Fred 'Sonic' Smith, R. I. P.

Nov 6 20:11 UTC 1994

 
 
I can't believe it . .
 
Today's Detroit News reports that Fred 'Sonic' Smith, guitarist
for the 'legendary' Detroit rock band the MC5, died yesterday,
November 5, 1994, of a heart attack, at the age of 45. Among 
others he is survived by his wife Patti Smith.
 
 
                        R. I. P.
 
                     Rock In Peace
 
                        E = MC5
 

response 2 of 11:

Nov 8 01:06 UTC 1994

        Rob Tyner       lead singer
        Wayne Kramer    guitar
        Fred Smith      guitar
        Michael Davis   bass
        Dennis Thompson drums

response 4 of 11:

Jan 25 17:57 UTC 1995

From Bill Duke       Nov 7, 94 06:32:03 am 
Return-Path: <duke@snafu.win.net>
Reply-To: duke@snafu.win.net (Bill Duke)
To: jor@umcc.umich.edu, fbacik@aol.com
Date: Mon, 07 Nov 1994 06:32:03
Subject: Re: Fred 'Sonic' Smith, R. I. P.
 
                     Damn....Damn!...DAMN!!!!!
 
 
 
 
From Bill Duke       Nov 8, 94 07:57:21 am 
 
 
Return-Path: <duke@snafu.win.net>
Reply-To: duke@snafu.win.net (Bill Duke
ch.edu@aol.com
Date: Tue, 08 Nov 1994 07:57:21
Subject: Re: Fred 'Sonic' Smith, R. I. P.
 
It's funny, too. Just last week someone sent me three concurrent
issues of something called The Metro Times, wherein appeared a
"History of Motor City Rock'n'Roll." It was pretty good. The author
(Ben Edmonds? Where do I know this name from?...) spent more time
than needed on the really early years -- '58 to '65 -- and too
little on the stuff I wanted to read about -- '68 to '72.
 
But it was a treat just for the little flashes of nostalgia as you
came across another name you hadn't seen for 20 years: the Grande
ballroom, the Olympia, WKNR, Brownsville Station, the Rationals,
the SRC, the SKY, quaaludes, Plum Street, John Sinclair, the Wilson-
Mower Pursuit, the Psychedelic Stooges, the UP (the UP!), Suzi
Quatro, Otis Spann Memorial Field (to my knowledge, the only
athletic site named for a barrelhouse piano player), the Rockets,
Lester Bangs, the WABX Air Aces, Jeep Holland and A-Square Records,
Savage Grace, the Michigan Palace, Russ Gibb, the Fifth Estate and,
of course, the MC5. 
 
There were comments by Rob Tyner and Sonic Smith, among others,
sprinkled throughout the article. Funny to think they're both gone
now.
 
Speaking of that, I read a review of some band's new album
(naturally I can't think of its name or theirs) which features a
guest appearance by none other than Wayne Cramer. Haven't heard
from that guy in decades. Nice to know he's still alive and well.
(I saw a show at the Roxy in L.A. -- maybe 1979 -- where the opening
act was a little-known Detroit band called Was (Not Was) and lo
and behold if the guitar player wasn't Wayne Cramer! Just as wacky
as ever, but still a real solid player. I never understood people
who dismissed the MC5 as nothing but noise. Unconscionably loud
perhaps, but they could definitely play. Ah, well....)
 

response 6 of 11:

Jan 25 18:00 UTC 1995

 
Return-Path: <FBACIK@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 23 Nov 1994 19:50:50 -0500
To: jor@umcc.umich.edu
Cc: duke@snafu.win.net
Subject: Happy Thanksgiving
 
Hi guys:
 
Got JOR's copies of Smith's obits.  The family may have written the script,
as is often the case, for I would not have imagined that the "gentlemanly,
family-centered" image would be the one to most predominate the epitath.
Probably, anyone is in reality nicer than first impressions indicate.
While less monstrous than Kramer, and more active than the bass player for
MC5--whose name I never knew because he was so inactive on stage--Smith did
his share of gyrating, jumping, bumping and grinding; all of which led me to
believe he was probably some kind of jerk.  I was likely very wrong.  So this
holiday, let's raise a glass to Tyner and Smith: nice guys AND hard rockers.
 
Thanksgiving has also become a traditional time for me to take a few days off
and go up to Eureka and burn out a few brain cells .  Cosmo (aka Mike
Poprawa) always lays out a feast, and after the party, we crank up the old
amps and jam until daybreak--sometimes well into Friday night.
 
We generally start slow, watching the Lions game before the food gets cooked
up.  For some reason, the Detroit Lions are always playing on Thanksgiving
Day.  There are now a few other transplanted Detroiters who attend, having
heard through the grapevine about the tradition.  One is a black crime trial
lawyer, Eugene.  Because the Lions have been doing so badly over the last
decade or so (with minor exceptions), Eugene is otherwise ashamed to profess
afficionado status.  He long ago altered an official cap for each of us to
read, "Detroit Leons," which we may wear only in the dead of night--and on
T'giving .
 
The trouble is, this year I can't seem to find mine.  I generally disdain
hats, and I don't wear clothes of any sort with words on the outside.  I'm
sure to catch alot of shit about having abandoned the tradition.  My hope is
to redeem myself by knowing so much about the dead members of MC5.  Thanks to
JOR's moribund obit clippings.
 
Well I'm off to clean the fishtank, restring the Peavey Predator and pack for
a quick trip down to the depths of depravity.  Here's hoping you too have a
good holiday.  Have a Stroh's for Fred.  
 
ADIOS, FAB

response 8 of 11:

Feb 4 12:01 UTC 1996

        Of course Barb. I could never get a handle on
        the Rationals, and of course their one claim to fame
        was recording 'Respect' and having a hit with it . . before Aretha
        Franklin did.

        In case you are not familiar, the singer, Scott Morgan,  continues
        to be active. His current band, Scott's Pirates, is releasing
        recordings and includes Gary Rasmussen on bass (from The Up)
        and Scott Asheton on drums (from The Stooges).

        They are currently playing around town.

response 10 of 11:

Jun 25 01:27 UTC 1996

I remember seeing Ted at a Junior High School sock hop in Livonia a few years
before Journey to the Center of the Mind with the Amboy Dukes.  And of course
Bob long before the days of the Grande and I'm starting to feel soo old...