Blitz #33 (Detroit)

Overall, Detroit's Blitz! music zine offered up pretty interesting music coverage through the years of its publication, mixing classic and typically overlooked artists with new faces in a way that only Greg Shaw's Bomp! zine and Ira Robbins' Trouser Press were doing at the time. Every now and then, however, publisher/editor Mike McDowell would wimp out with a piece on a questionable artist like Bobby Vee, or this issues piece on schlock-rocker Robert John. McDowell partially redeems himself with a fine interview with soul giant Solomon Burke (who was off everybody's radar in 1979) and a piece on pre-fame John Cougar (Mellencamp).

A piece on Little Buddy & the Kids performing in NYC includes photos by well-known zinester Mykel Board, and vinyl reviews feature 45s from the Action, the Cars, the Headboys, the Inmates, the Lyres and local Detroit rockers the Vampires and Nikki and the Corvettes. An extensive LP review section this issue includes Blondie, Chuck Berry, the Crawdaddys, Cheap Trick, David Johansen, the Records, Carolyne Mas, the Rubinoos, the Shoes, the Residents, Tom Verlaine and, for some reason, the Captain and Tenille. Ouch!

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VITAL STATISTICS:
• Issue #33
• November-December 1979
• B&W, 28-pages (including covers)
• Style: music zine

ARTICLES
Gary Lewis (of the Playboys)
John Cougar
Solomon Burke
Robert John
The Neighborhoods
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