In an unprecedented move Russ Gibb, Detroit rock and roll magnate and creator and owner of the Grande Ballroom, has announced that he is imposing a 1% community tax on the gate proceeds of the Detroit Rock and Roll Revival, held at the State Fairgrounds over the Memorial day weekend.
The 1% will come off the top of the gross proceeds, Gibb said, and will go into a new Community Fund which will then make disbursements through its Board of Directors to groups and/or individuals in the community who need money.
The tax will also be imposed on each event Russ stages at the Fairgrounds and hopefully can extend to the Grande itself in the near future.
Uncle Russ also said he hopes this tax will be established throughout the community, with hip businesses, booking agencies, and even the bands imposing the 1% tax on themselves in order to help the community as a whole.
“After all, the people support the whole thing,” Russ said, “and if we can’t give some of it back to them in a way that will help everybody in the community, then there’s no use doing this.”
The administrative board for the Community Fund will comprise John Sinclair (Trans-Love Energies), Tom Wright (Grande manager), Alan Gotkin (Fifth Estate), Ken Kelley (Ann Arbor Argus), Barry Kramer (Creem/Mixed Media), Jerry Lubin (WABX), Jerry Goodwin (WKNR-FM), Bill Rowe (Open City), and Joel Landy (Community Print Shop).