Fri 1/31 @ 8PM
Cleveland rock fans will remember Joe Grushecky & the Iron City Houserockers, a band with deep roots in Pittsburgh’s working-class community. They recorded some of their debut album, Love’s So Tough, at Cleveland’s Agency Recording; it was produced by Steve Popovich, founder of Cleveland international Records, and his sidekick, Marty Mooney, who promoted them a deal with MCA Records. They also co-produced their follow-up, Have a Good Time But Get Out Alive, for which they brought in E Street Band guitarist Steve Van Zandt as well as legendary guitarist/producer Mick Ronson.
They were frequent visitors to northeast Ohio and got a fair amount of airplay here in the late ’70s and early ’80s, their sound very much in line with the “working man” rock and roll of Bruce Springsteen, Bob Seger, John Mellencamp and similar artists who found a following in Cleveland.
Grushecky has continued to release a steady stream of albums, both solo and with the band, now just dubbed “the Houserockers”; he’s never actually taken a break. Last year he released the latest in a long string of albums, called Can’t Outrun a Memory. He’s not even trying to run away from Cleveland; he’ll be back in town at the Music Box Supper Club this weekend. Go here for tickets.