Most people are appalled when I tell them there's a music room at our prison. "The inmates have regularly scheduled jam sessions," I say--initiating all sorts of responses, the most popular being: "That's bullshit!" I also toss in the following trivia: "Guitar string is a necessity with our tattoo artists; they use it to make needles on their homemade tatttoo guns."
There's an abundance of creative types in our prison, artists and musicians everywhere. Then there's your average working stiffs like myself, earning an honest wage off other folks' miseries. Last week I overheard a student reminiscing about his younger days jamming with David Gilbert. I interrupted his conversation. "Are you talking about David Lee Gilbert from the Rockets?"
"Yeah," he answered. "I did carpentry work with him before I came to prison."
If I were to draw a timeline of Gilbert's life, this inmate knew him after the fame, after the rock-n-roll lifestyle took its toll. The Rockets were (and still are) my favorite Detroit rock band. They should've made it big, if only Gilbert, their lead singer, would have quit his alcohol and drug use. They warmed up for Journey, the Who, and many other rock acts. Headlined a few shows of their own too. By 1983 though, the Rockets disbanded. Gilbert's downward spiral lasted for eighteen more years. He became another working stiff just like the rest of us, trying to survive, trying to pay the bills. Unfortunately, his substance abuse problem did him in. On August 1, 2001, at the age of 49, he died of cirrhosis and liver cancer.
As a tribute, tomorrow I'll post a slideshow along with the Rockets' "Born in Detroit."
Here's the lyrics:
Well Hollywood is fine if you're just passin' through / People out there will treat you pretty cool
Parties in the hills are always lots of fun / Malibu is great if you wanna catch some sun
And I know folks who really love the town / But it just ain't home, I never stick around
Born in the city - the city where they make the cars
Born in Detroit - you know I'm gonna be a star
I say "Hey Motor City, love you for what you are"
New York City's such a soulful town / Anything you want, you know they'll shake it on down
Hot spots, hot shots, the place never sleeps / When I used to live there I was always on my feet
But even though I dug it, I knew I couldn't stay / Home kept callin' I was on my way
Born in the city - the city where they make the cars
Born in Detroit - you know I'm gonna be a star
I say "Hey Motor City, love you for what you are"
When you're cruisin' down Woodward on a Friday night / Don't take no orders and run from a fight
Good times, bad times, I've seen it all / I'm gonna keep rockin' so let's have a ball
C'mon baby, don't you wanna go back to Detroit City - the home of rock 'n roll
Born in the city - the city where they make the cars
Born in Detroit - you know I'm gonna be a star
I say "Hey Motor City, love you for what you are"
16 comments:
I have never heard of this band but will definitely try to find some of their records. In fact I'm going to be record hunting this weekend! :)
Being that there are, by your accounts, a lot of creative types in your prison I have to wonder for my own future being that I am artistically inclined to a certain degree...
Karma,
Good luck finding their music. As long as you don't look thru a cd pile you just might hit gold.
Oh man, I need to hear the band. More for the music room ;)
49? He barely outlived Kerouac.
It's been a while. I thought I would come by and drop a line to see how you are doing. I find it interesting that you meet a little bit of everything in prison, artists, people who know famous people on a personal level, and the stories are always so colorful. I hope you are doing well.
Happy Writing.
Great tribute, Jim. It definitely made me sad. He died on the same date as my dad, supposedly the unluckiest day in Chinese lore given that four is associated with death. Weird. Glad that the inmates have something to do that's artistic. I sometimes feel like I'd lose my mind without it and I'm relatively free!
I will be looking it up also..
I'll bet there are a lot of talented musicians out there who failed to make it big, because of their excesses with drugs and alcohol. And, you must meet a lot of talented people in your job, who somehow got off track for one reason or another. Sometimes the most talented people are the most wounded.
I like your garden pool. It looks very nice.
The strange world of music.
I'm thinking of musical genius' Van Dyke Park's association with Brian Wilson.
Van Dyke's brilliance somehow caused Brian Wilson to have a nervous breakdown. They did produce an album together, but it sort of sucked; a tad too arty.
So glad to see Brian Wilson survive and even prevail. Didn't end up like David Gilbert.
Certainly rocked Toronto a couple of years back when the Stones came to town to give it some life after a SARS scare.
Beach Boys forever!
Ivan
The Rockets opened for ZZ Top when I saw them in 1980. Their big hit was a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well," wasn't it?
Hey Johnny,
The Rockets indeed did "Oh Well," and David Gilbert sang it much better. Their other big hit: "Turn Up The Radio."
Enjoyed the post. The Frost was another Detroit band that played around the same time Bob Seger and Ted Nuggent(Amboy Dukes) were making their debut. MW
Not surprising that art comes out in prison, especially a medium to maximum security one. There is more time to study that side of yourself and all you need is a pencil and blank paper really.
To bad you mentioned a music room in your place cause as soon as Jenny in the 'hood figures it out you know it will be gone.
I was outta here during most of the eighties but I can hear why you liked this. It definitely is Detroit style Rock and Roll.
Peace
mark
Has nothing to do with this post, but I love your garden! Very nice!
Will check them out. Never heard of them, but sounds like a familiar sad story re: lead vocalist...
I'm pretty certain that my father has this album somewhere, because I remember the song from when I was a kid.
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