What makes a classic?
By Joey Guido

Whether we’re talking about music, cars, or a city, a classic seems to be something that transcends time — that has a life of its own. It’s also something that influences future generations and becomes the roots of evolution.

Alto Reed knows classic rock. Not only did he play a role in its creation, he’s still playing music (along with Steve Dickinson and the rest of the Reed & Dickinson band) that’s dedicated to the Rock & Roll tradition — chock full of legendary sax solos, rockabilly guitar licks, driving beats and lyrics that speak to the True American Spirit.

Alto and Steve were kind enough to answer some questions about a trilogy of classics: the music they play, the cars they love and the city of Detroit. I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did …  -Eva Abreu

Click here to listen to Part 1 of Audio Interview with Alto Reed by Eva:

Here’s the Q&A Interview with Steve Dickinson and Alto Reed - Part 1
Q1. When I say “Detroit”, what comes to mind?

Steve Dickinson:
Detroit to me means Motown, working class people and especially the Rock & Roll I grew up listening to out of Detroit. I am a Canadian and would listen to CKLW non stop growing up.

Classic cars are another of my favourite things. Of course the Tbird has always stood out since American Graffiti for me. Also, the Mustang has been a huge part of the rock & roll culture and continues to be a very cool ride. Of course, we can’t forget the great rock & roll race in Hot Rod Lincoln when thinking rock & roll and cars.  - Steve Dickinson

Alto Reed:
Eva, thank you for the opportunity to tell the world what comes to mind when I think “Detroit”.

When I think “Detroit”, I picture a city of hard workers….Midwest work ethics, a City where people get up early and go to bed early…….for 5 days a week……then comes the weekend and “Detroiters” come alive and love to be entertained and dance & sing.

Rock & Roll has a long legacy in Detroit and “Detroiters” have seen the best of the best over the years as Detroit was typically “The City” where, if you wanted to make it big, you had to make it big in Detroit, more commonly know as the “Motor City”. From Hendrix, The Who, Led Zepplin, The Stones and on and on…..Detroit was the “Graduation Ceremony”, the “Doctors Degree” & the “Ultimate Diploma” for so many Rock & Roll Bands for the past 55 Years.

Historically, “Detroiters” have also had the boasting rights to a long list of it’s own homegrown Rock & Roll Bands & Artists who all went on to become “Rock & Roll Stars”….”Huge”….”World Wide”……from Bill Haley & the Comets, Hank Ballard & the Midnighters, Del Shannon, Glenn Frey of the Eagles, Mitch Ryder, Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent, Kid Rock & especially a band near and dear to my heart….”Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band”.

Detroit is all about Energy, and, Henry Ford’s vision for building an automobile for the “Common Man” and one that most everyone could afford, Energized not only the City of Detroit, but the entire World as well. And, when the World came to the “Motor City”, it found a city alive with it’s own unique musical rhythms. And when the rhythms merged with Henry Ford’s 55′ Thunderbird & the Car Radio, there was no “Looking Back”. Rock & Roll and the automobile had became forever inseparable.

With all of the changes, challenges, hardships and triumphs that Detroit has faced over the past 90 Years, Henry Ford’s automobile company, has steadfastly led the way through it all. He was the first with a new assembly process that put thousands and thousands to work and he paved the way for other Genius and Independent Suppliers in the Automotive Industry who, in turn, hired thousands and thousands of workers.

His own personal genius, drive & hard work has survived intact and his Ford Motor Company is in fact the ONLY Detroit car company to survive without putting it’s hand out to the Government.

Recently, the World woke up one morning and discovered it had become irretrievably intertwined and dependent upon the “Health” of Detroit’s automobile industry and it’s impact on the Global Economy and realized…. “As Goes Detroit….So Goes The World”…….

I’m here to tell the story through my music…..”Rock & Roll”……..”BABY!!!”

Thank you Henry….. “Rock & Roll Never Forgets”………  -Alto Reed

We’ll continue to post additional segments of our interview series with Alto Reed, Reed & Dickinson Band and other great up and coming Detroit bands.

It’s all coming soon… Thanks for checking in!

Eva, RocknRollCars.com

We’re currently working on a series of interviews with Reed & Dickinson Band, stay tuned for Part 1 coming up…

Got a question for Alto Reed and Steve Dickinson of Reed & Dickinson? Post a comment below or email: car {at} rocknrollcars {dot} com

In the meantime, here’s another band with roots in MI, with a song voted “Legendary Michigan Song” in 2009, Some Kind of Wonderful, Grand Funk Railroad:

Taking requests, what’s your favorite Detroit / MI band or song? Comment below.

Thanks!
Eva

Do you know of a winter car show going on in your area? Leave a comment below or email: car {at} rocknrollcars {dot} com and we’ll post the event on our site.

Here’s an excerpt about the Winter Rod and Speed Benefit Car Show on Sat. Jan. 23rd in Albany, Oregon as seen on Motortopia website http://www.motortopia.com/event/2989 :

Winter Rod and Speed Show

“The 2010 Winter Rod and Speed Benefit Car Show is Saturday, January 23 at the Linn County Expo Center in Albany, Oregon. This family-oriented, carnival-like benefit vehicle show is for Cherokee Pizano.

Cherokee is a 14 year old girl from Salem, Oregon who has Osteo Sarcoma, a form of bone cancer. She is currently undergoing radiation treatments at Dornbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland. Cherokee and her mother are homeless.

The show could be the biggest in its three year history. The Winter Rod and Speed Show will feature the original cars from the movie American Graffiti, the $100,000 “Judge” GTO, the classic Veney’s Vega funny car, and the debut of the new Ashwell Racing Mustang funny car. In addition, there will muscle cars, street rods, custom trucks, motorcycles, drag boats, and classics.”

Photo credit: Martin Pettitt

Thank you to the U.S., U.K., and Australia international AskMen.com websites for their mention of RocknRollCars and listing Rod Pitman’s stolen Austin Princess Limo as Number 3 on their “Top 10: Beatles’ Cars” List:

http://www.askmen.com/top_10/cars/top-10-beatles-rides_1p.html

http://uk.askmen.com/top_10/cars/top-10-beatles-rides_3.html

http://au.askmen.com/top_10/cars/top-10-beatles-rides_3.html

According to Rod Pitman, of Portland OR:

“A person of interest in the theft of my Beatles Car is thought to be living in the U.K. or in Australia. He helped run Paradise Valley Motors [they were better thieves then businessmen ... went bankrupt right after the car was stolen] in Phoenix, AZ 23 years ago. Anyone that might have any information on the vehicle or wants more info on the The Austin Princess can contact @rocknrollcars or @7thscreen on Twitter. There is justice in the world.”

“Thanks for your help.”

-Rod Pitman, Executive Producer
-Hempsters - Plant The Seed www.hempstersthemovie.com
-Portland, Oregon

The latest rumor is that the car is in the Pittsburgh Penn area in a rare car collection.

Pitman is also looking for an attorney with criminal and litigation experience, who would be willing to take the car on [at least initially] as a pro bono client. Contact Pitman directly via Twitter @7thscreen or email us: car@rocknrollcars.com if you can help, or if you think you have a lead in the case of the missing Beatles car.

Thanks for any help that you can provide.

Regards,
Eva Abreu, Editor
RocknRollCars.com