Mike Williamson is a musician and songwriter who loves rock ’n’ roll and American popular music. Having played in Detroit and Los Angeles, he has just released his first solo album for Metrotone Music, featuring performances from Gene Taylor, Gregg Foreman, Dave James, Loren Molinare, Nick Alexander, and Jon Levy. Supported by bandmates Tim Connelly and Rick Johnson, the signature sound is simple: get musicians playing together in the same room. You’ll hear the influence of Chess blues, the Motown hits of Holland/Dozier/Holland, choppy British mod anthems, the dark Berlin funk of Iggy & Bowie, power pop guitar from Big Star to the Nerves, and a love of literate songwriters from Chuck Berry to Elvis Costello.

    Having almost learned to play guitar, Mike got his first gig at age 16, playing a Catholic girls’ high school only 2 weeks after joining the band Los Pinkos. He quickly began writing songs, several of which were recorded for their EP released on Pelado Records.

    He then formed his own band, the Metros, lauded as “teen punk sensations” by the Detroit Metro Times. After many gigs, the Metros released their first single and album on Rip Off Records, with a second 45 on Dirtnap Records. Fortunate to be part of the early Detroit garage rock scene, the band played shows with the White Stripes, the Sights, the Clone Defects, the Go, the Von Bondies, and others. During this period, Mike also teamed up with members of the Piranhas, the Murder City Wrecks, and the Sights to record a three song EP as Paul E. Ester & the Cruel Shoes for Rapid Pulse Records, featured in several Maximum Rock ’N’ Roll top 10 lists upon its release.

    After moving to Los Angeles, Mike now plays guitar, sings and writes for the Paper Hearts, who have recorded two albums. Their songs have been featured on internet radio, playlists from Green Day, and appeared in indie films and the Netflix series “Startup". They have shared the stage with the Adicts, Walter Lure, the Vibrators, the Weirdos, Prima Donna, Javier Escovedo, the Billybones, and the Crazy Squeeze. They have a forthcoming single and continue to play only the finest clubs and dive bars in Southern California.

    Mike also plays bass and sings with Double E & Bad Business, adding several of his songs to their repertoire. The band was recently named “Best New Country Rock Band” by the LA Weekly. They have shared the stage with the Stitches, Jenny Don’t and the Spurs, Chip Kinman’s Ford Maddox Ford, Pat Todd and the Rank Outsiders, Blood on the Saddle, and Patrolled by Radar. They have released one single, and are currently finishing a full length album.