by Doug Coombe (4/10/07)

Scott Morgan goes Westwood in Tree Town

Scott Morgan has lived in Ann Arbor his entire life. He was the singer of the criminally overlooked Rationals, a band that, you'll note, set the Detroit rock 'n roll stage for the Stooges, the MC5 and Bob Seger. The Rationals did "Respect" before Aretha did.

Such long neglect should end when fab UK label Ace Records drops a two-CD Rationals comp early next year. And last year saw the box-set release of the Sonic's Rendezvous Band, Morgan's storied (and overlooked, natch) 1970s band with Fred Sonic Smith.

These days, Morgan's got Powertrane (who're supporting the Stooges this Friday at Fox Theatre, his soul band, the Solution (whose record's out this year) and the Hydromatics with Nicke Royale from the Hellacopters, (they also have a record coming out this year). And, get this, Morgan's huge in Sweden. No joke.

Morgan recently moved out of his parent's old home on Ann Arbor's west side and into that town's Westwood Apartments. (His father died in 2003 and his mother moved to a retirement community). The four-bedroom house was too much for one guy. His new digs are a quick (and convenient) jaunt from the Blind Pig, (where you're likely to bump into Morgan if he's in town). "I grew up on Westwood and now I'm in the Westwood Apartments", Morgan says. "You could say I've come full circle."