Take a look under the hood

>> The Detroit Cobras have the soul classics covered

by JOHNSON CUMMINS

With bands like Delta 72, Zen Guerrilla, the Bell-rays and '68 Comeback fanning the soul/punk flames, it seemed like it would only be a matter of time until things would blow up. The Detroit Cobras were ripe for underground stardom when they put the wild punk abandonment back in the mix while letting traditional Detroit soul strut up front. After the release of the debut Mink, Rat or Rabbit, word began spreading like wildfire about this underground soul explosion. After a brief hiatus which resulted in a reshuffling of members, they are back again with the stellar Love and Leaving.

The rub is, there isn't an original composition between them. The Detroit Cobras prefer to just comb through dusty, obscure soul 45s in search of material. "All these original bands think they have something to say but most of them don't have shit to say," explains singer Rachael Nagy. "We play songs that were never really well-known, back then or now. We see all of these people revamping shit and trying to make it theirs, but I would rather take something more pure. I'm proud of being a cover band. When I hear these incredible songs I just want to become part of it."

Guitarist Maribel Restrepo is quick to agree. "I will take a good song over an original any day. All I want is greatness and these are really beautiful songs."

With the exception of maybe Otis Redding's "Shout Bama Lama" and Ike Turner's "Can't Miss Nothing," the Cobras do shine light on really rare groove, resuscitating classics by cult heroes Wanda Jackson, Mary Wells and Ronnie Mack. "I mean, we really love these songs and they own a special place in our hearts," says Nagy.

Although adamant about being a band that is based around having some beers and fun, the Cobras are starting to find friends in high places. Camel cigarettes recently paid for the band to fly out to shows in exchange for sponsorship, the band is playing with Ike Turner later this month, they were the hype of SXSW and have even garnered a feature in Entertainment Weekly. "Yeah, I guess that shit is good to show your parents but it doesn't really mean shit. Don't get me wrong, though--if someone is going to offer me a million bucks they've got my ass on a meathook, no problem," says Retrepo.

"That's all nice, but we are still like this 'get the new Cobras record and a watermelon slice for $2.99' kind of thing. We're still shocked that anybody other then our friends would like us," laughs Nagy.

"The bottom line is we're doing soul covers and most people just don't get what we do--and that's cool," says Nagy. "Hopefully we can turn people on to some songs and get them to try to find the originals because after they hear something like Irma Thomas, we're just going to be a puddle on the road. It's this really incredible music and I believe people should be dancing to it and fucking to it and really feeling it. It's untouchable."

With the Chains at Café Campus tonight, Thursday, July 5, 8:30pm, $12