Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Yeah, hither Detroit's wheels. Ohis this the doc? Yes, it
is. Hello there, Michael,Rock and Roll Medication. We got Mike
Skill on the line from the Romanics. He's out there with his solo band
this summer doing some stuff around townand all around the country. Really.
(00:20):
Yeah, just as Art Art festivalhere. Uh, you know, it's
truly truly a popular one over herein Portland, Oregon. And you know
I'm moving around. I'm moving aroundChicago, coming up in Detroit, coming
up. Yeah, we got youcoming in here on July the thirteenth for
just an incredible event that I amso proud to be a part of,
(00:43):
and that is the rod Regus birthdaycelebration. You're going to be eighty one.
Have you ever? Have you evermet Rodriguez throughout your career? There,
Mike, I have a weird storythat is um from one. I
lived on the east side of Detroit. I don't know if I totally do
and I wanted to ask him aboutit, but as kids, we were
on the east side. We're rightby the border of Gross Point in Detroit,
(01:07):
the last as far as you cango in Detroit on the east side,
and I lived on lakehood. Weplayed ball and football and all that
down there in the neighborhood, andwe see this guy even then during school,
I believe, I believe during school, we're in school outside playing playground,
we see this guy walking dressed inall dark clothes like black, with
sunglasses and hair in respect and carryingthe guitar and we what is that?
(01:32):
I mean, back then, youdon't see that back then when we were
little kids. I mean a guywalked around the street, but you know,
like that. And I think onetime we were playing in my neighborhood
by the house and he walked byand we went up and talked to him,
and uh, he said, he'srecording recording songs and he's a songwriter.
(01:52):
Later you know, he's got darkglasses and everything's whole book and lade
around him thinking about him. Butthat was Rod Regan's used to walk through
the neighborhood on the East Side.Yeah, I don't could have been anyone
else. Well, you know,you know who he may have been recording
at that time. And this wouldhave been right around nineteen seventy. He
was recording his first solo album andDennis Coffee was his producer and and that
(02:17):
might have been happening right there ingross Point as a matter of fact.
Yeah, so I don't know whatthe timeline is on that. But we
used to see him when I wasgoing to college at Wayne State University.
Every day we went to Alvin's Delicatetestin for lunch and he would be right
there, you know, playing hisguitar um. You know, really he
(02:40):
wasn't you know, he wasn't likelooking for money or anything. He was
just he would just enjoy his music. He'd play it. You'd see him
walking up and Downcass Avenue. Youknow, Sugarman has developed into this,
you know, mythological character now thatis just so powerful and big and from
of course where else Detroit, rightand as far as I know, nobody
(03:07):
here has ever really celebrated his lifeor his music. I understand he's going
to be at this event. Itis sold out, by the way,
at the Cadju Cafe, which hasreally become a hot spot now. Mike,
you were you were there just nottoo long ago. It was just
during the Christmas holidays when we hadthat tribute to Robert Gillespie and you were
(03:31):
out there performing. Yeah, youknow, when I was in high school.
I graduated with Dallas Hodge, aguitar player from Browntown. His brother
was Bob Hodge yep from campus yep. And I graduated and then he Yester,
we come over and played bass.I was playing bass guitar, and
I ended up doing a show atthough Mistigan Theater out in I for had
(03:51):
seven hour or something like that.We played a show with his band he
had called Selvidge. So that's rightdown the street. So that's how I
don't catch you cafe. It's rightdown the street from where his mom had
used to the Oh yeah, yeah, my Finny high school. Yeah right.
And then around the corner was thegroove Shop with all the posters in
concert tickets and all that kind ofpsyched our poster shop that was. That
(04:13):
was a great little area right there, and it's good to see it coming
back in at least this I thinkthe groove Shop is actually still there on
Mac Avenue. As a matter offact, I used to buy bootleg records
there, that's right. Um.So speaking of records, UM, are
you doing any recording these days withyour solo band? What's going on with
the Mike Skill band? And I'vegot a handful of more songs I'm getting
(04:38):
in the studio coming up doing backtracks. Um, that stuff will take oh
a few months, and then I'llthrow some on digital. And we're still
trying to get the funds up forthe first album and then this one too
as well. So yeah, that'scoming up right now. We're we're hastening
it out. Some more good songs. Do about four tracks would Chuck to
(05:00):
and was in the studio with himabout a month ago, and I laid
down foot backtracks some of the stuffas well. Anyway, I'm sorry to
cut you out there. So it'sgreat to see that you're compiling all these
songs for an upcoming release. Originally, when the first thing I put out
was before the pandemic. Depending pandemic, I had about a side a side
(05:23):
of an album about six songs thatI had already worked on and then moved
into the rest of them during thepandemic and finished them up with Chuck.
Um, this time I'm starting off. I have those four twos and about
another six or so, so Ishould know, I should I should be
uh have a good ten or fifteencoming up to pick choose from what I'm
(05:44):
going to put under Oh, Isee all right, So you're compiling,
you're compiling songs right now and gettingready. Yeah, you know, I've
got I've got books of lyrics andtakes and phone message machine about my phone
song. And it's just like myhouse. I come in to the dining
room, I got a pile overthere, alrits. In my bedroom,
(06:06):
I put in a bed. I'vegot a two s fash old factors of
lyrics. I go in to theTV room. I got you know,
it's just everywhere, And there's aguitar right here in the dining room.
There's one of them living on thekeyboard in the living room. Uh,
I got like a vault of myother stuff. I've got it all right
here. I just go a blockaway and I've got a room I can
(06:28):
record it. So when when youcome into town for the Rodriguez Show,
who is going to be with youon stage? Um, let's see Rickie's
coming up? Kay and Ran fromthe Trash beats on bass and rad Elvison
drums. Yes, yes, theacrobat, he certainly is. I love
(06:49):
the guy he's He reminds me alot. He reminds me a lot of
Keith Moon. Yeah, he's gotit. Yeah, he's got a little
bit of that craziness them. ButKeith Moon meets Jerry Los So have you
have you really taken a look atthe lineup on this Rodriguez show. I
(07:10):
mean I was gonna say it.You've got from Tactus, Jimmy McCarty and
Rockets. Yeah, and you've gotwell, you got You're gonna have Dennis
Coffee out there as a matter offact, the guy who've produced the and
then you've got Derek say Holmes gonnabe on the tar. Derek say Holmes
from early Ted when we run theroad, we run the road with him
(07:31):
when he was with them, Um, in our early days of Romantics.
We're on the road with Ted,and we just chose with Ted, which
was a wild thing in itself togovern come out you have wild Ted.
Then we come out with our alittle uh you have leather and short hair
and the pungy kind of rock popband and hope were Ted. And we
(07:57):
made it on the stage and offwith no injuries. So no plan stone
at us. Well, you know, we always worked hard and I still
worked hard, kicking ass down stage. It's so fun. Um, yeah,
it's so good, So I seeTasha Owens is going to be on
there. Don Gillespie from the Torpedoes, Yeah, Robert's brother Don. When
(08:18):
there's a little guy, a littlekid when I played with Robert Cless when
you're seventeen and eighteen. Yeah,and then uh, let's see what else
do we got here. We've gotJohnson Claire will be out there, so
that's always exciting. Ye and uhuh words of piece of philosophy and revolution
maybe maybe a little bit of revolution, a little bit of everything. I
(08:41):
mean, yeah, this is starIt's like guitar Army with yourself, Derek
Saint Holmes, Jim McCarty, Uh, you know, it's it's crazy Graham,
Jeff grand will be there. JeffGrant's wonderful player, greateful guitar player.
Okay, so yeah, that's whatI mean. It's gonna be fun,
it's gonna be rocking, and it'sall he sold out. We were
supposed to do some kind of directordigital director online, but I didn't work
(09:09):
out. I didn't mention the orbitsof playing as well. That's right.
Vinnie's going to be out there aswell. And John Merritech, who put
this whole thing together, is goingto have his band on hand. But
I gotta give John a tip ofthe cap. You know, nobody has
really paid enough attention to Sugarman Rodriguezout of this town. And finally we're
all going to get a chance tocelebrate his birthday, his eighty first birthday
(09:33):
at the Caju Cafe. It is, like we mentioned, a sold out
event. But Mike, I justthink it's great that you're going to be
a part of this and that weall can, you know, be a
part of the celebration. I'm gonnahave to write everybody's name down on my
arm, I guess, but allof you guys have taken a bit of
a sabbatical from the Romantics band.I'm just hoping that somewhere along the line,
(09:58):
you guys can get this all patchedup and get back out there together
again. I read I read theFacebook post that Brad put up. It
was pretty extensive as to what's goingon with the guys. So people meet
me can go there, because thisisn't about the Romantics, this is about
Rodriguez. But yeah, we're allhoping that you know, you guys can
(10:20):
get this thing patched up and andget back out there so yeah, you
know, I agree with you totally. And the thing is, man,
I'm taking some ask here, doingsome songs on my own and a few
romantic songs, and we've got theenergy and attitude and it's been really fun.
Yeah, it looks like you're enjoyingyourself, that's for sure. So
(10:41):
I guess that's the key, right, So yeah, absolutely, and keep
moving forward and doing music. That'sthe key for me, Just doing music
with whoever it is. And Ilike going out with a prince in Detroit
that I never had a chance toplay with. I mean, I'm sharing
a stage with you know, JulianMcCarthy was the guy we listened to when
we're kids, and he's such anincredible player, and I get I get
(11:03):
to play around these people, youknow, and and it's just a great
thing. Yeah, it's been ait's been a nice break for you guys.
So I agree. I'm looking forwardto seeing you again. We we
had you out at the Token Loungelast year for the Motor City Rocks album
released, and then we saw youagain for the Galespie tribute and now coming
(11:24):
in for the Rodrigue's Birthday celebration Julythirteenth at the Caju Cafe. Mike,
I'm looking forward to seeing you andthe guys again and uh get ready to
rock, buddy, because it's goingto be a party. Family, My
family says hello and love you.We love you, and uh sue you
(11:45):
and uh and baby grand granddaughter.We're part of the family, man.
Yeah, I know we are.We are like family. People don't know
that, but we're pretty damn close, so close together. All right,
all right, Mike, I'm prettyyeah. Thank you for the time and
looking forward to seeing you out there. And I think it's going to be
(12:05):
a great celebration long overdue for thesugar man Rodriguez. So cool. And
I'll be seeing everybody in Detroit throughthe summer and get in there and do
some other things maybe down the roadyou'll we'll talk about there later, all
right, Mike, Thank you verymuch. Man, all right, bye
bye, Now keep doing what youdo.
Yeah, hither Detroit's wheels. Ohis this the doc? Yes, it
is. Hello there, Michael,Rock and Roll Medication. We got Mike
Skill on the line from the Romanics. He's out there with his solo band
this summer doing some stuff around townand all around the country. Really.
(00:20):
Yeah, just as Art Art festivalhere. Uh, you know, it's
truly truly a popular one over herein Portland, Oregon. And you know
I'm moving around. I'm moving aroundChicago, coming up in Detroit, coming
up. Yeah, we got youcoming in here on July the thirteenth for
just an incredible event that I amso proud to be a part of,
(00:43):
and that is the rod Regus birthdaycelebration. You're going to be eighty one.
Have you ever? Have you evermet Rodriguez throughout your career? There,
Mike, I have a weird storythat is um from one. I
lived on the east side of Detroit. I don't know if I totally do
and I wanted to ask him aboutit, but as kids, we were
on the east side. We're rightby the border of Gross Point in Detroit,
(01:07):
the last as far as you cango in Detroit on the east side,
and I lived on lakehood. Weplayed ball and football and all that
down there in the neighborhood, andwe see this guy even then during school,
I believe, I believe during school, we're in school outside playing playground,
we see this guy walking dressed inall dark clothes like black, with
sunglasses and hair in respect and carryingthe guitar and we what is that?
(01:32):
I mean, back then, youdon't see that back then when we were
little kids. I mean a guywalked around the street, but you know,
like that. And I think onetime we were playing in my neighborhood
by the house and he walked byand we went up and talked to him,
and uh, he said, he'srecording recording songs and he's a songwriter.
(01:52):
Later you know, he's got darkglasses and everything's whole book and lade
around him thinking about him. Butthat was Rod Regan's used to walk through
the neighborhood on the East Side.Yeah, I don't could have been anyone
else. Well, you know,you know who he may have been recording
at that time. And this wouldhave been right around nineteen seventy. He
was recording his first solo album andDennis Coffee was his producer and and that
(02:17):
might have been happening right there ingross Point as a matter of fact.
Yeah, so I don't know whatthe timeline is on that. But we
used to see him when I wasgoing to college at Wayne State University.
Every day we went to Alvin's Delicatetestin for lunch and he would be right
there, you know, playing hisguitar um. You know, really he
(02:40):
wasn't you know, he wasn't likelooking for money or anything. He was
just he would just enjoy his music. He'd play it. You'd see him
walking up and Downcass Avenue. Youknow, Sugarman has developed into this,
you know, mythological character now thatis just so powerful and big and from
of course where else Detroit, rightand as far as I know, nobody
(03:07):
here has ever really celebrated his lifeor his music. I understand he's going
to be at this event. Itis sold out, by the way,
at the Cadju Cafe, which hasreally become a hot spot now. Mike,
you were you were there just nottoo long ago. It was just
during the Christmas holidays when we hadthat tribute to Robert Gillespie and you were
(03:31):
out there performing. Yeah, youknow, when I was in high school.
I graduated with Dallas Hodge, aguitar player from Browntown. His brother
was Bob Hodge yep from campus yep. And I graduated and then he Yester,
we come over and played bass.I was playing bass guitar, and
I ended up doing a show atthough Mistigan Theater out in I for had
(03:51):
seven hour or something like that.We played a show with his band he
had called Selvidge. So that's rightdown the street. So that's how I
don't catch you cafe. It's rightdown the street from where his mom had
used to the Oh yeah, yeah, my Finny high school. Yeah right.
And then around the corner was thegroove Shop with all the posters in
concert tickets and all that kind ofpsyched our poster shop that was. That
(04:13):
was a great little area right there, and it's good to see it coming
back in at least this I thinkthe groove Shop is actually still there on
Mac Avenue. As a matter offact, I used to buy bootleg records
there, that's right. Um.So speaking of records, UM, are
you doing any recording these days withyour solo band? What's going on with
the Mike Skill band? And I'vegot a handful of more songs I'm getting
(04:38):
in the studio coming up doing backtracks. Um, that stuff will take oh
a few months, and then I'llthrow some on digital. And we're still
trying to get the funds up forthe first album and then this one too
as well. So yeah, that'scoming up right now. We're we're hastening
it out. Some more good songs. Do about four tracks would Chuck to
(05:00):
and was in the studio with himabout a month ago, and I laid
down foot backtracks some of the stuffas well. Anyway, I'm sorry to
cut you out there. So it'sgreat to see that you're compiling all these
songs for an upcoming release. Originally, when the first thing I put out
was before the pandemic. Depending pandemic, I had about a side a side
(05:23):
of an album about six songs thatI had already worked on and then moved
into the rest of them during thepandemic and finished them up with Chuck.
Um, this time I'm starting off. I have those four twos and about
another six or so, so Ishould know, I should I should be
uh have a good ten or fifteencoming up to pick choose from what I'm
(05:44):
going to put under Oh, Isee all right, So you're compiling,
you're compiling songs right now and gettingready. Yeah, you know, I've
got I've got books of lyrics andtakes and phone message machine about my phone
song. And it's just like myhouse. I come in to the dining
room, I got a pile overthere, alrits. In my bedroom,
(06:06):
I put in a bed. I'vegot a two s fash old factors of
lyrics. I go in to theTV room. I got you know,
it's just everywhere, And there's aguitar right here in the dining room.
There's one of them living on thekeyboard in the living room. Uh,
I got like a vault of myother stuff. I've got it all right
here. I just go a blockaway and I've got a room I can
(06:28):
record it. So when when youcome into town for the Rodriguez Show,
who is going to be with youon stage? Um, let's see Rickie's
coming up? Kay and Ran fromthe Trash beats on bass and rad Elvison
drums. Yes, yes, theacrobat, he certainly is. I love
(06:49):
the guy he's He reminds me alot. He reminds me a lot of
Keith Moon. Yeah, he's gotit. Yeah, he's got a little
bit of that craziness them. ButKeith Moon meets Jerry Los So have you
have you really taken a look atthe lineup on this Rodriguez show. I
(07:10):
mean I was gonna say it.You've got from Tactus, Jimmy McCarty and
Rockets. Yeah, and you've gotwell, you got You're gonna have Dennis
Coffee out there as a matter offact, the guy who've produced the and
then you've got Derek say Holmes gonnabe on the tar. Derek say Holmes
from early Ted when we run theroad, we run the road with him
(07:31):
when he was with them, Um, in our early days of Romantics.
We're on the road with Ted,and we just chose with Ted, which
was a wild thing in itself togovern come out you have wild Ted.
Then we come out with our alittle uh you have leather and short hair
and the pungy kind of rock popband and hope were Ted. And we
(07:57):
made it on the stage and offwith no injuries. So no plan stone
at us. Well, you know, we always worked hard and I still
worked hard, kicking ass down stage. It's so fun. Um, yeah,
it's so good, So I seeTasha Owens is going to be on
there. Don Gillespie from the Torpedoes, Yeah, Robert's brother Don. When
(08:18):
there's a little guy, a littlekid when I played with Robert Cless when
you're seventeen and eighteen. Yeah,and then uh, let's see what else
do we got here. We've gotJohnson Claire will be out there, so
that's always exciting. Ye and uhuh words of piece of philosophy and revolution
maybe maybe a little bit of revolution, a little bit of everything. I
(08:41):
mean, yeah, this is starIt's like guitar Army with yourself, Derek
Saint Holmes, Jim McCarty, Uh, you know, it's it's crazy Graham,
Jeff grand will be there. JeffGrant's wonderful player, greateful guitar player.
Okay, so yeah, that's whatI mean. It's gonna be fun,
it's gonna be rocking, and it'sall he sold out. We were
supposed to do some kind of directordigital director online, but I didn't work
(09:09):
out. I didn't mention the orbitsof playing as well. That's right.
Vinnie's going to be out there aswell. And John Merritech, who put
this whole thing together, is goingto have his band on hand. But
I gotta give John a tip ofthe cap. You know, nobody has
really paid enough attention to Sugarman Rodriguezout of this town. And finally we're
all going to get a chance tocelebrate his birthday, his eighty first birthday
(09:33):
at the Caju Cafe. It is, like we mentioned, a sold out
event. But Mike, I justthink it's great that you're going to be
a part of this and that weall can, you know, be a
part of the celebration. I'm gonnahave to write everybody's name down on my
arm, I guess, but allof you guys have taken a bit of
a sabbatical from the Romantics band.I'm just hoping that somewhere along the line,
(09:58):
you guys can get this all patchedup and get back out there together
again. I read I read theFacebook post that Brad put up. It
was pretty extensive as to what's goingon with the guys. So people meet
me can go there, because thisisn't about the Romantics, this is about
Rodriguez. But yeah, we're allhoping that you know, you guys can
(10:20):
get this thing patched up and andget back out there so yeah, you
know, I agree with you totally. And the thing is, man,
I'm taking some ask here, doingsome songs on my own and a few
romantic songs, and we've got theenergy and attitude and it's been really fun.
Yeah, it looks like you're enjoyingyourself, that's for sure. So
(10:41):
I guess that's the key, right, So yeah, absolutely, and keep
moving forward and doing music. That'sthe key for me, Just doing music
with whoever it is. And Ilike going out with a prince in Detroit
that I never had a chance toplay with. I mean, I'm sharing
a stage with you know, JulianMcCarthy was the guy we listened to when
we're kids, and he's such anincredible player, and I get I get
(11:03):
to play around these people, youknow, and and it's just a great
thing. Yeah, it's been ait's been a nice break for you guys.
So I agree. I'm looking forwardto seeing you again. We we
had you out at the Token Loungelast year for the Motor City Rocks album
released, and then we saw youagain for the Galespie tribute and now coming
(11:24):
in for the Rodrigue's Birthday celebration Julythirteenth at the Caju Cafe. Mike,
I'm looking forward to seeing you andthe guys again and uh get ready to
rock, buddy, because it's goingto be a party. Family, My
family says hello and love you.We love you, and uh sue you
(11:45):
and uh and baby grand granddaughter.We're part of the family, man.
Yeah, I know we are.We are like family. People don't know
that, but we're pretty damn close, so close together. All right,
all right, Mike, I'm prettyyeah. Thank you for the time and
looking forward to seeing you out there. And I think it's going to be
(12:05):
a great celebration long overdue for thesugar man Rodriguez. So cool. And
I'll be seeing everybody in Detroit throughthe summer and get in there and do
some other things maybe down the roadyou'll we'll talk about there later, all
right, Mike, Thank you verymuch. Man, all right, bye
bye, Now keep doing what youdo.
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