Detroit is very "in the news" right now because of Eminem, Kid Rock, White Stripes, the garage rock phenomenon.

We chatted with the man behind Detroit-cool, Daniel Haberman, owner of The Bosco lounge and man behind the big buzz CD, Mr Reynold's Opus.

Is Detroit hip?
DH: I would say judge that by how many pseudo retro Detroit t shirts are in the stores around New York. Everybody thinks they're the next great thing. It's just that here everyone is in a band. Instead of being bankers or models, they're all musicians.

Are you in a band?
DH: I have no musical abilities, not even in shower.

Are you wearing a pseudo retro Detroit t shirt right now?
DH: No

What are you wearing right now?
DH: Track pants and a t shirt with the word Staff for the live music venue next door. It will only be seen by me, delivery guys, and a dog groomer so I'm looking swanky.

It's reverse discrimination at nightclubs. For example, white boys are immediately turned away or the bouncer makes them wait for a long time. You're a white boy. What do you think of that?
DH: I'm white?

What's your favourite non Bosco bar?
DH: The Lazy Flamingo in Captiva Island, Florida.
HipGuide note: This place is great. They don't have waiters or napkins. Julia Roberts and various Kennedys think so too. 6520 C Pine Avenue, Sanibel, Florida, 239 472 5353

How is your new lounge compilation CD different than all the other lounge CDs, such as the ubiquitous Hotel Costes?
DH: The ones that I am familiar with tend to be a little less whole in their sound, not as much funk oriented as the stuff we put out. We tend to focus a little more on the funk and the hip hop and the African sound.

Would you say you're influenced by Eminem?
DH:Nope.

Has he come into the bar?
DH: I don't know.

Do you have a door policy?
DH: We tend to discourage shiny chains, shiny shirts and anything else shiny.

Are you planning to open spots on either coast any time soon?
DH: Not in the next couple months. It's not out of the question but it's not the central question.

What's the central question?
DH: It would revolve around the economy. It's not the time to extend oneself too crazily.

What do you tell locals who think your bar is too "New York"?
DH: It depends on the read. If someone is telling me that and they have a Red Wings jersey, I'm going to expect it. If we told them to take off their gold chain and they're just pissed off, I'm not going to thing about it too much. It's a process in an emerging city and an education process, it takes adjusting for some of the people here.

What other places would you say are emerging cities?
DH: Portland. St Louis. Charleston.

Rumour has it you love Champale? Why is this?
DH: It's the anti pseudo wine cooler when you're too embarrassed to even order a wine cooler. It's the original malt beverage, flavoured to taste like champagne, instead of berries. Originally Fred Sanford drank it with Ripple to create Champipple. Tastewise it's a vile beverage but people get a kick out of seeing it.

What's the house vodka?
DH: Skyy is the lowest end drink. There's no Popov, no old Willie's home brew recipe.

Rumour also has it that you don't date your waitresses?
DH: Damn right. You don't if you want to be around for awhile. You don't dip your pen in the company ink. You don't want to see your waitress' lawyer. And I am a lawyer! You just want her to show up to work.

Do you date the customers?
DH: I try not to. When you work all the time it becomes hard to avoid.

What do you think of the non smoking laws in NY, LA and San Francisco?
DH: It depends on how pissed people will be. We make very little money off the sale of cigarettes and we have an outdoor area so if that law extended to Michigan we'd be in a good position.