Cub Koda
Encyclopedia
Michael "Cub" Koda was an American
rock and roll
singer, guitarist, songwriter
, disc jockey
, music critic, and record compiler. Rolling Stone
magazine felt that Koda was best known for writing the song "Smokin' in the Boys' Room", which reached #3 on the 1974 Billboard charts
as performed by Brownsville Station, and was later covered by Mötley Crüe
. He co-wrote and edited the All Music Guide to the Blues, and Blues for Dummies, and put together the CD of blues classics accompanying the latter title, personally selecting versions of each song that appeared on it. He also contributed liner notes for the Trashmen, Jimmy Reed
, J. B. Hutto, The Kingsmen
, and the Miller Sisters
, among others.
, and a graduate of Manchester High School, Manchester, Michigan
. He became interested in music as a young boy, learning drums by the age of 5, and by the time he was in high school he had formed his own group, the Del-Tinos. Using the style of rockabilly, rock & roll, and blues music, the band released their first single, "Go Go Go" (a version of a Roy Orbison
recording), in the fall of 1963. They released two more singles, but eventually broke up in 1966, when Koda wanted to pursue other options.
, Brownsville Station also included drummer T. J. Cronley, bassist Tony Driggins, guitarist Mike Lutz, and later Bruce Nazarian and Henry Weck. The group was influenced by Chuck Berry
, Bo Diddley
, The Who
, Jerry Lee Lewis
, and Link Wray
.
The band began performing throughout the American Midwest, and released several singles before getting noticed. They released their first album in 1970, but it was the 1973 single, "Smokin' In The Boys Room", that remains their best-known song. The song went to #3 on the music charts and eventually sold over two million copies. Although the song was the band's only hit, they continued to perform together until they disbanded in 1979.
Other recordings by Brownsville Station include,"The Martian Boogie", "I Get So Excited", "Hey Little Girl", "Mama Don't Allow No Parkin'", "I Got It Bad For You", "Kings Of The Party", "I'm The Leader Of The Gang", "Let Your Yeah Be Yeah", "Wanted (Dead Or Alive)", and "Barefootin." "Smokin' In The Boys Room" was later covered by Mötley Crüe
.
From late 1979 until late 1980, Koda began playing with three members of a Detroit-based band called Mugsy, calling themselves Cub Koda and the Points. Their eponymous debut album was released in early 1980 on Boston-based Baron Records on hot pink vinyl; also released was an EP entitled "Shake Yo Cakes." Due to financial difficulties, the band broke up in late 1980 prior to releasing a second album.
By 1980, Koda was performing with Hound Dog Taylor
's backing band (The Houserockers). Together with guitarist Brewer Phillips, and drummer Ted Harvey, they performed and recorded together for 15 years. The group's first album was It's the Blues (1981), and their second, The Joint Was Rockin' , released in 1996. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Koda continued his busy schedule between touring, recording, and writing. In 1993, the twin release of Smokin' in the Boy's Room: The Best of Brownsville Station, was released on the Rhino Record Label, and Welcome to My Job, a retrospective of his non-Brownsville material was released on the Blue Wave Record Label. This followed a year later with the release of the album, Abba Dabba Dabba: A Bananza of Hits on Schoolkids Records.
In 1997, he released the solo work, Box Lunch collection, on the J-Birds label, and the 1998 Norton Record Label reissue of recordings he made with the Del-Tinos. He also re-formed Cub Koda and the Points, and released 2000's Noise Monkeys (one of his last works).
On June 30, 2000, while promoting his new album, he became ill. Although he was recovering from kidney disease, which required dialysis
, Koda died the next day, aged 51. In 2010, an original Koda song was featured on Daddy Rockin' Strong: A Tribute to Nolan Strong & the Diablos. The tribute album was released by The Wind Records and distributed by Norton Records
in August 2010. Koda's contribution to the album is "You're the Only Girl (Delores)," a song previously included on Koda's 1994 album, Abba Dabba Dabba - which only saw limited release.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
singer, guitarist, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
, music critic, and record compiler. Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine felt that Koda was best known for writing the song "Smokin' in the Boys' Room", which reached #3 on the 1974 Billboard charts
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
as performed by Brownsville Station, and was later covered by Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
. He co-wrote and edited the All Music Guide to the Blues, and Blues for Dummies, and put together the CD of blues classics accompanying the latter title, personally selecting versions of each song that appeared on it. He also contributed liner notes for the Trashmen, Jimmy Reed
Jimmy Reed
Mathis James "Jimmy" Reed was an American blues musician and songwriter, notable for bringing his distinctive style of blues to mainstream audiences. Reed was a major player in the field of electric blues, as opposed to the more acoustic-based sound of many of his contemporaries...
, J. B. Hutto, The Kingsmen
The Kingsmen
The Kingsmen is a 1960s garage rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States. They are best known for their 1963 recording of Richard Berry's "Louie Louie", which held the #2 spot on the Billboard charts for six weeks...
, and the Miller Sisters
The Miller Sisters (singers)
The Miller Sisters were an American singing duo of the 1950s.-Background:Elsie Jo Miller and Mildred Miller were actually sisters-in-law; Elsie married Mildred's brother, guitarist Roy Miller, and the three of them worked as the Miller Trio and were on WTUP Radio in Tupelo, Mississippi for about a...
, among others.
Early life and career
Koda was a native of Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, and a graduate of Manchester High School, Manchester, Michigan
Manchester, Michigan
Manchester is a village in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,160 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Manchester Township.-Chicago Road:...
. He became interested in music as a young boy, learning drums by the age of 5, and by the time he was in high school he had formed his own group, the Del-Tinos. Using the style of rockabilly, rock & roll, and blues music, the band released their first single, "Go Go Go" (a version of a Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country & western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis...
recording), in the fall of 1963. They released two more singles, but eventually broke up in 1966, when Koda wanted to pursue other options.
Brownsville Station
Koda then worked as a solo artist releasing two singles, "I Got My Mojo Workin'" and "Ramblin' On My Mind", and working with a couple of bands, before forming Brownsville Station in 1969. Formed in Ann Arbor, MichiganAnn Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
, Brownsville Station also included drummer T. J. Cronley, bassist Tony Driggins, guitarist Mike Lutz, and later Bruce Nazarian and Henry Weck. The group was influenced by Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
, Bo Diddley
Bo Diddley
Ellas Otha Bates , known by his stage name Bo Diddley, was an American rhythm and blues vocalist, guitarist, songwriter , and inventor...
, The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
, Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis is an American rock and roll and country music singer-songwriter and pianist. An early pioneer of rock and roll music, Lewis's career faltered after he married his young cousin, and he afterwards made a career extension to country and western music. He is known by the nickname 'The...
, and Link Wray
Link Wray
Fred Lincoln "Link" Wray Jr was an American rock and roll guitarist, songwriter and occasional singer....
.
The band began performing throughout the American Midwest, and released several singles before getting noticed. They released their first album in 1970, but it was the 1973 single, "Smokin' In The Boys Room", that remains their best-known song. The song went to #3 on the music charts and eventually sold over two million copies. Although the song was the band's only hit, they continued to perform together until they disbanded in 1979.
Other recordings by Brownsville Station include,"The Martian Boogie", "I Get So Excited", "Hey Little Girl", "Mama Don't Allow No Parkin'", "I Got It Bad For You", "Kings Of The Party", "I'm The Leader Of The Gang", "Let Your Yeah Be Yeah", "Wanted (Dead Or Alive)", and "Barefootin." "Smokin' In The Boys Room" was later covered by Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
.
After Brownsville Station
Before the breakup of the band Koda purchased a multi-track recorder and started producing one-man band tapes of rockabilly, blues, R&B, country, early rock and roll, and jazz music, which he released as the album That's What I Like About The South. He also became more focused on performing solo, and also began writing for numerous music magazines, most notably his column, "The Vinyl Junkie", for the Goldmine Magazine (later DISCoveries). He also wrote three volumes for the acclaimed Blues Masters series. Koda was also a contributor to the Allmusic review website and books.From late 1979 until late 1980, Koda began playing with three members of a Detroit-based band called Mugsy, calling themselves Cub Koda and the Points. Their eponymous debut album was released in early 1980 on Boston-based Baron Records on hot pink vinyl; also released was an EP entitled "Shake Yo Cakes." Due to financial difficulties, the band broke up in late 1980 prior to releasing a second album.
By 1980, Koda was performing with Hound Dog Taylor
Hound Dog Taylor
Theodore Roosevelt "Hound Dog" Taylor was an American Chicago blues guitarist and singer.-Career:Taylor was born in Natchez, Mississippi in 1915 . He originally played piano, but began playing guitar when he was 20...
's backing band (The Houserockers). Together with guitarist Brewer Phillips, and drummer Ted Harvey, they performed and recorded together for 15 years. The group's first album was It's the Blues (1981), and their second, The Joint Was Rockin' , released in 1996. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Koda continued his busy schedule between touring, recording, and writing. In 1993, the twin release of Smokin' in the Boy's Room: The Best of Brownsville Station, was released on the Rhino Record Label, and Welcome to My Job, a retrospective of his non-Brownsville material was released on the Blue Wave Record Label. This followed a year later with the release of the album, Abba Dabba Dabba: A Bananza of Hits on Schoolkids Records.
In 1997, he released the solo work, Box Lunch collection, on the J-Birds label, and the 1998 Norton Record Label reissue of recordings he made with the Del-Tinos. He also re-formed Cub Koda and the Points, and released 2000's Noise Monkeys (one of his last works).
On June 30, 2000, while promoting his new album, he became ill. Although he was recovering from kidney disease, which required dialysis
Dialysis
In medicine, dialysis is a process for removing waste and excess water from the blood, and is primarily used to provide an artificial replacement for lost kidney function in people with renal failure...
, Koda died the next day, aged 51. In 2010, an original Koda song was featured on Daddy Rockin' Strong: A Tribute to Nolan Strong & the Diablos. The tribute album was released by The Wind Records and distributed by Norton Records
Norton Records
For the Canadian independent record label of the same name, see Matt Minglewood.Norton Records, a New York City based independent record label founded by musicians Miriam Linna and Billy Miller, maintains a focus on primitive, retro rock'n'roll, rockabilly, garage punk, garage rock, lounge music...
in August 2010. Koda's contribution to the album is "You're the Only Girl (Delores)," a song previously included on Koda's 1994 album, Abba Dabba Dabba - which only saw limited release.