About Me
At 16, John (Johnny Bee) Badanjek (pronounced:buh-DAN-jek) was the drummer for the Motor City's premier rock and roll band, Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels. There he hammered out one of the three greatest drum breaks in the history of rock, according to Rolling Stone Magazine (On "Devil With A Blue Dress").
After the group disbanded in 1967, "Bee" toured and recorded with Edgar Winter, Alice Cooper, Dr. John, Bob Seger, Ronnie Montrose, Nils Lofgren and others, providing the backbeat for some of rock's legendary tracks.
But Johnny Bee's preeminent position in the nation's hard rock hall-of-fame was not won with sticks alone -- in 1972, he co-founded The Rockets as a showcase for his songwriting skills. He served in a dual role as drummer/lead vocalist until 1976 -- when they opted for a bluesier voice.
Bee's songs launched the group into national prominence, and proved his ability to score consistently on the nation's pop music charts ("Can't Sleep", "Turn Up the Radio","Takin' It Back").
In 1992, Bee toured Europe with Nils Lofgren and drummed on Nil's Rykodisc release, The Crooked Line.Notable Facts:
· Original/only drummer with Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels - 7 top-40 hits (including "Jenny Take a Ride", "Devil With a Blue Dress On") 4 gold LP's.
· Played/recorded with Alice Cooper - including hit "Welcome To My Nightmare"
· Played/recorded with Edgar Winter - including hit "Free Ride"
· Played/recorded with Dr. John
· Co-founded Detroit featuring Mitch Ryder - hit "Rock & Roll"
· Co-founded The Rockets and wrote almost all the material for the 6 releases
· Played/recorded with Bruce Springsteen guitarist Nils Lofgren
· Played/recorded with Bob Seger
· Played/recorded with Ronnie Montrose
· Cover picture of, and the first interview in Bruce Springsteen's drummer Max Weinberg's book, "The Big Beat-Conversations with Rock's Great Drummers"
· Ludwig Drums endorser - featured in book on the history of Ludwig Drums
· Featured on Max Weinberg's 1994 3-CD Rhino release Let There Be Drums
· Featured on Dr. John's 1994 Rhino release The Dr. John Anthology
· VIC FIRTH DRUM STICKS and SABIAN CYMBALS endorser
AVAILIABLE FOR TOURING AROUND THE WORLD !Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels/JENNY TAKE A RIDE Dynavoice(gold) Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels/BREAKOUT Dynavoice(gold ) Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels/SOCK IT TO ME Dynavoice (gold) Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels/GREATEST HITS Dynavoice(gold) Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels/REV UP!-GREATEST HITS Rhino(New CD Compilation (1990)- Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels/BIG WHEELS Pair (New CD Compilation (1990) Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels/THE ROCKIN' HITS OF Special Music(New CD Compilation (1990) - Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels/TAKE A RIDE Sundazed(CD reissue(1993) - Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels/BREAKOUT...!!!Sundazed (CD reissue(1993) - Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels/SOCK IT TO ME! Sundazed (CD reissue 1993) - Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels/ALL HITS! Sundazed (CD reissue 1994) - Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels/DEVIL WITH A BLUE DRESS ON Rhino(New CD Compilation 1995)- Edgar Winter/THEY ONLY COME OUT AT NIGHT(Platinum)- Alice Cooper/WELCOME TO MY NIGHTMARE Warner Brothers(Platinum)- Dr. John/HOLLYWOOD BE THY NAME Columbia - DETROIT featuring Mitch Ryder/DETROIT Paramount(CD reissue by MCA 1990)- Albert King/KING ALBERT Tomato Records - THE ROCKETS/LOVE TRANSFUSION RCA(CD reissue in Europe by Line Records) - THE ROCKETS/TURN UP THE RADIO RSO(gold) - THE ROCKETS/NO BALLADS RSO(gold) - THE ROCKETS/BACK TALK Elektra - THE ROCKETS/ROCKET ROLL Elektra - THE ROCKETS/LIVE ROCKETS Capitol(CD reissue 1990) - Nils Lofgren CODE OF THE ROAD/LIVE (Double Set)Tower Bell(Platinum Europe)- Movie Soundtrack/ABOUT LAST NIGHT/with Bob Seger Capitol - Ronnie Montrose/THE SPEED OF SOUND Enigma/Capitol - Mitch Ryder/RED BLOOD,WHITE MINK Line Records(Europe1991)- Budweiser commercial - 1990 Nils Lofgren/LENNON & McCARTNEY SONGBOOK Connoisseur Collection (Europe)- Mitch Ryder/THE BEAUTIFUL TOULONG SUNSET Line Records(Europe) - 1991Nils Lofgren/THE CROOKED LINE Rykodisk - Summer 1992 - Jamie James - The Kingbee/CRUEL WORLD School Kids 1994 - Dr. John/THE DR. JOHN ANTHOLOGY - MOS' SCOCIOUS Rhino (2 CD set)1994 - Max Weinberg/MAX WEINBERG PRESENTS LET THERE BE DRUMS Rhino(3 CD set)1994 - THE ROCKETS/FRAT ROCK: MORE OF THE 70'S Rhino 1995 - Mitch Ryder/LIVE AT THE LOGO HAMBURG,GERMANY Line Records 1997 - Nils Lofgren/CODE OF THE ROAD GREATEST HITS LIVE EMI/Capitol 1997 - General Motors Commercial - with special guest Mitch Ryder Dan Yessian Productions 1997 - Broken Toys/WRIF ROCKS COMPILATION WRIF 1998 - Notorious Johnnys/SHOWTIME MOVIE: IN CLEAR VIEW 2 songs -1998 - Broken Toys/SHOWTIME MOVIE: IN CLEAR VIEW 2 songs 1998 - The ROCKETS/MOTOR CITY'S BURNIN' VOL. II - COMPILATION Total Energy Records - "Saigon Shuffle" 1998 - Broken Toys/JAM RAG CD COMPILATION Jam Rag Label 1998 - Broken Toys/BEST OF MEMPHIS SMOKE Memphis Smoke Label 1998 - DETROIT featuring Mitch Ryder/COVER YOU: A TRIBUTE TO THE ROLLING STONES Hip-O Records (February 10, 1998 ) - Cub Koda and Brownsville Station Live Saginaw Civic Center 1998 - Alice Cooper/THE LIFE AND CRIMES OF ALICE COOPER Warner Bros./Rhino 1999 - Mitch Ryder/WAR - COMPILATION Zound Records (Germany)1999 - THE ROCKETS/BEST OF THE ROCKETS CD Box Set - No Anticipated Release date - The Romantics /61/49 Web Entertainment 2003 -Starbucks / Pop Hits of the 70's Sony Music 2003 - JACK LORD / Monotony Kills 2004 - Dave Edwards / Take Another Look/Dazie Records 2004 - ROCKETS/ Back Talk and Rocket Roll Wounded Bird Records Elektra Entertainment Group 2005- Car Wash/THE HOWLING DIABLO'S Alive Records 2005- Live & On The Prowl/Michael Katon Mascot Records 2007
CHECK OUT JOHNNY BEE'S ART GALLERY
& GREAT ROCK AND ROLL MEMORABILIA @
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