SXSW 2007 Spotlight: SSM

Look, just because I can go down the block to catch this Detroit band when I'm at home doesn't mean I'm going to dis them when they're in Austin, OK?

SSM (a pleasantly abbreviated name from Szymanski, Shettler and Morris) are a Detroit garage powerhouse forged from other Detroit garage rock powerhouses (the Hentchmen, the Sights and the Cyril Lords). As such, they do Detroit garage proud. Their music is sweaty and dirty, and comes served with a side of Farfisa organ. These guys can lay out a buffet of this rock that sounds like a revved-up Paul Revere and the Raiders, and strip it down to straight-up dirty rock rock and roll in a matter of moments, just like a foreign sportscar being taken down to the frame in their home town.

The crowd at their set for SXSW was heavily populated with Detroiters, familiar faces showing up to support the band. They noticed and called it out, outing us as members of a town that sticks together. And Szymanski outed himself as a Detroiter, repeatedly fixing his keyboard with a screwdriver mid-set. These two events embodied the true essence of Detroit - the fact that we stick together, no matter where we go, and the knowledge that, like Detroit, just because something's broken you don't toss it out. You do your best to fix it, even if it's a constant struggle.

As with all the bands, you can go to their myspace page to check out some tracks (gotta love the myspace!).

Photo (c) Nicole Lucas