Thanks to Chili Mack'O of the Traitors for the following:

  Here is a photo of two of the earliest Detroit alt
rock bands of note, The Traitors and The Ramrods.  The
bands pioneered the current form of popular music
during the early to late 70s.  We literally beat new
music, with our fists and guitars, into the senseless
skulls of outlaw bikers to pave the way for all of
those who followed. Biker bars and gay bars were the
only venues open for new music in those days.  We took
what we could get.

  The gays were receptive to us in the new wave.  They
let us into their clubs and warmly received us.  We
helped open up Bookies Club 870 to new music.  Many
prominent bands would play there.

  When we were all ready to launch The Traitors there
were no suitable venues in which to play our new form
of music.  There was no new music scene.  You either
played top 40 or you didn't play live.  We had no
one's coatails to ride on so we had to invent some.
The only big time Detroit rockers that were notable as
having that distinct, brash sound that we were
grinding out were the MC5 and The Stooges (both
acid rockers).  Don Was and I began touting the line
that punk rock or new wave had its origins in Detroit;
to Creem magazine and anybody that would listen.  When
the MC5 and The Stooges toured Europe, droves of kids
formed bands to emulate the explosive sound that they
heard.  These became the punk rock bands.  The fading
rockers were only too happy to stand forward and claim
the crowns that we had profurred.  It worked because
it was the truth.  With dynamic individuals like Scott
Campbell fronting The Sillies, we now had a punk rock
scene in Detroit.  We staged battle of the bands type
of shows with The Ramrods, The Niggers, The Pigs, and
The Romantics as a way of showcasing Detroit's
volatile talent.

  The Traitors were, from left to right, guitarist Don
McAlpine (AKA Chillie Mack'O), guitarist Craig Peters,
singer Don Was (AKA Fagenson), bassist Steve McGuire,
and drummer Terry Fox.  The Traitors eventually made
it to television and a recording deal(more about that
later) and warmed up many national acts.  We were
featured in many national and a few international
publications at a time when bands such as the Doobie
Brothers and Jethro Tull were topping the charts.  The
manager of the Sex Pistols, Malcolm McClaren,
attempted to purchase The Traitors because his boys
could not play well in a live environment.  Our
management would not sell.  Don Was went on to
form Was Not Was and became one of the most prolific
music producers of all time.

  I am currently promoting my "Highway Robbery" CD,
released in 2000.  It has now been played on 300+
stations in the U.S. and Canada thanks to the efforts
of Mat Matlack and company at Space 380 out of
Columbia, Missouri.  I am putting the final touches on
my latest CD tentatively entitled, "Ran Shao Ba",
which may be previewed at MP3.com or select
http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/212/chillie_macko.html

Cheers,

Chillie