Love, Rock 'n' Roll Style

These days more and more people are realizing that the MC5's "Miss X" is the ultimate rock 'n' roll love song. While listening to an original copy of High Time, my friend Paul first made that comment, and upon the slight amount of though needed I realized he was right. Just weeks ago while watching the first episode of Eastbound & Down I saw that show's brilliant producers agreed. ...Enough to make Wayne Kramer the show's composer, so if you still haven't watched that show, there's yet another reason. So, in effect this entry is dedicated to my friends Tommy and Mike who made my love of the show possible... at least at the time at which it happened.

Rob Tyner's voice is at its soulful best and the band channels all its energy into a more focused and elegant sound than previously heard. Like the rest of the album it is rawer than the previous album, but still cleaner and more accessible than Kick Out The Jams. "Miss X" stands out as one for the ages and its sincerity will pull at the heart strings of any true rock fan. Written entirely by Kramer it justifies why he is the man most synonomous with the group even more than the mere fact that he unlike Rob Tyner and Fred "Sonic" Smith are gone and he is still around. I have looked for video footage of them performing this song, curious as to how it would translate and what would be done about the piano and organ parts, but no luck. If you have any link to such footage please share!

This is an essential record for all curious about Detroit rock as it is often considered their best and other classic songs include the opener "Sister Anne," "Poison," and "Future/Now." After a live album and one that was jsut too clean and pithy the MC5's swansong at last captured their legacy. It is perhaps the greatest testament to everything great that the Detroit protopunkers achieved.


The MC5 - High Time (1971)

Right Now, Right Now, Right Now, Right Now it's time to...

KICK OUT THE JAMS MOTHERFUCKERS!!!!

Continuing off their notable followers from last night, here's the MC5. They are the greatest.

This debut album of theirs recorded after years together working as a house band, recording singles, and only a year after their long and legendary performance at the 1968 DNC in Chicago captures their unparalleled live energy. Recorded around the peak of their association with the White Panther Party there is a whole lot whole lot of political rambling which luckily just adds to the energy of the performance. It should be noted how loose these affiliations were in reality with members going on to say "We weren't really into the whole political thing but chicks seemed to dig it," and "Being the young hustlers we were, we knew this whole hippie thing was gonna be huge." And they sure were young. Fred "Sonic" Smith was only 19 at the time this was recorded, and he wasn't too far below the average age at all. Despite this, all musicians excel and Rob Tyner's vocal perforamce and stage presence is legendary.

The record, while recorded at two separate performaces in Michigan has the vibe of the best concert you've ever been to with a performance structure that puts any "theatre rock" to shame. This is highlighted by Tyner's delayed arrival after the poplitical rant/hype and Brother Wayne Kramer's bizarre vocal lead on "Ramblin' Rose." After the blues standard Tyner procedes to kick out the jams. The energy never wanes, especially on the first side with closer "Rocket Reducer #62 (Rama Lama Fa Fa Fa)." The album oozes with sexual energy and simply put is rock at it's rockinest.

While at the time this was considered heavy metal (a topic I could outline for ages), and now classified as proto-punk, the group really shows all their sides. There is a whole lot experimentation, not only in the heavily cited use of feedback and heavy distortion, but their moves in free jazz and psychedelic territory.


The MC5 - Kick Out The Jams (1969)

Best listened to in a muscle car. (RIP Pontiac)


If you ask me, THIS is the high society!