JoCaine & 75 North

Whoa Crap! Jo Caine Traded Football for a White Trash Sound


Jo Caine’s music is CRap!
I don’t care that the 6’5’’, 250 lbs. one time college football All-American threatened to kick the crap out of me if I wrote anything that wasn’t complimentary about his music.
“When I come north I will be reading what you’ll be writing about me,” said Jo Caine. “You better write something good or I will hunt you down and we will go a few rounds.”
Caine and 75 North will be coming to town as part of a triple bill that features Uncle Kracker and The Brian Schram Band October 29 at Streeters’ Ground Zero Nightclub.
Now back to this Jo Caine and my potential ass whooping. Bring it on because CRap is a good thing musically; it is what is happening and the way things are looking Caine is going to be the next hot thing to come out of Detroit musically since his pals Kid Rock and Uncle Kracker hit it big.

WHITE TRASH LIFESTYLE
CRap is country-rap music. Yet it is more than music: it’s about living the white trash lifestyle. It is about wearing John Deere hats, drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon and having your jeans hanging off your ass to proudly bear the crack.
There ain’t South Beach Diets in Crapville and proper English is a second language. It is about eating at White Castle for breakfast, wearing wife-beater shirts, smoking a little weed and drinking moonshine without the Red Bull chaser. It is about girls wearing Von Dutch jeans and just a bikini top, sometimes minus the top. Who needs the NHL, because when in CRapville it is all about NASCAR and Orange County Choppers, oops I meant Tribal Motors.
John Deere hats and Pabst Blue Ribbon will only take you so far; you need tunes to complete the scene and CRap artists like Kid Rock and Uncle Kracker rule the park. Now, along comes Jo Caine and just who does he think he is, kicking down the doors of the double wide and grabbing the wheel of the 69 orange Dodge Charger while heading down 75 in overdrive?
Caine, born Joe Binki in Kentucky, grew up in Hazel Park listening to his dad blaring Conway Twitty and George Jones while mom was dancing in the kitchen to Motown. His height and strength gave him visions of a pro football career; his vocal abilities in high school led him to a recording studio at 7 Mile and Van Dyke where another high school age rapper was hanging out by the name of Kid Rock.

CAINE HURRICANE
As for his name, well, that came from his high school buddies:
“The name Jo Caine is from my football days because the Miami Hurricanes were recruiting me and people kept saying ‘Jo is going to be a Hurricane and lets call him Jo Caine.’ My grades kept me from going to Miami and I ended up at Wayne State.”
While at Wayne State University, Caine continued his musical pursuits. When things started to happen for Kid Rock he thought it would be a door opener.
“I quit football and thought, man, my opportunity is here (with the music),” said Caine. “Rock beat me to the punch by about six months and when I was offered a deal and did some early touring I was getting dogged for trying to rip Rock off. It wasn’t that way at all-we just came from the same place and had the same influences.”
Caine started and quit his music career several times over a six-year period before he decided to re-commit to it. He has support coming from all over including both the Kid Rock and Uncle Kracker camps. Kracker has taken Caine out on the road with him and Kid Rock showed up a few weeks back at the Magic Bag in Detroit and jammed all night with Caine.
“Uncle Kracker is my friend and a good guy. We look after each other,” said Caine. “He taught me some things and I might have taught him some things.”
As for Kid Rock’s support:
“He called me a couple weeks back and said he was coming to my show and wanted to get up on stage and jam with me and the band,” said Caine. “Well he did, and Kracker showed as well, so did some others from Detroit music royalty.”

SOUTHERN TWIST
So what is it about Jo Caine’s music that is attracting fans and stars to his shows?
“My music is everything you flat out like about rock and roll,” said Caine. “Add a Southern twist to it and it is on that vibe of that hillbilly-white trash- foot-stomping-hand-clapping stuff. Plus my whole band is great and every guy in this band is a showman; our shows are a party.”
Caine released his first CD, “Piggy Back Ride,” last year. To date he has sold close to 10,000 copies, catching the eye of some in the industry.
“Yeah, there is a lot happening on the record front right now and we are looking at several options,” said Caine. We’re just going to keep playing our cards and doing what we do and when something breaks and the paper gets thrown on the table and we like what we read, will sign it. We are doing great with our independent release and are moving product, and sometimes that is better than signing some schmuck record deal and getting peanuts.”
So is a new album in the works?
“We - Rick Coates-Northern Express Weekly

LOCAL MUSIC NEWS & NOTES: 3-day festival to help artist
August 6, 2004

Three days of outdoor music begin at 7 tonight as friends and fans of local jazz artist Alberto Rosal gather in Clarkston to support his fight against lung cancer.
A mix of rock- and jazz-influenced artists will perform, including tonight's lineup of Snow White, Smokestack Lightning, the Foundation and Jocaine.
Phase 3, Jazzhead, Quixotic, Twin Pigs, Gryphon Sheppard and Rosal's rock-based project Slight Return are up Saturday. Finishing out the weekend will be Exit One, Goose Gator, Matt McClure and All Rite Tokyo on Sunday.
Rosal, a graduate of Wayne State University's jazz program, is a noted drummer who also performed as part of Jazzhead. During the early to mid-'90s, Rosal served as house drummer at Bert's Marketplace, a well-known haven for local jazz enthusiasts.
As part of the benefit weekend, a raffle will include autographed guitars by Kid Rock and Uncle Kracker. Proceeds will go to Rosal's fight against lung cancer.
Although the concert is on private property -- 6730 Walters Road in Clarkston -- it's open to the public. Use exit 89 off I-75 and follow the signs. The first traffic light west of I-75 is at Walters Road.
Admission is $10 Friday-Saturday, $5 Sunday and $20 for a weekend pass. Parking is $5, and on-site camping is free. Details: 248-388-4192.
Shining the spotlight on Canadian talent is Open Your Ears,a 3-day music festival in Windsor's Avalon Front.
The event kicked off Thursday with instrumental soundscapes from Bloemfontein, Polmo Polpo and electronic artist Beef Terminal.
Tonight, the festival welcomes ambient popsters Two-Minute Miracles, introspective hipsters Ten Year Drought and vintage folk from Great Lakes Swimmers.
On Saturday, festival-goers can enjoy post-punk from Full White Drag, femme fronted disco-punk by Controller Controller and the soulful electronic stylings of Upgrade.
The Avalon Front is at 300 Oullette in Windsor. Admission is $5 Canadian. Doors at 9 p.m. with music at 10 p.m. For more: www.closeyoureyes.ca.
Detroit rock-n-roll has lost one of its voices. Don Ross, lead singer of Blamethrower,died last week in an accident at the construction site where he worked.
Ross, a ferocious frontman and music enthusiast, is survived by his wife and three children. All scheduled appearances by the band have been canceled; a memorial show and tribute CD are being considered.
Donations in Moss' memory are being accepted through Gleaners Community Food Bank, 2131 Beaufait, Detroit 48207. For more: www.blamethrower.com.
RACHEL MAY, lead singer and guitarist for local band Broadzilla, compiles the Free Press' music listings. Send her show dates or local music news to rmay@freepress.com. Contact her at 313-222-5990.

- BY RACHEL MAY

Musicians stage shows for disaster relief
September 21, 2001
Since the attacks on the United States last week, I've been flooded with calls from local musicians asking what they can do to help. Some have organized benefit shows, while others are still busy putting them together.
Highlights of some of the events: "Let Freedom Ring": On Sept. 30, the Emerald Theatre will host a benefit performance with proceeds going to the September 11 Fund, through the United Way in New York. Live entertainment includes Dick Wagner and the Dick Wagner Band, the Inversions, Loose Cannon, Scuba La Boobala, Steve Somers Band featuring Valerie Barrymore, Red Mercury, Laney, Sunday Afternoon and Conniption. Doors open at 1 p.m.; tickets are $10, with 12 and younger free. 31 N. Walnut, Mt. Clemens. 810-913-1920. "United We Rock": Rudy DeSantis, lead singer for the rock band Mind Candy, has organized a benefit Oct. 5 at the Holbrook Cafe with proceeds going to the Red Cross. Bands include Mind Candy, Jocaine and Forge. Doors open at 8 p.m.; 18 and older $5; and 21 and older $7. 3201 Holbrook, Hamtramck. 313-875-1115. "Music of Life": The Trillium Performing Arts Center and Crystal Gardens Banquet and Conference Center will present a concert for healing featuring Pauline Martin, Jill Ryan, Kate Patterson, Moses Pogossian, Irina Tikhonova, Johnny Campbell, Barb Clemans, Chris Kane and Raymond Horvath at 7 p.m. Monday. It's free but concertgoers are encouraged to donate to the Salvation Army and the Red Cross. 16703 Fort, Southgate. 734-282-9239. "Feel the Spirit": The Emerald Sinfonietta, a chamber orchestra conducted by Felix Resnick, will dedicate proceeds from its 4 p.m. Sept. 30 performance to the Southeastern Michigan Chapter of the Red Cross Disaster Relief Initiatives. The orchestra will donate proceeds from CD sales made the night of the performance. Works by Handel, Liszt and Vaughn Williams will be performed. Birmingham Unitarian Church, 38651 N. Woodward, Bloomfield Hills. $15, $20. 313-438-0780.
Rachel May, lead singer and guitarist for local band Broadzilla, compiles the Free Press' music listings. Send her show dates or local music news to rmay@freepress.com or by fax at 313-223-4726. She can be reached at 313-222-5990.

- Rachel May

Club of Faith’s 21 Band Salute
August 4th, Whitmore Lake, Mi
Barnstormers presents

Whitmore Lake never had it so good as when “Club of Faith,” promoted by the Infamous “Heatmiser”, Rob Miller (I’m guessing the nic-name comes from the hedgehog hairdo with the day-glo pink stripe down the middle), brought twenty-one of Detroit’s premier bands to Barnstormers for an all-day jam.

Filling three stages simultaneously (two for bands and one for the MC’s & DJ’s) with some of Detroit’s best independent acts, The 21 Band Salute began at a sobering 2 p.m. and drifted into the wee hours of hotel-motel time. There were so many musicians there you couldn’t spill a drink without soaking the “who’s who” of the Detroit music scene. Nicole 11:11, Superdot, Jocaine, Face, MC Mario, DJ Jay Lange, Sweaty Suede Lips, and Soot were just some of the acts who performed - and that was all after 10.p.m! From mosh pits to MC’s, this gig was kept in perpetual motion by Miller who weilded his mighty bull-horn, donned a glow in the dark gorilla mask and pulled give-aways out of a mysterious black bag to foist on the many wandering patrons. Our hats off to Heatmiser who pulled-off a helluva show. Keep your eyes and ears tuned for future “Club of Faith” events.
A quick shout out to my home girls, the beautiful Chis Bone and the feisty Julie Felix (thier maiden names). My old school chums were workin’ the gig at Barnstormers, keepin the urban animals well-fed in this rarity of farm-country concerts. Julie donated a pen and a staple to this absent-minded writer and Chris donated a burger and a chicken sandwhich to Mary and I, two-thirds of the poor and hungry MA administrative staff. It was comforting to see my home girls so good after all these years. Thanks for the sweetness.

- Free Press

Real Detroit Weekly Write Up (21 October 2004)

Ce Ce Williams a writer for The Real Detroit Weekly wrote this article in the Oct.6-12 issue of Real Detroit Weekly. The only acceptable reason for not being at the Royal Oak Music Festival was rockin out to the sounds of Jocaine & 75 North and White Boy Ric at the Emerald Theater. Jocaine had a star-studded night at his last show at the Magic Bag with guests like Uncle Kracker and a special performance by Kid Rock. It's too bad we missed the Emerald show but we've already decided to hit the highway as Jocaine & 75 North will be playing at The Machine Shop in Flint on October 9 with Crtical Bill and Zug Izland. Thanks Ce Ce She actually called and let me know her car broke down on the way to the show!!


- Ce Ce Williams