The MC5.

 

Heck I'm 53 and I didn't hear about these guys until about 12 years ago. This album was released February 1969. If not for getting back into vinyl about 12 years ago I might not have discovered these cat's. This is one of those bands that has inspired so many musicial artist over the years. And most people do not know who the MC5 are. I give you the MC5 The Motor City Five...

Here is a link to this album.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAGIIopsBLI

Way ahead of it's time Small language warning...

Edited December 30, 20178 yr by ADopted ADmiral
Language Warning...

Way ahead of it's time Small language warning...

 

Damn...This song rocks.

Punk before Punk.

Back in the late 60's early 70's. Rob Tyner probably had the best white boy afro at that time. lol. Heck at that time he may have had the best Afro

Here is a link to this album.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAGIIopsBLI

 

I was late to the MC5 party too, and this is the album that I have in my collection. They were definitely powerful, and WAY ahead of their time.

 

"Kick Out The Jams" rocks for sure.

 

Visually because of the lead singer, the more current band/s that I think of when watching him and their energy is "At the Drive In", and "The Mars Volta" that followed with the same two brothers as the central players.

@ADopted ADmiral The Mars Volta however were somewhat like Led Zeppelin meets MC5 in some crazy rockin' punked out, freaked out mess of a freakin' mess.

 

You really have to be in a certain mood to get through it, and while definitely innovative, there decidedly is a throwback hard rockin' 70's hippy thing going on with them within a chaotic mess of their unique brand of punk.

One of the most influential and yet primarily unknown bands of all time.

 

I'd never heard of them until Rage Against the Machine covered "Kick Out the Jams" on their "Renegades" album that came out probably 17 years ago.

@ADopted ADmiral

 

Considering that you're a band freak and dig all such trivia surrounding it, I wanted to add that whenever I think of MC5 it also makes me think about another band that I admittedly know next to nothing about, but are often noted by other musicians as being a big influence to them.

 

Big Star w/ Alex Chilton

 

I don't know what exactly is holding me back from delving in to find out what they're all about, but I'm intrigued and think that your thread on MC5 might have finally sparked me into taking the leap.

 

Even before ever hearing of Big Star I had some vague knowledge that before passing away Alex Chilton was Patti Smith's boyfriend, and had produced some of her work, but that's really the only limited info that I'm aware of.

 

I don't know how significant it is, or if it's considered an important track for them, but when I search for Big Star on Youtube the song "Thirteen" from 1972 seems to have the most views, so I'll assume that it's a good place to start. Upon first listen, I like the tune alright.

 

[video=youtube;pte3Jg-2Ax4]

@ADopted ADmiral

 

Considering that you're a band freak and dig all such trivia surrounding it, I wanted to add that whenever I think of MC5 it also makes me think about another band that I admittedly know next to nothing about, but are often noted by other musicians as being a big influence to them.

 

Big Star w/ Alex Chilton

 

I don't know what exactly is holding me back from delving in to find out what they're all about, but I'm intrigued and think that your thread on MC5 might have finally sparked me into taking the leap.

 

Even before ever hearing of Big Star I had some vague knowledge that before passing away Alex Chilton was Patti Smith's boyfriend, and had produced some of her work, but that's really the only limited info that I'm aware of.

 

I don't know how significant it is, or if it's considered an important track for them, but when I search for Big Star on Youtube the song "Thirteen" from 1972 seems to have the most views, so I'll assume that it's a good place to start. Upon first listen, I like the tune alright.

 

[video=youtube;pte3Jg-2Ax4]

 

Big Star is excellent power pop. You can hear the direct lineage from them to bands like Oasis and Blur later on.

 

One of my favorite Big Star songs is "The Ballad of El Goodo", which may be more familiar to most as covered by Evan Dando on the Empire Records soundtrack.

 

Their song "In the Street" is the opening for the first season or so of That 70s Show. Later seasons used a Cheap Trick cover of the song.

 

Basically the entire "#1 Record" (an ambitious title) album is excellent.

 

From there, I'd recommend diving in to Chris Bell's album "I am the Cosmos".. Particularly the title track.

 

Their concert in Columbia, MO from 1993 recently got released in its entirety. I bought it on vinyl on RSD last year, and I'm sure it's on Spotify. It's got a nice mix of all eras, including solo work and covers.

 

There's also a good documentary about the band that used to be on Netflix and may still be called "Nothing Can Hurt Me". If you can find that, check it out.

 

Just a very influential band with simple power pop songs that'll never get the respect they deserve.

Big Star is excellent power pop. You can hear the direct lineage from them to bands like Oasis and Blur later on.

 

One of my favorite Big Star songs is "The Ballad of El Goodo", which may be more familiar to most as covered by Evan Dando on the Empire Records soundtrack.

 

Their song "In the Street" is the opening for the first season or so of That 70s Show. Later seasons used a Cheap Trick cover of the song.

 

Basically the entire "#1 Record" (an ambitious title) album is excellent.

 

From there, I'd recommend diving in to Chris Bell's album "I am the Cosmos".. Particularly the title track.

 

Their concert in Columbia, MO from 1993 recently got released in its entirety. I bought it on vinyl on RSD last year, and I'm sure it's on Spotify. It's got a nice mix of all eras, including solo work and covers.

 

There's also a good documentary about the band that used to be on Netflix and may still be called "Nothing Can Hurt Me". If you can find that, check it out.

 

Just a very influential band with simple power pop songs that'll never get the respect they deserve.

 

Thanks for all of this information as it gives me place to start... I'll certainly check it out. I'm eager to see if I can spot their mark on other bands such as Oasis and Blur like you've mentioned, and possibly others.

Thanks for all of this information as it gives me place to start... I'll certainly check it out. I'm eager to see if I can spot their mark on other bands such as Oasis and Blur like you've mentioned, and possibly others.

 

No problem, hope you enjoy. The crime of it all is that they were only around for three years. They split up in 1974 and Chris Bell died in a car crash at the age of 27 in 78. I love Alex Chilton, but Bell had so much more to give.