Best known these days as Detroit’s pre-eminent X-rated spoken-word poet, the raunchy and raucous Jimmy Doom will be reuniting with his old band, the Almighty Lumberjacks of Death, this Friday at Alvin’s, after an approximate 11-year hiatus.
The seeds for the reunion were sown a scant few months ago, when a distributor in San Diego called up the hardcore punk band and asked if they’d be interested in participating in a compilation. The band agreed, and got together to dust off the old tunes.
“We were getting along so well, we thought, damn, let’s get back together,” says Doom.
After the band split over a decade ago, Doom went on to explore his now-infamous spoken-word career and even tried his hand at a steady gig with American Axle. For anyone who knows about this seasoned master of the diatribe, it’s no surprise that life as a shop rat didn’t last. His brother and bass player Rob Doom went on to play with Hoarse, guitar player Big Dog picked up with C.T.Y.C (Colder Than You Crew, aka Cold As Life and drummer Clifford Hill joined up with Foreign Enemy from New York.
For the punk community in this town, the return of A.L.D. is of some significance. So much more than an angry lot of listless ne’er-do-wells, the bloody-knuckled foursome has something to say.
Doom describes the Lumberjacks as “a patriotic band.”
“Back when we started, we were one of the first bands to come out and say we were pro-American, when most bands were copying the Dead Kennedys.”
And what does Doom think about being pro-American in the current political climate?
“I love my country, but I generally can’t trust my government,” he says. “Loving my country doesn’t necessarily mean loving the person in office.”
See the return of A.L.D. at Alvin’s (5756 Cass Ave., Detroit) with the Skeemin’ Nogoods, the Sals and the Give Up Solution. Call 313-831-4577 for more information. Saturday, Aug. 21, doors at 9 p.m.
Sarah Klein is a Metro Times staff writer. E-mail [email protected]
