Detroit (a.k.a.
The Band Detroit, so as not to be confused with the city of
Detroit) was a spinoff of rock group
The Detroit Wheels. This revised version of that band was formed by
Mitch Ryder as a successor to The Wheels in 1970. The only original Wheel in the group was the drummer
Johnny "Bee" Badanjek; other members were guitarists
Steve Hunter and Brett Tuggle, organist Harry Phillips and bassist W.R. Cooke. A single album was released by this grouping, a 1971 self-titled
LP issued on
Paramount Records (US #176 in 1972). They had a hit with their version of the
Lou Reed - penned song "
Rock & Roll", which Reed liked enough to ask Steve Hunter to join his backing band. Ryder quit the group because of voice problems in 1972, and Detroit vocalist
Rusty Day (formerly of the
American Amboy Dukes and
Cactus) took over his spot; without Ryder, the group floundered, and eventually broke up in 1974.