Column for March 10, 2005

Jennifer Grandhom wants cool cities. John Lennon said never trust anyone over 30 and now I am saying if your closer to 50 then you are to 20 you don't want or may not even know what a "cool city" is.

Once again this column needs to be placed right on Governor Gramholm's desk. Last weeks column mentioned she would be agreeable to adding more liquor license to make our cities cooler, which generated a lot of e-mail. Almost everyone in that closer to 50 age group, embraces the idea of cool city as in a nice downtown area, gazebos, old fashion street lights, fountains, theaters maybe even a Internet coffee house.

But that closer to 20 age group sees a different idea of cool. They see strip clubs, dance clubs that hold six or 700 people. They see Mardi Gras with boobs and beads, 52 week a year. People in Farmington are cool, but open a 700 seat hip-hop-rap-dance club or even a 24 hour Internet cafe with several hundred gothic people hanging around all night and see what happens. My guess is, it won't be cool.

So use your words carefully, say you want a "nice" city. Say you wouldn't mind a few little clubs or pubs with 15 or 20 well behaved people. Say you can add a bar if they If they don't put up any neon signs. If they don't have any wild fun, traffic jams, or crazy people. Or would that be cool people?

More cool music stuff:

I heard from Joe Podorsek who leads the Dr. Dixie Dixieland Band. Joe is what is known as a musicians musician. He recorded performed back in the day with all the Motown greats and reads the column via the world wide web. He read last weeks column that mentioned Barb was wondering about area guitarist Jose Riojas. Mr. Podorsek reports that Jose is indeed alive and well still pursuing music projects in the area.

I heard from Jeff Williams of Jeff and the Atlantic's Band. Jeff thinks it is crazy that I don't mention where Benny and the Jets are performing in every column. I tried to explain the column is not about me but about people and events in our area.

I do like to mention bands in each column. His band Jeff and the Atlantic's performs only on special occasions. Often with former 1960s recording partner Geno Washington.

The Bluescasters have been performing at Sweet Loraine's located inside the Livonia Marriott Hotel on the West end of Laurel Park Mall in Livonia.

The Killer Flamingos at the Library Pub on Grand River in Novi and Benny and the Jets still every Tuesday at the Wayne Road Pub on Wayne Road north of Michigan Avenue. Wednesdays and Thursdays at the New NASCAR bar called The Last Lap Cafe on Warren Avenue west of Inkster Road and every Sunday at the Lake Point Yacht Club on Ann Arbor Road west of Newburg. You can always call the hot line number or see the web site at the bottom of the column.

To reach Ben E. Jet call (313) 730-1627 via e mail benejets@aol.com and see the web sites www.bennyandthejets.com and www.reverendguitars.com.