Paychecks Lounge

[terryh]

On a recent excursion into Hamtramck I ended up in a gritty blue collar wat ering hole called Paychecks lounge on [[what street was it)? Within a span of a couple of hours I witnessed an amusing cast of characters coming and going. Not long after sitting at the bar [[I fell off the wagon a few months ago, alcohol wasnt a problem the hard stuff got me) a scruffy guy walked from the end of the bar to inspect me, after nodding to him he patted me on the shoulder and walked away, returning minutes later advising me to "be careful", after which he left out the place.. I told Debbie, who by the way is a top notch attentive grizzled bar maid, and some guys at the bar what he said, the bartender laughed saying he was a nut job. A short chubby lady several stools down kept laughing and mumbling to herself as she chain smoked and drank cans of beer carefully poured into a glass. Some guy showed up with some goodies in a bag, one item being a can of instant coffee he tried selling for five bucks. An older man showed up with a drop dead gorgeous young dirty blond that could have been a stripper or escort, possibly his girlfriend or daughter,they were really into each others conversation at any rate. Got to know several of the very amicable patrons, joking a and conversating with them as we huddled near the end of the bar. I plucked some coins in the jukebox, played some Stones and danced. Great prices on beer. Down to earth blue collar establishment.

[Pam]

Home to many punk/alternative concerts back in the 80s.

[irish_mafia]

fell off the wagon a few months ago, alcohol wasnt a problem

[terryh]

Personal choice to quit [[over 10 years) just wanted to be sure Irish Mafia...I just knock back a few and call it a night....

[terryh]

Some big dude showed up threatening the bartender about some battery charger he loaned someone after towing the person and that he knew some people the bartender Debbie tersely warning him not too come in making threats and that she knew people also and that he would get his charger back....funny

[Bobl]

So, Debbie is still there. I frequented that place in the 80's. There was a great punk music scene then. Many nights were spent at Paycheck's, at Lilly's [[my favorite), and Hamtramck Pub.
Also blues at the Attic down the street.
Hamtramck has always been a great place to meet unusual people at the many bars, and Elmore Leonard has based some of his characters on people he met there.

[terryh]

Bobl one of my many hobbies is collecting offbeat-rare and pulp paperbacks and recall browsing an Elmore Leonard novel in which Detroit Streets and nightspots were named.

[Detroitej72]

Paychecks is still going strong, after all these years...

Terry, my man, keep chilling, in Hamtown, we wil keep it real, and welcome you with open arms...

Come up to Atlas Bar on Yemens this Saturday, maybe me and me lady will buy you a drink...

Sey ya Saturday...

[terryh]

Maybe I will take you up on the offer DetroitJ72. Ill be wearing a hat with a band so you will recognize me. A couple of years back a couple of freinds and I ended up at a couples flat in Hamtramck and I felt welcome right away...got the sense I could have crashed if I wanted too....sort of like some of the smaller towns I lived in growing up....the city has character for sure..

[Baselinepunk]

Paycheck's -- a pillar of the Golden Triangle. A true cultural institution.

Lilly's -- Musconovich!!

[psubliminal]

My buddy Jeff moved his record store from Belmont to the building next to Paycheck's, where I used to go see a lot of punk bands back in the day.

[Radiogoon]

I opened for the Polish Muslims at Paychecks back in the 80's when the Pope came to town. Anybody remember Gracie who used to work the door? I know the last time I was in there about a year ago, the Dungeon was no longer accessable to the bands any longer. The Attic was another institution in Hamtramck that is gone sadley. Heard it's a sports bar now...sad. Hope they at least kept all of the musicians photo's on the wall in there. We used to play there twice a month only two years ago. Good times. Paycheck's is on Caniff to answer the original posters question.

[patmc16]

I don't drink [[at all, never have) but Paychecks is one of a few [[maybe even only a couple) bars I have ever set foot in. Back in the early 90's a friend of mine was in a band by the name of The Deadbeats and we went to see them play there a couple of times. Given my limited bar experience, Paychecks was everything I imagined a bar being. Being one of the few sober people in the place, the people watching was great.

[ggores]

Paychecks always been a pretty cool and fun place.

[Bloomfield Pills]

My band played Paychecks a few times, and it's lame. One time the sound man kept interrupting our set to tell us, "You guys should play more songs like the first one; I liked that one."

And another pet peeve: At Paycheck's, band members have to pay full price for EVERYTHING, including pops.

With an original band, I don't mind not getting paid. I realize that's how the gig works. But the bar should at least give the bands free drinks, or even a little off the price, even if it's just 25 cents.

At Paychecks, the bands pay full price for everything, including a stinking glass of pop. That's classless. As I said, I don't mind not getting paid -- but the bar owner should at least make a symbolic effort to show some appreciation that the bands are up there working for nothing. I know times are hard, but they couldn't knock off a quarter off the price of a beer or Pepsi??

At Paycheck's the attitude is, "You should be honored we're letting you play here." And that's crap.

[Melody]

Paycheck's was legendary.

It's still a staple in the Hamtramck bar scene, but mostly for day-drinking. My friends and I go there on our bar-hopping days like Paczki Day, St. Patrick's Day, etc. The live shows there aren't like they used to be. Sometimes a bigger Detroit band will put on a show there for old times sake, but the quality of bands has gone down generally because they don't put shows together -- they seem to book anyone that e-mails them. The Blowout is the exception of course. Bands don't really need a drink discount as much as they need decent sound. The prices there are cheap enough!

[Sailor Rick]

Who could forget Gracie's bellow at closing time that would put a Thunder Bay foghorn to shame, "GET THE F___K OUT!!!"

[56packman]

I went there a lot in the 80s to see the bands, A work friend and his twin brother had a band, "Glassings David", they played there. David, the leader played an amplified violin that was painted electric blue. At the end of one of their sets one of the old guys in work clothes who always went to that bar, before and after it became a punk showcase looked up from his shot-'n-beer and said "Let that fiddle boy play"!

[proc2000]

I remember seeing Snakeout play there back in the 80s. Some coworker's band [[Social Fabric) used to open for them. Ah, good times. We'd play pool with the old-timers and then head to the back for the shows. I can still see the visual of people doing "The Sperm Dance" during a Snakeout show.

[Bloomfield Pills]

Paycheck's was legendary.

Perhaps. But it's lame now.

The live shows there aren't like they used to be. Sometimes a bigger Detroit band will put on a show there for old times sake, but the quality of bands has gone down generally because they don't put shows together -- they seem to book anyone that e-mails them.

It's hit and misss. I've seen good and crappy bands there. By the way, "bigger" bands does not always equal "better" bands.

Bands don't really need a drink discount as much as they need decent sound. The prices there are cheap enough!

If you're referring to the sound system, it's not too bad -- although it certainly would help if the sound man wasn't off doing lines, or telling band members which songs to play instead of concentrating on the mix.

Also, it's not a matter of how cheap the prices are. If my band brings 20-30 people into the bar [[or even 5-10 on a bad night) who otherwise would not have been there, and the band isn't making a dime, the least the bar could do is make a gesture toward the band that their hard work [[and friends' patronage) is appreciated. As I said, I'm not asking for free whiskey for the band and their girlfriends; but 25 cents off each drink would at least be a gesture.

If I'm up there sweating my ass off, after having lugged equipment back and forth, and my band brought in patrons, it's classless for the bar not to acknowledge that in some way. As I said, I realize there's no money in doing original music. But there should at least be some token gesture on the part of the bar owner.

Places like Paycheck's act like they're doing you a favor by allowing you to play there. And that ain't right.

[miketeevee]

If you haven't been to Paycheck's in a while.. come check out the 2nd Annual Detroit Interntaional Pop Overthrow starting tonight and running through Saturday night. You'll see some of the area's best bands. Not bad for only $8 a night.

Here's the schedule:

Wednesday, April 8

8:00 Andy Reed
8:30 Your Gracious Host
9:00 The Starfire Band
9:30 Fig
10:00 The Prime Ministers
10:30 All Right Tokyo
11:00 The Romeo Flynns

Thursday, April 9

8:00 Class Three Overbite
8:30 Trick 9
9:00 Sunday Painters
9:30 Special Delivery
10:00 Woodward
10:30 Apartment 4
11:00 The Thunderchickens

Friday, April 10

7:30 Jeff Rolka
8:00 Computer Perfection
8:30 The Secrets
9:00 Bazooka Jones
9:30 The Respectables
10:00 Spy Radio
10:30 Manolete
11:00 The Pop Project
11:30 Those Transatlantics

Saturday, April 11

7:30 Leisure McCorkle
8:00 Chris Richards & The Subtractions
8:30 Jeremy
9:00 Fireking
Sound Artifacts Music Showcase
9:30 The Wall Clocks
10:00 The Lessmores
10:30 Citizen Smile
11:00 Philo-San
11:30 The Singles

[MrJones]

Jake: So Bob, about the band's money for tonight...

Bob: That's right.. $200.00, and you boys drank $400.00 woth of beer...

[jackie5275]

I remember going there in the 80s too. I remember Gracie quite well. I could never figure out though, why those old Polish guys, who seemed to have been there for hours & hours already, would hang out there still drinking while the band would be playing. Maybe by that time they were too sloshed to care.