Cover Story
L-Seven is the Detroit post-punk band that time forgot — but Third Man Records is looking to change that with a deluxe reissue
They warmed up for most of the important touring bands coming through Detroit in the early 1980s — the Gun Club, Killing Joke, the Stranglers, Iggy Pop, Bauhaus, U2, and the Birthday Party. But although post-punk band L-Seven never gained much recognition beyond Detroit, they were hugely inspirational to fellow musicians within the city’s small,…
Michigan-made Olga’s Kitchen celebrates 50 years next month with discounted menu items
That’s a wrap on 50 years of snackers, Olgasauce, and, well, wraps. Celebrating five decades is Olga’s Kitchen, the fast-casual Michigan brand introduced in 1970 by food visionary and founder Olga Loizon. Loizon, who started making her signature homemade pita bread out of a modest restaurant operation in Birmingham, died last year at the age…
Historic Detroit jazz club Cliff Bell’s eyes reopening next month
Live music will return to downtown Detroit when historic jazz club Cliff Bell’s reopens its doors next month. Announced via the club’s Facebook page on Sunday, Cliff Bell’s will reopen on Tuesday, Sep. 1 with a free performance by Dwight Adams and Friends. According to Cliff Bell’s performance schedule, which includes performances through mid-October, Adams…
Jujuan Coleman embraces the funk with his cannabis-infused Funky Extracts gummies
When Detroit native Jujuan “Funk” Coleman came up a logo for his cannabis company Funky Extracts, he picked a smelly sock. “When you speak of cannabis, ‘funk’ is good,” he says. “So I correlated ‘funk’ with the quality of our products.” Coleman doesn’t shy away from the, let’s say, dank aspect of marijuana. Once he…
As COVID-19 looms, Michigan health officials say flu vaccine is more important than ever
Michigan health officials are urging residents to get the flu vaccine this fall to help avoid an outbreak of another communicable disease as the threat of COVID-19 remains strong. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services launched a statewide media campaign Tuesday to encourage residents to get vaccinated. The campaign, called “Facing the Flu…
Message attributed to Aaliyah’s estate says talks are underway to re-release her music ‘in the near future’
Just as we had finished blogging about the tragedy of the late R&B star Aaliyah’s missing back catalog on the 19th anniversary of her death, we received yet another shred of hope that her music could soon become available in the digital music era. According to a message posted from a verified Twitter account for…
A major Marvel summer action flick is coming to metro Detroit drive-ins just as summer is wrapping up
Normally, a big-budget movie release wouldn’t necessarily qualify as local news. But because of the coronavirus pandemic, we, the movie-loving, CGI-obsessed, popcorn-craving public, have been starved of fresh summer cinema. That all changes this week when metro Detroit drive-ins get their hands on a new mutant-filled Marvel movie before the summer is over. While movies…
The Holocaust Memorial Center to screen Charlottesville doc
The shocking clash between white supremacists and counter-protesters in 2017 in Charlottesville is the subject of a documentary screening and talk coming up at The Holocaust Memorial Center. The center’s Zekelman Family Campus will host Fighting Back Against Hate, A Film and Conversation with Alexandra Kauffman Horowitz and Rabbi Rachel Schmelkin. The virtual event will…
Detroit police accused of ‘severely’ beating a legal observer, pepper-spraying 2 others at protest
Legal observers say Detroit police targeted and assaulted them during a protest over the weekend, pepper-spraying them and “severely” beating another with a baton while they stood on a sidewalk. A National Lawyers Guild (NLG) observer was also among 44 people who were arrested at a demonstration against the influx of federal agents as part…
It’s been 19 years since Aaliyah died and her best music is still missing from streaming services
On Aug. 25, 2001, raised-in-Detroit R&B superstar Aaliyah tragically died in a plane crash in the Bahamas. She was only 22, but already ascending at a rapid pace. Her third album was released to much acclaim, and she had landed acting roles in a number of upcoming films, including the massive The Matrix series. Even…
DPD Chief Craig accuses protesters of trying to set up ‘Seattle-type zone of lawlessness’ in Detroit
Detroit Police James Craig on Monday defended his officers’ handling of protesters over the weekend, saying demonstrators were trying to set up a protest zone like the one in Seattle. “I am not going to let any group set up a Seattle-type zone of lawlessness here in the city of Detroit,” Craig told reporters. “That…
Trump wants Republicans to pass on grass on November ballots
In addition to stairs, sharks, and, ironically enough, germs, President Donald Trump is also fearful of legal weed initiatives on November ballots, especially in Republican-led states. In a report published by The Daily Beast, GOP strategists have concluded that the president believes that those states voting on marijuana legalization or decriminalization could mean a “supercharge”…
Lawmakers call for investigation after Detroit police arrested 42 protesters, seriously injuring some
Two lawmakers are joining calls for an investigation after more than 40 peaceful protesters, some of whom were seriously injured by baton-wielding cops, were arrested early Sunday morning for blocking Woodward Avenue in downtown Detroit. At least five protesters were taken to the hospital. “There should be a full independent investigation of this incident and…
Detroit techno great Juan Atkins will perform an outdoor set at the Aretha
While the coronavirus pandemic has put most live music on hold for the foreseeable future, some venues have been getting creative with ways to throw scaled-down, socially distant performances. The Aretha, Detroit’s riverside venue formerly known as Chene Park, recently launched a series of DJ events called the “Lake Lounge.” The series kicked off a…
Woman pronounced dead by Southfield Fire Department found breathing at Detroit funeral home
In what the actual fuck news, a Southfield woman who had been declared dead early Sunday morning was reportedly found breathing and alive by funeral home staff. The 20-year-old woman had suffered cardiac arrest inside her home, at which point her family called 911, WDIV-TV reports. According to a statement made by the Southfield Fire…
Big Gretch had a Shark Week-themed birthday party
At this point, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is swimming in sharks. The governor celebrated her 49th birthday in the most “Big Gretch” way possible on Sunday when her family threw her a “Shark Week”-themed party, which included a fun balloon and what looks like a blue cake topped with Swedish Fish candy. Thank you all for…
Royal Oak’s Music Castle to close in September after more than 40 years in business
Music Castle owner Tim Flaharty tells Metro Times his music instrument store’s final day of business will be at the end of September. The store started in Pontiac in 1979 and relocated to its current location on Woodward Avenue in Royal Oak in 1984. It was known for instrument repair and rentals, as well as…
In 2004, Barack Obama offered us hope. In 2020, a warning.
There are lots of policy questions we should focus on over the next 10 weeks: the COVID pandemic, the economic recovery, the climate crisis, systemic racism in our criminal justice system, the wealth gap, expanding access to health care. There are political matters, too: the devolution of the MAGA Republican Party into a grifters club,…
More than a third of inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 in four Michigan prisons
At four Michigan prisons, more than a third of the inmates have tested positive for COVID-19. The most recent outbreak has hammered Muskegon Correctional Facility, where 612 people have tested positive since the first case was confirmed on July 27, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC). That’s 47% of the prison’s population infected…
Barricaded gunman found dead inside St. Clair Shores motel
A barricaded gunman took his own life Thursday night inside the Shore Pointe Motor Lodge on East Nine Mile Road in St. Clair Shores. Witnesses tell Metro Times that the man, described as a light-skinned Black man in his early 30s, was toting a rifle, acting erratically, and harassing hotel guests shortly before 9 p.m.…
Sorry, peasants: Michigan’s Renaissance Festival is canceled due to the modern plague that is COVID-19
Huzzah? More like Huzz-nah. Look’s like we’re going to have to wait a whole year to get our hands on an unreasonably large turkey leg and a pint of brew served by a lovely beer wench. In a Facebook post on Thursday, organizers of the Michigan Renaissance Festival revealed that this year’s festivities hath been…
Michigan approved for an additional $300 a week in unemployment benefits
The federal government on Friday approved Michigan’s request for an extra $300 a week for residents receiving unemployment insurance benefits. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration applied for the funding through the Federal Emergency Management Administration. As millions of residents across the country began losing their jobs amid the coronavirus pandemic, the federal government was chipping in…
Whoop whoop! Faygo says more flavors are coming in 2021
Made-in-Detroit pop brand Faygo is having a moment — and this time, it’s not due to the Insane Clown Posse. A different rapper, Seattle’s Lil Mosey, has gone certified Platinum with his 2019 track “Blueberry Faygo.” Faygo says it’s received an uptick in its blue flavors following the success of the track. And in an…
Taylor Swift sent ‘quite a few’ signed copies of ‘folklore’ to Dearborn Music because she ain’t no snake
Taylor Swift, as she confesses in her latest track “The Lakes,” has had many elegies, all of whom she’s managed to masterfully eulogize in song. She’s played the role of the maneater and the man. She’s been the eternally heartbroken, the good country girl, the leather-clad vengeful pop princess, and a shaker (and no, we’re…
Detroit is the 7th fastest shrinking large city in U.S., according to study
Despite its “comeback city” narrative, the Motor City is still losing population. According to a new report from small business resource AdvisorSmith, Detroit is the #7 fastest shrinking large city in the United States, with its population dropped from 682,609 in 2014 to 670,031 in 2019. That’s an average drop of 0.37% per year, compared…
Sen. Stabenow calls Trump ‘very unstable,’ says a vote for Biden is ‘a vote for sanity’
U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow called President Trump “very unstable.” In a Zoom interview with reporters Wednesday, the Michigan Democrat suggested voters should “cast a vote for sanity and competence.” WWJ Lansing Bureau Chief Tim Skubick asked, “Did you just indirectly call Mr. President insane?” Stabenow responded, “I think we have a very unstable president.” “What…
Ypsilanti dispensary The Patient Station is now selling recreational weed, celebrates with drive-up party
Family-owned and operated provisioning center The Patient Station in Ypsilanti is celebrating its recently acquired recreational license with a grand opening party where adults age 21 and older can roll through to grab food, “swag,” and, of course, weed. “As much as we’d love to have a traditional grand opening bash, we’re very conscious of…
WDET takes stand-up comedy outside with fundraiser at Canterbury Village drive-in
What’s the deal with airplane food? And how about those seats? Together, air travel is like botulism and scoliosis made a baby, am I right? Woof. If you miss laughing out loud IRL and/or not laughing because not all jokes are funny, WDET is hosting a comedy showcase fundraiser for 101.9, Detroit’s NPR station in…
Michigan reaches $600M settlement in Flint water crisis lawsuits
The state of Michigan has reached a historic $600 million settlement stemming from lawsuits filed by Flint residents impacted by the city’s water crisis. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer made the announcement in a recorded video message published on Thursday on behalf of herself and Attorney General Dana Nessel. “From our first month in office, we made…
Michigan’s neediest schools will receive $65M in funding to help with impact of COVID-19
Michigan schools with students from lower-income families will receive $65 million in additional federal coronavirus relief funds to help provide resources and services that are needed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Wednesday. The money is intended to help economically disadvantaged schools that have been most impacted by the coronavirus. Many students in…
‘It’s Shark Week, Motherfucker’ merch has arrived, motherfuckers
Discovery Channel’s Shark Week might be over, but in Michigan, it’s just heating up, bitches. That’s thanks to Governor Gretchen Whitmer, aka Big Gretch, who unleashed a viral hot-mic moment before her Democratic National Convention address Monday night when she said, “It’s not just Shark Week. It’s Shark Week, motherfuckers.” Though she only mouthed the…
Lord Gulley drops ode to dirty Detroit rap, a record four years in the making
Eastside native Lord Gulley, 28, has been making music in the city for over a decade. Production on his newest album L + S started four years ago, and it finally drops on Wednesday, Aug. 19. During that window, Gulley has moved studios multiple times and founded his own Shadow Temple Records label. Like the…
Ted Nugent wants a list of every dead American from the last five years to prove allegedly inflated ‘Chinese communist virus’ numbers
Ted Nugent may believe in “Cat Scratch Fever,” but he does not believe in the coronavirus, which officials say has killed more than 171,000 Americans. In fact, he thinks it’s all “bullshit.” Nugent, 72, who says his Kill It & Grill It diet is the reason he can “outrun puppy dogs for a short distance,”…
‘Rising star’ state Rep. Manoogian gets spotlight in Democratic National Convention keynote address
State Rep. Mari Manoogian, the youngest woman serving in Michigan’s Legislature, was one of 17 “rising stars” picked to deliver a keynote address at the Democratic National Convention. The 27-year-old Birmingham lawmaker delivered her speech Tuesday, saying Joe Biden is dedicated to unifying the country and has the leadership skills to steer the U.S. in…
No, Michigan’s DNC delegates did not film their roll call in Canada, you dummies
On Tuesday, the Democratic National Convention officially nominated Joe Biden for president. As part of traditional procedure, delegates do a roll call before announcing their votes — but since the coronavirus screwed up the original plan to host the DNC in Milwaukee, this year’s roll call was conducted virtually, with the delegates filming from their…
Michigan’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency puts the kibosh on weed delivery to sports bar customers
A partnership that would have seen a marijuana dispensary bring legal pot to customers at a sports bar in Michigan’s Thumb is a no-go after officials at the Marijuana Regulatory Agency quashed it due to regulations on where cannabis can be delivered. The deal was between Freddie’s marijuana dispensary in Clio and Water Tower Sports…
Calls for concrete action follow Whitmer declaring racism a public health crisis
Two weeks after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared racism a public health crisis, there are calls for Michigan lawmakers to make it even more official. A concurrent resolution, SCR 0027 and HCR 0025, introduced in early June, would make the same declaration and commit the Legislature to work with the governor to promote racial equity and…
Free Will Astrology (Aug. 19-25)
ARIES: March 21 – April 19 “We never know what is enough until we know what’s more than enough,” said Aries singer Billie Holiday. I don’t think that applies to everyone, although it’s more likely to be true about the Aries tribe than maybe any other sign of the zodiac. And I’m guessing that the…
Trump’s attack on USPS is ratfucking the vote
No less than Rutherford B. Hayes or George W. Bush, Donald Trump took office with his legitimacy hanging by a thread. Having decisively lost the popular vote in 1876, Hayes claimed the White House following a series of dubious and disputed recounts that prompted a constitutional crisis barely a decade after the Civil War; a…
Is ‘Love in the Age of Corona’ the first COVID-themed limited series? Plus, other things to stream this week
Premieres Wednesday: DeMarcus Family Rules – Tired of all those sitcoms about a dumpy schlemiel inexplicably married to a smokin’-hot trophy wife? Here’s a reality series about Rascal Flatts bassist Jay Demarcus, a dumpy schlemiel inexplicably married to a smokin’-hot trophy wife. Thank God for streaming, because those network shows were just getting too far-fetched.…
