The Up (often styled as The UP) was an American rock band formed in

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

Michigan Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...

in early 1967. Along with fellow proto-punk bands the MC5 and

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, The Up served as a "house band" for the

Grande Ballroom The Grande Ballroom ( ') is a historic live music venue located at 8952 Grand River Avenue in the Petosky-Otsego neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan. The building was designed by Detroit engineer and architect Charles N. Agree in 1928 and origina ...

in Detroit.

Career

The original band line-up consisted of vocalist Frank Bach, guitarist Bob Rasmussen, bassist Gary Rasmussen, and drummer Vic Peraino, until he was soon replaced by drummer Scott Bailey in 1968. The band was closely related to the MC5, as both bands' members lived in

White Panther Party The White Panthers were an anti-racist political collective founded in November 1968 by Pun Plamondon, Leni Sinclair, and John Sinclair. It was started in response to an interview where Huey P. Newton, co-founder of the Black Panther Party, w ...

founder John Sinclair's commune. In May 1968, Sinclair moved the commune to Ann Arbor, Michigan and both bands followed. The Up served as the opening act for the MC5 during a September 1968 show at the

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's Union Ballroom in Ann Arbor. This show was attended by Elektra Records president

Jac Holzman Jac Holzman (born September 15, 1931) is an American music businessman, best known as the founder, chief executive officer and head of record label Elektra Records and Nonesuch Records. Holzman commercially helped launch the CD and home video form ...

; Holzman was impressed with both the MC5 and The Stooges (who were the concert's second act) and offered both bands contracts. The Up biography at ''Allmusic'' site/ref> The Up did not get signed to Elektra and unlike the MC5 and The Stooges, the band never received a major record label contract. The Up continued to play gigs at the Grande Ballroom and other local venues. In 1969, the MC5 ended their association with John Sinclair and the White Panther Party;Makemyday - MC-5 Timeline (1969)
/ref> The Up took the place of the MC5 as the main musical outlet of the party's propaganda. The Up disbanded in 1973 and faded further into obscurity. In 1975, the band's bassist Gary Rasmussen joined

Sonic's Rendezvous Band Sonic's Rendezvous Band (or SRB) was an American rock and roll band from Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, forming in 1974, featuring veterans of the 1960s Detroit rock scene. Background Sonic's Rendezvous Band came from the ashes of four Mic ...

, a Detroit rock scene supergroup featuring former members of the MC5, The Stooges, The Up and

The Rationals The Rationals were an American rock band from Ann Arbor, Michigan. History The Rationals formed in 1964 and first recorded a single for a local label, A2 Records, in 1965. After scoring a local hit with the tune "Gave My Love",Richie Unterber ...

. In 1995, a retrospective album titled ''Killer Up!'' was released containing all of The Up's song recordings. The album contains all of the band's singles, songs from a recording session at Head Sound Studios in

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and several live tracks recorded at the Agora Ballroom in Columbus,

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in 1972. ''Killer Up'' on ''Allmusic'' site/ref> John Sinclair states in the album's liner notes that, "It's common to name the MC5 and the Stooges among the forefathers of what they call punk rock, but it was their associates in a third band, the Up, who could more accurately be identified as the real precursors of punk."

Discography

Singles * "Just Like an Aborigine" / "Hassan I Sabbah" (1970) (Sundance 22190) * "Free John Now!" / "Prayer for John Sinclair" (1971) (Rainbow 22191) Compilations * '' Killer Up!'' (1995) (Total Energy NER 3002) * "Just Like An Aborigine" ** '' Let 'Em Have It! Vol. 1'' ** '' Michigan Mixture, Vol. 1'' * "Hassan I Sabbah" ** ''Michigan Mixture, Vol. 1''

References

External links

* Alternative Music Talk
The UP Gets High (''Killer Up!'' review)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Up Protopunk groups Garage rock groups from Michigan Musical groups established in 1967 Musical groups disestablished in 1973 Musical groups from Detroit