The revival of the Detroit scene began on January 3, 1986 (precisely at 10:43pm), when Mick Collins (vocals, guitar), Dan Kroha (second guitar) and Margaret Ann “Peggy” O’Neill (drums) founded The Gories, a band with mainly punk and blues influences, and an incredibly saturated, aggressive sound. Their debut album, Houserockin’, released in 1989 on Wanghead with Lips Records, was quickly followed by I Know You Fine, But How You Doin’ (1990), then by their third (and final) album, Outta Here (1992). Like Mick Collins’ other bands (Blacktop, The Dirtbombs…), The Gories released numerous singles on various labels (New Rose, In the Red, Sub Pop, Get Hip…) which quickly became unobtainable on 7′. 

The Gories played numerous concerts, spreading the word to the four corners of the city: “I founded the Gories because no band was playing the music I wanted to hear”, declared Mick Collins… Following this logic, bands with diverse influences were quickly formed.

The Gories have long since acquired cult status (a term reserved for bands that hardly anyone listened to before they broke up, and that sold very little). In the early years of the White Stripes, Jack White never missed an opportunity to express his admiration for the band – and especially for Mick Collins.