DOUG Talks to NINO CUTRARO about His New Book TABOO & The Celebrated Nightclubs He Owned

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hello Detroit Wheels. Hey Doug.All right, Nino, Well, thank
you so much for checking in.How you doing. I'm doing great.
I'm a little bit under the weather, but I'm coming out. That's all
all right. Well, we're talkingto restaurant or entrepreneur Nino Katarotro. And
I've been called words. You haveimmersed yourself here in the motor city since

(00:23):
you got here. And I wantto talk about this brand new book that
you've got out. Nino. Uh, it's called Taboo. All the proceeds
go to charity, which I absolutelylove. What is what's the charity again,
Nino? The one that go toVariety and who's underprivileged kids? You
know, the help underprivileged kids.And my Wifish is on the board of

(00:46):
director. And the other one isgoing to go to the library in my
own town in Sicily, unfortunately,you know, the very poor city.
And then I have money to buya book, and I promise is I
want to buy books and also computebecause they just found from CD they found

(01:07):
history of my own town and goback to the fifteen hundred. Oh my
goodness, anybody can go back asthe you know what family they come from
when they name come from. Soit's very nice think that, you know,
I'm being like enough to be ableto donate money for this computer and
the book. That is awesome.That is absolutely awesome. Well, this
book is about the restaurants and thenight clubs that you've owned here in Detroit.

(01:33):
So you're focusing on what period herethe eighties? Actually we're going back
in the middle seventies. Oh wow, okay, helping around like a dirt.
Well, I have to say thatthis book Taboo beautiful photographs. I
mean they are just absolutely stunning ofall of the rock stars and all of

(01:56):
these sports stars and all these moversand shakers that have been, you know,
coming to your nightclubs and your restaurantsfor years. And it reads very
nicely. I like the way itis formatted. So it's it's a really
nice read, a really cool book, something you can put on you know,
your tabletop and let people check itout. But you've had so many

(02:17):
different clubs, so many different restaurants. What made you pick taboo as the
title and got started there? Whatwhat was it about taboo? Yeah,
we name it taboo because that's probablynot to be you know, most popular.

(02:37):
And I was popular with it wasLeonot in the seventy Taboo, but
Taboo was completely different scene. Imean anybody who was anybody came there from
rock star movie stars. I meanwe had Madonna celebrated birthday there with the
show with Areta, James Brown,with some picket, Bill le Vere,

(03:01):
Joe Cocker in the small environment.That was one of the greatest shows that
I've been part of. It.It's still on Cinemax. There are photos
in the book of that concert.Tell me about a little bit about that
concert and how it came about,because that is a who's who of people
lined up there on that stage.And I didn't even really realize that Taboo

(03:24):
had a stage that big so peoplecould perform on it. So yeah,
actually, so I used to befriends with Reverend Cec of Franklin, who
is Areta's manager. And you know, Arita did a lot of things at
Taboo, like a commercial, andshe used to come down a lot,

(03:44):
and the Cinemax went to her andthey want to do a show with the
Queen of Salt and the King ofSalt, areb and James Brown. Wow,
and they want to talk about itin New York, LA. And
she said no, I want togo to Detroit because at that time he
did not like to fly. Soyou know, they came to me and

(04:05):
you know, we arranged to shutdown for two weeks Cinemac. They basically
we did all the lighting and thePuddh's kind of stage and that's that's you
know, the pot all kind ofcracks outside and you know you talk about
who who on the stage, butthere was a who who I'm attended,

(04:26):
you know, I from Red Polandto the forest and everybody want to see
the show because there was a smallvenue. Yeah, that that there's some
history made right there. There's aquestion about it, and and that's kind
of I would have to imagine whythis book came out because Nino, you
have been behind the scenes with somuch Detroit history. It it's not funny.

(04:49):
I mean, uh, moving onfrom Taboo to the Metro Music Cafe.
That's another great venue. Uh youknow Metro Music Affair. As you
know, it was like the Cafeof so I invented this thing called the
Michigan or walk fan. So Iended the musicians come in town, you

(05:13):
know, like the Chinese Theater inl A and they put the hands and
cement to the Star and I askedthem everybody to donate some kind of instruments.
Two of them, one we keepat the club and one we donated
to Maxical District at the end ofthe year when the Magical District to do
the fundraiser and they referra off andthey raised a lot of money. But

(05:34):
you know, I was so fortunateto you know, meet up with the
you know rock stars, you know, like you know Steven Tyler, you
know, the Aerosmath. To mysurprise, I don't know Steven Tyler was
Italian. He started to speak italand uh, you know we well,

(05:55):
yeah, I saw some of thepictures in there of David Bowie is iggy
he had all of the Detroit stars, but then you had all of the
gy pop as a boy. Actuallythe the last you know, the last
scene, you know, Steven Raymond, you know, he was there just
before he got killed an hellicatter accident, and uh, you know, I

(06:21):
I shared the moment, uh,you know, spend time with the Stephen
Stephen Miller and Steven Miller band.What a great guy, you know,
Uh, the Simons kids. Uh, It's just you know, I've been
very lucky to be able to meetthe people and talk to them. You

(06:42):
know, I'm still you know Finchmyself, you know, a guy from
you know, my own town,twelve thousand people. They'll be able to
insante I came in this country,and you know, I'll be able to
meet all the great celebrity rock starand movie stars and politicians and you name
it. The True Music Cafe wasa place that even I attended, and

(07:03):
I remember all of those you know, handprints all around the block. Of
course, uh since then in RoyalOak, they've cleared all that out,
haven't they. They've taken all thataway. Sadly, I mean, unfortunately
unfortunately they thought it was the tripand answers. I mean I really,

(07:27):
I mean I was really feel reallybit about it. I mean, we
Babarozzi there, I mean right,you know, there was everybody, you
know, Joe Cocker, you know, and what was said, we have
a tendency here in Michigan to teardown our history and you know and build
parking lots. And that's pretty muchwhat they did with with all those uh

(07:51):
you know, signatures that you hadoutside the Metro Music Cafe. My my
good friend Greg Elki was telling methe story of this, and I saw
that in the book that he's gotlike four pages, so he was a
He was a big part obviously ofputting this promotion together. And the interesting

(08:13):
story was is that you had triedto get a hard rock cafe in Detroit,
correct, and they wouldn't let youhave one, so you made your
own. Is that Is that prettyaccurate? Yeah? Yeah, I mean
I think I can create you know, it's uh, you know, I'm

(08:33):
not a Marcus guy in the block, but I can copy the concept and
Meg exactly the same. So yeah, you know, it was a lot
of work, you know, toget all musicians convinced him to come over
there. That, you know,thank to you know, you know we
did the w r was a verygreat partner and w w LZ a bunch

(08:56):
of the radio station. I mean, we we had so much fun.
Yeah, he was a salesman atthe time, Greg at WRIF, but
I was I was a disc jockey, young, a young disc jockey at
WLLZ, and we used to bringartists over there as well. You know
what was great about it, andyou mentioned it was the fact that you

(09:18):
would get these artists to donate allof these things for charity, and some
of the prizes that were given awayor money that was raised during auctions really
went to so many great causes.So you know, Nino, I mean
that place not only had history,but it had a lot of love there
too. Yeah. No, theredefinitely was. It wasn't something unique at

(09:41):
that time, this in nineteen eightyeight that we're talking about, Doug.
Yeah, and I remember, Iremember went to the city hall. I
say, I asked you, thecity council, okaid, your guys put
a trepid light and Fort Lafayette becauseyou know, we had so many people,
and asked me why if you canshoot a cannon before me and I

(10:03):
made three, they know it can'thit nobody. So but you know,
Centerly opened and there was a lineall the way down, all the way
up to the to the theater,to roy Lock Music Theater. By the
way, we did a lot eventswith the Royal Lock Music Theater too.
I was, you know, Ihad so much fun. That was a
that was a rock and corner becausenot only did you have the Royal Oak

(10:26):
Music Theater bringing artists in, butyou had the music cafe and radio stations,
you know, broadcasting live from there, and and then you had Brass
Ring Productions, which is kind oflike the equivalent of Live Nation today,
who booked all these bands and bookedall these artists and they were right across
the street. So there had tohave been a connection there. And uh

(10:50):
yeah that was a rock and corner, no doubt about that. Oh no,
no, we had the very closeconnection action with breast Ring, the
one above us and I actually atone time, I don't know if you
remember about Fix we did. Wewere a partner in a place in Pantiac.
We opened a club together for awhile. So so yeah, I

(11:13):
have a really good connection with therestaurant. You've had so many clubs.
You've got a wife, you've gota couple of kids who are growing up
now. Drink it. Oh threeof them, drink it, okay,
drink it okay. So I wasgonna say, they've done very well.
How difficult was that to juggle,you know, all of these nightclubs and

(11:35):
restaurants and still have a very successfulfamily. Well, the only thing I
can say is my wife. Imean she she she was the really she
is now what she is the rockstar and the family. I mean she
you know, she put all togetherand then she gave me sanity, and

(11:56):
you know, thank God for that. So yeah, I have just a
regular beautiful wife and uh, verydown hurt and you know, raised the
two beautiful kids. And so Ihave to thank to her for you know,
obviously for my success. And youhave such such amazing restaurants. And

(12:16):
we're going to talk about the twothat you've got going right now here in
just a minute in Birmingham. Butand I've been to both of them and
I can attest to the fact thatthey are both amazing restaurants. But through
all of this with Taboo and Lynnolteyand the Music Cafe, somehow your connections

(12:41):
got you into a movie. Tellus about that. So, you know,
the Transformer or was in town andthen most of the actors and the
director of ard stay at the Poundsendand they used to come across the street

(13:01):
every day. That's what I metMark Bolber. Actually, you know,
I was parking the car, Iwas ballet parking at the Townshend and they
said, well, it's a famousmovie star inside your place. And I
have no idea who Mark Wolber was. You know, I'm not a movie
guy, so you know, we'rein time. I introduced myself and you
know in the a couple of daysthat we'll become good friends. And but

(13:26):
you know, a week later theywere at my house with him and the
wife and the kids having dinner atmy house. So well yeah, and
you know that's that's when I metyou know, Michael Bay, who I'm
still a very good friend. Youknow, we talked to you know,
every other month. And the oneday at my house, Michael Bay say,
you know, I want you tobe at my movie. I say,

(13:48):
listen, you know, when youdo Godfather number sixteen, wood Chair,
I will come in. But youknow I'm not an actor, so
anyway it can be. And thenext day they called me and they you
know, they put me in suitand I was the Deano, the professor.

(14:09):
You know, I was a guy. I'm the Stanley Tucci. So
well, no, no hold.So then movie, you know, like
a week before, Michael Beck calledme and said, you know what you
did great, But you know themove was three three and a half hours.
They need to cut down like fortyminutes, so I guess, so

(14:30):
they cut me out. But theydid the most incredible thing. Then they
cut the movie when my partners thepermission Paramount and actually have the DBD the
entire movie with me in me andStanley Tucci with a big party. Oh
my goodness. So they made aspecial copy for you. Yeah, yeah,
I got special copy. They cutit and you know, I'm into

(14:52):
the movie. I mean, Imean, there's nothing more famous than being,
you know, on the edit floorof a movie. That that that
to me is the best strip there. Nino. Yeah, oh man that
you know, you have lived thelife, there is no doubt about it,
and you still are today. Withthese beautiful restaurants that you have in

(15:16):
Birmingham. Uh. The first oneI was at was the uh Mara Mediterranean.
Tell us a little bit about Mara. Yeah, it's a seafood based
restaurant. You know, we havea fish come out of from Greece and
Portugal. I say, the allfresh fish should ever be frozen. That's
why it's so expensive. That's whatI mean. I think that that they

(15:37):
should do a business class, that'swhat. Yeah, they have a better
season than me when not travel,you know, to Europe and then and
then uh, you've got across fromthe town's end, you've got the Bella
Piati Bella Piati. Bella Piati isa sample of the city of Birmingham.
We've been there, believe it ornot, eleven years and and you know

(16:00):
we're still If you and I havea reservation Thursday Friday and say the Wednesday,
I mean you need to call acouple of weeks in events, sometimes
three weeks. And it's the one, you know, most incredible place.
I haven't been well. I mean, after eleven years, business kind of
plateau instead of the business is stillgoing up. So I don't know how,

(16:22):
but well it's uh, first off, it's beautiful inside, it's decorated
so cool. It is just anincredible space. And of course it's right
there in Birmingham, right across fromthe towns, and so you know it's
going to be first class all theway, and you have made it that
way. I don't know who youryou know, decorators were for these two

(16:45):
restaurants, but you know, wow, they they really delivered. I mean
they're both stunning when you walk inside. So yeah, you mad me Jeff
Fontana, So oh okay, verygood, So great job, incredible job.
Well you did an incredible job withthis book. Uh you know I

(17:07):
would have never suspected, you know, a book to come out of uh,
you know, the ownership of allthese nightclubs and restaurants. But I
guess when you look back and yousee all of the people that you've met,
all of the promotions that you've done, I mean, after all of
that, you're a rock star yourself. Now. You brought so many people
together for so many great things,and you've done so much for not only

(17:30):
the city but for your charities.So congratulations. So Doc deb Uh the
the author, you know, myghostwriter. You know he's R. J.
King. You know he did anincredible job. Obviously with my very
limited talents of English and better mylimited talents of spelling, I could never

(17:51):
do it without him. Uh.And anybody can buy the book at at
Taboo detroitry Detroit dot com and thenthey can go to Papa Joe in Birmingham
and also bellap Yata. We allwe have books over there. But you
joy Taboo dot com. You know, we'll just call and ye buy it

(18:15):
and will stand of the next dayand and all that goes to charity.
And that is a fantastic not onething go to what it costs to publish,
what it costs nothing is one hundredpercent to go to charity. Congratulations
Nino on this incredible endeavor, onthis brand new book, and we wish

(18:38):
you nothing but the best of luckwith your two restaurants as well. I
think that will continue no doubt uhinto the future. But fantastic job and
thanks for taking some time out totalk to us today. We appreciate it.
Thank you Doug very much. Iknow you for a long time.
Really many hundreds to be on yourshow, all right, well, thank
you and thank thanks for being onw ll Z.