Called "the best garage band in America since the 1960s" by Jack White, The Gories drew on Detroit's rich musical history and provided a rough and primitive soundtrack to the city's decaying façade during the 1980s and 1990s. Inspired by rare 1960s guitar groups The Sonics and The Seeds, blues legends Howlin' Wolf and John Lee Hooker and hometown heroes MC5 and Iggy and the Stooges, Mick Collins (vocals, guitar), Dan Koha (vocals, guitar) and Peggy O'Neill (drums) could barely play their instruments when they first started gigging to handfuls of people in local bars in 1986; but their DIY, lo-fi enthusiasm shone through on classic cult albums House Rockin' (1989) and I Know You Fine, But How You Doin' (1990). The band kickstarted a whole garage rock scene within the city, with The Oblivians, The Hentchmen and The Detroit Cobras following their lead, but the band split in 1993 after a disastrous European tour. Collins went on to front The Dirtbombs and Kroha formed Demolition Doll Rods, whilst the scene received huge attention when The White Stripes became worldwide stars in 2000. Their raw, ragged, retro rock and roll proved a key influence on The Horrors, Black Lips and The Black Keys, before The Gories re-formed in 2008 and released old live recordings through White's Third Man Records label.
