Formed in 1969 in the Detroit area as a rock and roll group, Brownsville Station began with guitarists Cub Koda and Mike Lutz at the helm. T.J. Cronley on drums and Tony Driggins on bass completed the original lineup, though Henry Weck assumed the drumming role in 1971. Early recordings reflected the influence of Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and other 1950s rock figures through a mix of covers and original material delivered with Marshall stack volume and double bass drum force. The band proved most compelling onstage, where Koda’s banter shaped performers from J. Geils’ Peter Wolf to Alice Cooper. Commercial breakthrough came in late 1973 with the number three hit “Smokin’ in the Boys Room,” written by Koda and Lutz. After disbanding in 1979, Koda launched a solo recording career and wrote for several music magazines until kidney disease claimed his life in summer 2000. Lutz produced artists for Atlantic and Epic/Sony Records, performed with No Mercy, and co-wrote songs while touring with fellow Michigan rocker Ted Nugent. Weck moved into engineering and production, working with Atco and Atlantic acts including Blackfoot. Lutz and Weck reunited in 2012 to release Still Smokin’ and resumed touring as Brownsville Station in 2013 with guitarists Billy Craig and Arlen Viecelli.
