We begin episode 6 with Patti discussing the Pleasure Seekers’ song “White Pig Blues” that concluded the previous episode. She talks about what Wayne Kramer of the MC5 called the “Summer of Hate” while others called it the “Summer of Love.” Call it what you like, but it was 1967 in Detroit, and the racial tension, civil unrest, and political activism had reached a boiling point with riots, police brutality, and an overall societal malaise. As the Pleasure Seekers started being sought after to play more gigs, they often billed with their “homeboys.” These homeboys were entrenched in the cultural clashes occurring between the establishment and the counterculture while creating and cultivating a new sound called Detroit rock city. Because of these musical experiences and collaborations, Patti says, “Our consciousness got educated a bit,” and so the Pleasure Seekers started experimenting with original music that spoke to the social, political, and economic unrest of Detroit. Their song “Brain Confusion” continues the theme of “White Pig Blues,” but instead talks about the angst and loneliness that so many Detroiters were feeling because of all the upheaval. Patti reads the lyrics and contextualizes the song, and then we play it in full. Listen to the distinctive and remarkable Quatro harmonies, the sophisticated musicality of each player, the heartbreaking lyrics about all the lonely people who were trying to come to terms with seeing their city come undone.

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