When Michigan rocked…

Brothers Michael and Dan Erlewine were leading lights of Blues band The Prime Movers, forming the group in 1965.

The Prime Movers were: Iggy Pop (drums), Dan Erlewine (lead guitar), Robert Sheff (aka Blue Gene Tyranny on keyboards – he played for The Stooges), Jack Dawson (bass), and Michael (lead vocalist and amplified harmonica). Iggy did sing, mainly the Muddy Water’s tune, I’m a Man. Michael Erlewine met James Jewel Osterberg in their native Michigan. Michael recalls a “shy, active, and ambitious young man”, then playing with the Iguanas. The Prime Movers duly dubbed him Iguana, which soon became shortened to Iggy. (The Pop part was inspired by a local glue-sniffer.)

In October 1966 Iggy Osterberg left the band, replaced by J.C. (‘Jessie’) Crawford on drums

The Prime Movers Blues Band #4 at Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, spring of ’66 – from left: Craig Johnson, Bob Sheff (hidden), Michael Erlewine, Dan Erlewine, Iggy Osterberg, and Jack Dawson.

Read more, including the story of the MC5 and the White Panthers on Flashbak.