Melvin Davis began his recording career at the
tiny Jackpot label on the east side of the city
in late 1961, with a self penned song called
“About love”, on which he also played keyboards.
“ I always believed in myself and knew I could
write songs. It was way different to performing
‘live’ but I needed to gain experience in the
studio.”
Undeterred by the record’s lack of success, he
tried again the following year at the famed
Fortune label with a Devora Brown song called
“Playboy (don’t you play in school)” backed with
another of his own compositions “I won’t be your
fool”, but again failed to make any significant
impact on the local chart.
The recording experience he received at this
time was crucial to his musical development
because, along with playing ‘live’, it allowed
him to nurture his real passions - song writing
and singing.
1963 heralded a particularly significant chapter
in Melvin Davis’ career, when he collaborated
with two of Detroit’s most innovative and
mercurial musical characters – Dave Hamilton and
Mike Hanks.
” Mike Hanks liked me from the get
go. I think he was impressed that I always had a
car, and that I had a band too.”
Hamilton was the musical director at Stanford
Givon’s KE KE label when Davis auditioned, and
assisted him on his only release for the label,
the self penned “Wedding Bells” backed with
Hamilton’s “It’s no news”. Sadly the label was
wound up after only two releases (the other was
Juanita Williams “That handsome guy”) but it
gave Davis invaluable production experience
under Dave Hamilton’s guidance, and exposed him
to some of the city’s finest session musicians -
people Davis would later employ on his own
productions. “Dave Hamilton had been around a
while and knew what he was doing. He had been a
guitar and vibes player at Motown and could
write, arrange and produce too.”
image courtesy Graham
Finch
Mike Hanks was a ‘no nonsense’ character who
spoke his mind, loved his music with a hard
edged R&B flavour, hated Berry Gordy and always
carried two loaded revolvers (with permits)!
“Mike thought Motown was too commercial and
kinda wimpy. He didn’t think it was ‘real’ black
music. I remember that he was going to set up as
an alternative to Motown. He had leased a house
two doors down from the Hitsville studio, on the
same side of Grand Boulevard, and was going to
set a studio up there. He had actually paid the
first two months payment and was about to move
in when … I figure Berry Gordy must have got
wind of it …the house was purchased by Motown. I
think Mike only did it to piss off Gordy.”
His group of labels, including D-Town, MAH’S,
Wheelsville, USD and Wheel City, provided
exposure and opportunity to many of the local
acts not considered ‘commercial’ enough for
Motown.
Melvin Davis’ only collaboration with Mike Hanks
is considered by many to be one of his very
best. “Find a quiet place (and be lonely)” was
conceived, written and performed in Hanks’
infamous ‘Pig Pen’ studio over a two-day period.
To call it a ‘studio’ is misleading – it was, in
fact, a five-roomed house on McGraw and Grand
River that Hanks had ‘converted’. “ He made the
bedroom into an office, the living and dining
areas was the recording area, the kitchen
contained the control booth and the bathroom
became an echo chamber.
We got a good sound there too you know. It was
fun making that record.” It was released on the
Wheel City label in 1964 as a limited run of
between 300-500 copies, and was not re pressed.
Although Davis did not record with Hanks again,
their relationship remained strong and both men
retained a mutual respect for each other. “
Yeah, I always liked Mike Hanks. He was a
straight talking guy and you knew where you
stood with him. If he liked you he would do
anything to help you. I was sad when he was shot
outside of the Twenty Grand. But he did have a
temper.”
music: "Find A
Quiet Place (And Be Lonely) - Melvin Davis
(Wheel City 1003a)
Continued
