MC5 were an American rock band founded in 1963 by guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred Smith. [1] The band's classic line-up included Kramer, Smith, vocalist Rob Tyner, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis Thompson. At the time of Kramer's death in February 2024, the band consisted of Thompson, vocalist Brad Brooks, rhythm guitarist Stevie Salas, bassist Vicki Randle, and drummer Winston Watson (all since 2022).
In the early 60s both Kramer and Smith led garage rock bands, but later joined as one in 1963 under the name Bounty Hunters. Consisting of Billy Vargo on guitar and Leo LeDuc on drums, with Smith playing bass. [2] By 1964, Vargo and LeDuc were replaced by Smith and Bob Gaspar respectively. Rob Derminer auditioned for the bassist position although later became lead singer, adopting the name Rob Tyner. The bass postioned was filled by Patrick Burrows before Michael Davis and Dennis Thompson filled the bass and drum postions respectively. [3]
This line-up stayed together until 1972, when Davis left. [4] He was replaced by a quick succession of bassists (Steve Moorhouse, Derek Hughes, and Ray Craig) before disbanding in late 1972, after a disastrous New Years Eve show, [5] by which point Ritchie Dharma had replaced Thompson who departed alongside Tyner. [2]
Kramer reformed MC5 in 1974 with Mark Manko on rhythm guitar, Tim Schafe on bass, Bob Schultz on organ, and Frank Lowenberg on drums. [6] This version with Kramer singing lead vocals continued until 1975, when Kramer was incarcerated until 1978. [7]
The classic line-up of MC5 reformed in November 1992, [8] in tribute to Rob Tyner who died on September 18, 1991. [9] This reunion included Kramer, Smith, Davis and Thompson. In 2004, Davis, Kramer and Thompson toured under the name DKT/MC5. [10] By 2005, the trio were joined by singer Handsome Dick Manitoba (ex-The Dictators), and rhythm guitarist Gilby Clarke (ex-Guns and Roses). [11] [12] This version of the band disbanded in February 2012, following the death of Davis. [13]
Kramer reformed the band in May 2018, under the Name MC50. He was joined by Kim Thayil (guitar) and Matt Cameron (drums) of Soundgarden, Brendan Canty (drums) of Fugazi, and Doug Pinnick (bass) of King's X, as well as Marcus Durant (vocals) and Don Was (bass). [14] By August, the line-up included Kramer, Thayil, Canty, Durant and bassist Billy Gould (of Faith No More). [15]
MC5 returned in 2022, now consisting of Kramer, singer Brad Brooks, drummer Stephen Perkins (Jane’s Addiction), bassist Vicki Randle (Mavis Staples), and guitarist Stevie Salas (David Bowie). [16] Perkins was soon replaced by Winston Watson. [17] Kramer also announced a new album, which would feature many guests, including Thompson. [18]
Kramer died in February 2024, [19] no announcement was made on the continuation of the band. Thompson also died in May 2024, [20] which signalled the end of MC5.
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne Kramer |
|
| all releases | |
| Fred "Sonic" Smith |
|
| all releases, except Heavy Lifting (2024) | |
| Billy Vargo | 1963–1964 | rhythm guitar | none | |
| Leo LeDuc | drums | |||
| Bob Gaspar | 1964–1965 | |||
| Rob Tyner |
|
| all releases, except Heavy Lifting (2024) | |
| Patrick Burrows | 1964–1965 | bass guitar | none | |
| Dennis Thompson |
| drums | all releases | |
| Michael Davis |
|
| all releases, except Heavy Lifting (2024) | |
| Steve "Annapurna" Moorhouse | 1972 | bass guitar | none | |
| Derek Hughes | ||||
| Ray Craig | ||||
| Ritchie Dharma | drums | |||
| Frank Lowenberg | 1974–1975 | |||
| Bob Schultz | keyboards | |||
| Tim Schafe | bass guitar | |||
| Mark Manko | rhythm guitar | |||
| Gilby Clarke | 2005–2012 |
| ||
| Richard Manitoba | 2005–2012 | lead vocals | ||
| Marcus Durant | 2018 | Heavy Lifting (2024) bonus edition | ||
| Kim Thayil | rhythm guitar | |||
| Brendan Canty | drums | |||
| Matt Cameron | ||||
| Doug Pinnick |
| |||
| Don Was | ||||
| Billy Gould | ||||
| Vicki Randle | 2022–2024 | Heavy Lifting (2024) | ||
| Brad Brooks | lead vocals | |||
| Stevie Salas | rhythm guitar | |||
| Stephen Perkins | 2022 | drums | ||
| Winston Watson | 2022–2024 |
| Period | Members | Releases |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 |
| none – rehearsals only |
| 1964 |
| |
| none – live performances only | |
| Early – December 1965 |
| |
| December 1965 |
| |
| December 1965 – February 1972 |
|
|
| February – March 1972 |
| none – live performances only |
| March 1972 |
| |
| April – May 1972 |
| |
| June – November 1972 |
| |
| November – December 1972 |
| |
| Disbanded 1972 to 1974 | ||
| 1974 – 1975 |
| none – live performances only |
| Disbanded 1975 to 1992 | ||
| November 1992 |
| none – one live performance |
| Disbanded 1992 to 2004 | ||
| June 2004 – January 2005 |
| none – live performances only |
| January 2005 – February 2012 |
| |
| Disbanded 2012 – 2018 | ||
| May – August 2018 |
| none – live performances only |
| August – December 2018 |
| |
| Hiatus 2018 to 2022 | ||
| March – April 2022 |
| none – rehearsals only |
| April 2022 – February 2024 |
|
|
MC5 was an American rock band formed in Lincoln Park, Michigan, in 1963. The classic line-up consisted of vocalist Rob Tyner, guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis Thompson. MC5 were listed by Parade as one of the best rock bands of all time and by VH1 as one of the greatest hard rock artists of all time. The band's first three albums are regarded by many as staples of rock music, and their 1969 song "Kick Out the Jams" is widely covered.
Kick Out the Jams is the debut album by American rock band MC5. It was released in February 1969, through Elektra Records. It was recorded live at Detroit's Grande Ballroom over two nights, Devil's Night and Halloween, 1968.
Back in the USA is the first studio album by the American rock band MC5, released on January 15, 1970. It is their second album overall, following 1969's live album Kick Out the Jams.
Kim Anand Thayil is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist of the Seattle-based rock band Soundgarden, which he co-founded with singer Chris Cornell and bassist Hiro Yamamoto in 1984. Cornell and Thayil remained as the original members of the band until Cornell's death in 2017, and the band's subsequent split in 2018. Thayil was named the 100th greatest guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone in 2010, and the 67th greatest guitarist of all time by SPIN in 2012. Thayil has won two Grammy Awards as a member of Soundgarden.
William David Gould is an American musician and producer. He is best known as the bassist of Faith No More.
Larry Wallis was a British rock guitarist, songwriter and producer. He was best known as a member of the Pink Fairies and an early member of Motörhead.
Gilbert J. Clarke is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter and record producer. He is known for having a three-year tenure as the rhythm guitarist of Guns N' Roses, replacing Izzy Stradlin in 1991 during the Use Your Illusion Tour, and also featured on "The Spaghetti Incident?" (1993). Following this, Clarke went on to forge a solo career as well playing guitar with Slash's Snakepit, Kat Men, Heart, Nancy Sinatra, Kathy Valentine, MC5 and forming his own group Rock Star Supernova with members of Metallica and Mötley Crüe.
Tracy Irving Richard Ulrich, known professionally as Tracii Guns, is an American guitarist best known as the co-founder of glam metal group L.A. Guns, as well as the supergroups Brides of Destruction and Contraband. He was also a founding member of Guns N' Roses, but left shortly afterwards and was replaced by guitarist Slash.
Anders Niklas Andersson, also known as Nicke Andersson, is a Swedish musician best known as the singer and guitarist for the rock band The Hellacopters and drummer for the death metal band Entombed. Besides his work with the Hellacopters and Entombed, Andersson currently plays and writes songs for the soul band The Solution, the death metal band Death Breath, the hard rock band Lucifer, and rock band Imperial State Electric.
High Time is the second studio album by the American rock band MC5, released in 1971 by Atlantic Records.
Douglas Theodore Pinnick, sometimes stylized as dUg Pinnick or simply dUg, is an American musician best known as the bass guitarist, co-lead vocalist, and songwriter for the hard rock and progressive metal band King's X. He has performed on 15 albums with King's X and recorded four solo albums. Pinnick has also participated in numerous side projects and has multiple guest appearances to his credit. He is recognized for his unique vocals, and heavily distorted bass tone. Pinnick often plays bass with a guitar pick, though he has also been seen using his fingers.
Wayne Stanley Kramer was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer, and film and television composer. Kramer came to prominence in the 1960s as the lead guitarist of the Detroit rock band MC5.
Robert W. Derminer, known as Rob Tyner, was an American musician best known as the lead singer for the Detroit proto-punk band MC5. His adopted surname was in tribute to the jazz pianist McCoy Tyner. It was Tyner who issued the rallying cry of "kick out the jams, motherfuckers" at the MC5's live concerts. Tyner had originally auditioned as the bass player, but the band felt his talents would be best used as the lead vocalist.
Vicki Randle is an American singer, multi-instrumentalist and composer, known as the first permanent female member of The Tonight Show Band, starting with host Jay Leno in 1992.
The Dakotas are a group of British musicians, which initially convened as a backing band in Manchester, England. Their original vocalist was Pete McLaine who Brian Epstein replaced with the singer Billy J. Kramer, a Liverpudlian who was the lead vocalist for the group during the 1960s. In the U.S., they are regarded as part of the British Invasion.
"Kick Out the Jams" is a song by MC5, released as a single in March 1969 by Elektra Records. The album of the same name caused some controversy due to inflammatory liner notes by the band's manager, John Sinclair, and the track's rallying cry of "Kick out the jams, motherfuckers!". According to guitarist Wayne Kramer, the band recorded this as "Kick out the jams, brothers and sisters!" for the single released for radio play; lead vocalist Rob Tyner claimed this was done without group consensus. The edited version also appeared in some LP copies, which also withdrew Sinclair's excitable comments. The album was released in January 1969; reviews were mixed, but the album was relatively successful, quickly selling over 100,000 copies and peaking at #30 on the Billboard album chart in May 1969 during a 23-week stay.
Michael Davis was an American bass guitarist, singer, songwriter and music producer, best known as a member of the MC5.
Dennis Thompson was an American drummer known for playing with the 1960s–70s Detroit proto-punk/hard rock group MC5, which had a No. 82 US single with "Kick Out the Jams" and a No. 30 US album with the same name.
Teen Age Lust is a live album by American rock band MC5. It was recorded live at the Saginaw Civic Center in Saginaw, Michigan in January 1970. It was released in 1996 on Total Energy Records after digital remastering.
