Michael Erlewine. A full album of the
original Prime Movers Blues Band will be
available soon. If you wish to be notified,
feel free to email:
Michael@Erlewine.net
Photo of Panther White by Stanley Livingston
Photo of Prime Movers at table by Andy Sax
Produced at Heart Center Studios in Big
Rapids, Michigan
Copyright 2008
by Michael Erlewine
Analog to Digital Transfer by
www.FilmTransfer.com
Tags : Prime Movers Blues Erlewine Osterberg Iggy Pop HCS Heart Center Studios |
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Affichage : 1791
Durée : 610 s |
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