Sonic's Rendezvous Band came from the ashes of four Michigan rock bands: Fred "Sonic" Smith, formerly of the MC5, Scott Morgan, formerly of the Rationals, a soul-influenced Detroit band of the 1960s, Gary Rasmussen, formerly of The Up & Scott Asheton, formerly of The Stooges. They remained virtually unknown, but their one and only single retained high interest among fans of Detroit rock. The band had had only enough money to mix one song, "City Slang", so it was pressed on both sides of the single. One side was labeled mono and one side stereo although both sides were identical.