The Dirtbombs

May 19, 2008 5:16 PM

"It's been nearly three decades since Dirtbombs leader Mick Collins first picked up a guitar with the sole intention of "murdering the Eagles." Since then, the tall, bespectacled, deep-voiced rock 'n' roller from Detroit has been scorned, worshipped, categorized and just plain misunderstood — sometimes simultaneously — by a music world often more interested in labeling than listening." [NOTE: see hoverovers for link descriptions]

Dirtbombs official site.

Dirtbombs Wikipedia.

posted by flapjax at midnite (22 comments total)

The Dirtbombs are awesome, thanks for the post Flapjax!
posted by Midnight Rambler at 5:21 PM on May 19, 2008

The only "problem" with Dirtbombs is that they really are a singles band—the albums are good, but the singles are pretty fucking phenomenal. The comp they put out, what, two years ago? is really excellent and also grabs an assload of their covers.
posted by klangklangston at 5:22 PM on May 19, 2008

Greatest rock band in the world right now, bar none.
posted by Dr. Wu at 5:25 PM on May 19, 2008

I was planning on hating them when I saw them at Twangfest the other year. I was so, so wrong. The double CD didn't leave my 5-disk changer until some three months later.
posted by notsnot at 5:32 PM on May 19, 2008

Man, mefi hips me to the coolest shit. I gotta go find some of this, now.
posted by shmegegge at 6:13 PM on May 19, 2008

I was in love with Ultraglide In Black when it came out, and I've wanted to love their subsequent albums; they're still good, but none of them do it for me the way Ultraglide did. Still a great band though, nice to see them on the blue :)
posted by p3t3 at 6:21 PM on May 19, 2008

Yeah! Love seeing bands that I love here.

On tour now, folks, don't miss 'em. They're heading to Europe in June, they'll be back in the US in July. Jersey MeFites take notice.
posted by desuetude at 6:24 PM on May 19, 2008

Oh Lord if only a band as good as this would tour out here. What I love about the Dirtbombs is the sound like it's all going to collapse at any minute but somehow doesn't and ends up sounding so together.
posted by awfurby at 6:31 PM on May 19, 2008

As far as Motor-City garage bands still actively playing (excluding the Stooges and obviously MC5 but including the White Stripes), I prefer the Detroit Cobras (myspace), who specialize in playing mostly forgotten early rock and soul gems.

They've been together since 1994 (see wiki here), and are currently touring as the opening band for X (and if you don't know who X is, google it). More on the Cobras here. I highly recommend their last CD, "Tied & True."

Here are some vintage Detroit Cobras performances, etc:

Ya Ya Ya (Looking for My Baby)

Cha Cha Twist

As Long As I Have You

Shout Bama Lama

NPR interview (2005)

(nothing aginst the Dirtbombs, but I think the Ramones murdered the Eagles a long time ago.)
posted by ornate insect at 6:37 PM on May 19, 2008

That link where Mick talks about the band is a good one - interesting how he says after ten years he's tired of the band and wants to do something else but it's only now that they're getting good crowds at decent venues and "fat paychecks".
posted by awfurby at 6:40 PM on May 19, 2008

no love for the gories? though hard as hell to find blacktop was exceptional.
posted by andywolf at 6:43 PM on May 19, 2008

mick is also a unix sysadmin and author of furry sci-fi novels. or so i'm told. the latter certainly comes through in some of the lyrical content.

i was at the bowling lanes show linked above. it was good.
posted by tremspeed at 7:07 PM on May 19, 2008

The Dirtbombs rule. That is all I have to day about them.
posted by jonmc at 7:26 PM on May 19, 2008

Yes, The Gories! Saw them live at the Dally in the Alley, 1992. That's real rock and roll man.
posted by BinGregory at 7:30 PM on May 19, 2008

Gories footage here
posted by ornate insect at 7:58 PM on May 19, 2008

"I'm Through With White Girls" came up on my iPod the other day and I wondered why I didn't listen to the Dirtbombs more often. Thanks for this post.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 8:51 PM on May 19, 2008

blacktop, if you like either the dirtbombs or the gories i highly recommend. apparently they have a complete recordings cd on "in the red records". incidentally the song tornado love is something i haven't listened to in almost ten years and it's totally standing the test of time as i write this.
posted by andywolf at 10:08 PM on May 19, 2008

Old Dally in the Alley posters, just for fun. The Gories played there a bunch of times.
posted by BinGregory at 10:08 PM on May 19, 2008

Seconding ornate insect and the Detroit Cobras.
posted by sophist at 3:32 AM on May 20, 2008

The Dirtbombs are the shit. I love the Dirtbombs. Hey look! I took pictures of the Dirtbombs recently: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zzazazz/sets/72157604348445947/
posted by zzazazz at 12:46 PM on May 20, 2008

Oops, how about a link. Recent Dirtbombs photos here.
posted by zzazazz at 12:51 PM on May 20, 2008

I love Detroit Cobras too, though I don't think that Tied & True is by any means their strongest album or the album on which Rachel's in her best voice but hey, we're going on and on with fan love for the Dirtbombs, here. (It sure did rock when the two bands toured together a few years back.)
posted by desuetude at 1:09 PM on May 20, 2008