Brownsville Station (band)
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1969 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA |
| Founder | Cub Koda, Mike Lutz, T.J. Cronley, Tony Driggins |
| Defunct | 1979 (original group disbanded) |
| Fate | Reunited in 2012 |
| Headquarters | Ann Arbor , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Cub Koda, Mike Lutz, T.J. Cronley, Tony Driggins, Henry "H-Bomb" Weck, Bruce Nazarian |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Number of employees | Band members (various over time) |
Brownsville Station is a rock ensemble originating from Michigan, USA, that rose to prominence during the 1970s. The founding lineup consisted of Cub Koda (guitar and vocals), Mike Lutz (guitar and vocals), T.J. Cronley (drums), and Tony Driggins (bass and vocals). Subsequent additions to the group included Henry "H-Bomb" Weck on drums and Bruce Nazarian on guitar and vocals.
Their most notable achievement was the 1973 single "Smokin' in the Boys Room", which became a top-10 hit.
Formation and early years
Established in 1969 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Brownsville Station's initial albums showcased covers of seminal rock influences. Their debut record, No BS, was launched in 1970 under Warner Bros. Records. The band's highest commercial peak came with "Smokin' in the Boys Room", a track penned by Michael Lutz and Cub Koda, featured on their 1973 album Yeah!. This single climbed to No. 3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and reached No. 27 in the UK Singles Chart. It sold more than two million copies, earning a gold certification from the RIAA on January 15, 1974.
Subsequent developments
In 1977, they released "Martian Boogie," one of seven singles that entered the Hot 100, which also received airplay on Dr. Demento's program. Their second-to-last single, "(Lady) Put The Light On," peaked at No. 46 on the Hot 100.
Following T.J. Cronley's exit, drummer Henry "H-Bomb" Weck from Van Wert, Ohio joined the lineup. Another significant hit, "Kings of the Party," reached No. 31 on Billboard in 1974.
The original group disbanded in 1979 after releasing their final studio album, Air Special, through Epic Records in 1978.
Post-breakup, Cub Koda remained a key figure by producing solo albums and touring with The Points as well as blues artist Hound Dog Taylor's Houserockers. He contributed liner notes for retrospectives and was a prolific writer for the All Music Guide. Additionally, Koda wrote for Goldmine magazine, co-authored Blues For Dummies, and hosted a radio show during the early 1980s. He passed away at age 51 in 2000 due to kidney disease.
Mike Lutz moved into production work, notably producing Ted Nugent's Spirit of the Wild, and toured with Nugent throughout the 1990s. He continues to teach guitar and produce music acts based in Ann Arbor.
During his tenure with Brownsville Station, Henry Weck engineered and co-produced Blackfoot's Strikes album, which included hits like "Highway Song" and "Train Train." He remains active in production and plays an integral role in the band's reunion activities.
After departing from Brownsville Station, T.J. Cronley pursued a career as a Marine aviator, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 1992; he currently works as a FedEx pilot and practices art in Yuma, Arizona.
Bruce Nazarian performed and produced with The Automatix (MCA debut LP, 1983) before becoming CEO of Digital Media Consulting Group and managing "TheDigitalGuy.com." He also produced and hosted The Digital Guy radio show while managing various artists until his death in October 2015.
Brownsville Station was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame in 2008.
Henry Weck preserved an archive exceeding 500 hours of demos and live recordings; together with Mike Lutz in 2012, they assembled these into Still Smokin', which includes new tracks alongside reimagined classics such as "My Friend Jack" and "Smokin' in the Boys Room."
With additions Billy Craig, Arlen Viecelli, and Brad Johnson, Brownsville Station resumed touring activities beginning in 2013.
In popular culture
In Season 10, Episode 10 of King of the Hill, Brownsville Station reunites for their "Still Smokin' in the Boys Room" tour.
Influences
Their early inspirations encompassed artists like Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, and Jerry Lee Lewis. Cub Koda’s stagecraft notably influenced performers including Peter Wolf and Alice Cooper.
Band members
- Mike Lutz – lead vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards (1969–1979, 2012–present)
- Henry "H Bomb" Weck – drums, vocals (1972–1979, 2012–present)
- Billy Craig – guitar, vocals (2012–present)
- Arlen Viecelli – guitar, vocals (2013–present)
- Brad Johnson – bass, vocals (2013–present)
Former members
- Cub Koda – guitar, lead vocals, harmonica (1969–1979; deceased 2000)
- T.J. Cronley – drums (1969–1971)
- Tony Driggins – bass, vocals (1969–1972)
- Bruce Nazarian – guitar, lead vocals, keyboards, bass (1975–1979; deceased 2015)
- Andy Patalan – guitar, vocals (2012–2013)
Timeline
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Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Highest US chart position |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | No BS | — |
| 1972 | A Night on the Town | 191 |
| 1973 | Yeah! | 98 |
| 1974 | School Punks | 170 |
| 1975 | Motor City Connection | 204 |
| 1977 | Brownsville Station | — |
| 1978 | Air Special | — |
| 2012 | Still Smokin' | — |
Compilation albums
- Various Smokin' in the Boys Room compilations issued between 1993 and 2006
- Contribution to Rhino Hi-Five series released in 2006
Singles
| Year | Single (A-side, B-side) Both sides originate from the same album unless otherwise noted |
Highest Chart Positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Cashbox | US Hot 100 | Canada | UK Singles | |||
| 1969 | "Rock & Roll Holiday" b/w "Jailhouse Rock" |
— | — | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| 1970 | "Be-Bop Confidential" b/w "City Life" |
— | — | — | — | No BS |
| 1971 | "Roadrunner" b/w "Do The Bosco" |
— | — | — | — | |
| "That's Fine" b/w "Tell Me All About It" |
— | — | — | — | Non-album tracks | |
| 1972 | "Rock With The Music" b/w "Country Flavor" |
— | — | — | — | A Night On The Town |
| "The Red Back Spider" b/w "Rock With The Music" (from A Night On The Town) |
85 | 96 | — | — | Non-album track | |
| 1973 | "Let Your Yeah Be Yeah" b/w "Mister Robert" (from A Night On The Town) |
60 | 57 | — | 54 | Yeah! |
| "Smokin' in the Boys Room" b/w "Barefootin'" |
2 | 3 | 3 | 27 |
- | |
| "I'm The Leader Of The Gang" Initial B-side: "Fast Phyllis" Subsequent B-side: "Meet Me On The Fourth Floor" |
26 | 48 | 38 | — | School Punks | |
| "Kings Of The Party" b/w "Ostrich" |
31 | 31 | 39 | — | ||
| "Mama Don't Allow No Parkin'" b/w "I Got It Bad For You" |
74 | — | 77 | — | ||
| "Lady (Put The Light On Me)" b/w "Rockers N' Rollers" |
44 | 46 | 50 | — | Brownsville Station | |
| "The Martian Boogie" b/w "Mr. Johnson Sez" |
45 | 59 | 52 | — | ||
| "Love Stealer" b/w "Fever" |
— | — | — | — | 'Air Special' | |
External links
- 1969 establishments in Michigan
- American glam rock musical ensembles
- Big Tree Records recording artists
- Hard rock bands originating from Michigan
- Musical acts based in Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Musical groups formed in 1969
- Musical groups disbanded in 1979
- Musical groups reunited in 2012
- Private Stock Records recording artists
- Musical groups disestablished in 1979