Support local journalism. Join the Metro Times Press Club.

15 records you won't believe were recorded in Detroit

By Metro Times Staff

Detroit has been home to some of the most iconic recordings — and we're not just talking about Motown, Eminem, or Bob Seger. If you dig a little deeper you might be surprised to find that these unsuspecting records were also recorded in Detroit.

Scroll down to view images

Join the Metro Times Press Club

At a time when local-based reporting is critical, support from our readers is essential to our future. Support our coverage with a one-time or monthly donation.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers - “Freaky Styley”
Well, maybe you knew this already, that the Red Hot Chili Peppers made the pilgrimage to Michigan to record with their hero George Clinton. The album was recorded at United Sound Studios in Detroit.

The Doors - Live In Detroit
The Doors recorded this double live album on May 8, 1970 at Cobo Arena. It includes a nearly 20-minute version of "Light My Fire," deep cuts like "Dead Cats, Dead Rats," and a nearly 18-minute version of The End to end the show.

Def Leppard - And The Will Be A Next Time - Live From Detroit
We know you drove your '85 Camaro to Pine Knob for this show on July 15, 2016. It's got all the monster cock rock jams and ballads like "Pour Some Sugar On Me," "Rock On," and "Love Bites"!

Yes - “Yesshows”
Not all the live recordings on "Yesshows" are from Detroit, but most of them were. Sides 2, 3, and 4, were recorded at Cobo Hall. Does it seem strange that the consummate prog band should choose to immortalize their performances in the city with the hardest-rocking reputation? Maybe Detroiters had more depth than we thought!

Hank Williams Jr - Live At Cobo Hall Detroit
Recorded at Cobo Hall in 1969, Williams played hits like "Your Cheatin' Heart" and, of course "Detroit City."

The Amboy Dukes - “Survival of the Fittest Live”
Yes, this is a problematic album. It features Ted "Better Dead than Red" Nugent, along with the band that made him famous, the Amboy Dukes, and was recorded live at the Eastown Theater on July 31 and Aug. 1, 1970.

Lydia Lunch - “Oral Fixation”
Who would have imagined it, but it turns out that Lydia Lunch did spoken word in a basement space at the Detroit Institute of Arts back in 1988. The recording of this performance was later released as the Oral Fixation EP. From the sounds of it, she had a small but receptive audience.

The J. Geils Band - “Live Full House”
It should come as no surprise that a live album by the J. Geils band is recorded in Detroit, as the band had a huge following in Detroit and put out three live albums recorded here. But you might not have expected that trend to date back all the way to 1972. Another surprise is the venue, listed as the Cinderella Ballroom, which closed in 1975.

Peter Frampton - Live In Detroit Recorded July 17, 1999 at The Pine Knob Music Theater. Yeah, he played "Show Me The Way." Yeah, he played "Baby I Love Your Way."

The Tragically Hip - “Live Between Us”
The album was recorded on November 23, 1996, at Cobo Arena in Detroit, Michigan, during the band's North American tour in support of Trouble at the Henhouse.[2]