[[Why not) Kick out the jams, motherfuckers!

**Downriviera** · December-19-10, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by Pam

I was too young to see their orginal incarnation but I saw the reunion with the 3 surviving members plus special guests at the Majestic a few years back. Good show.

I was at that show. It was good when Mark Arm from Mudhoney was on vocals, but that singer from the Lemonheads had no business being up there. Mick Collins joined for a song and that was good too. I was at the first reunion at the State as well. That was with four of them after Tyner died.

**detroittrader** · December-19-10, 11:37 AM

I bought this photo off Leni Sinclair a few years ago. This one says it all for me! It's from 1969 somewhere in Mt. Clemens.

**Bobl** · December-19-10, 02:00 PM

My opinion: The best MC5 performance on video is the Tartar Field show, easily found on You Tube. It was also the last live MC5 performance that I attended.
The band was special. They had really bad nights, but more really great, exciting ones.

**EASTSIDE CAT 67-83** · December-19-10, 04:32 PM

Rightous Post!

**Pam** · December-19-10, 06:11 PM

Originally Posted by Downriviera

As a youngster hangin out in my yard one day, a friend comes flyin up the driveway on his bike all excited. He says man you gotta come and see this. So I jump on my bike and we pedal over to Lincoln Park where these long hairs are jammin in a garage. It was the 5, and they hadn't played a show yet. We hung out in the driveway listening to the sonic wail. Needless to say it had a big effect on me. I started letting my hair grow longer and bothered my parents for a guitar. They started playing some shows at a bar on Fort Street in Lincoln Park which is now Ball and Cue billiards. We were way to young to get in, but it was pretty easy to hear standing outside. Finally got to see them at some outdoor events like Wayne State.

Cool story.

**mikefmich** · December-19-10, 06:13 PM

I can't remember every place I saw them, but I likely saw them the most at the Crows Nest on Harper & 13....that was kinda my home away from home for a year or so. Crows Nest, Hideout, Grande, Doghouse...those were the days.

**Pam** · December-19-10, 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by Downriviera

I was at that show. It was good when Mark Arm from Mudhoney was on vocals, but that singer from the Lemonheads had no business being up there. Mick Collins joined for a song and that was good too. I was at the first reunion at the State as well. That was with four of them after Tyner died.

I read somewhere that the Lemonheads dude begged to go along and they felt sorry for him. He was the weakest link in that show, but everyone else did alright.

**d'oh** · December-19-10, 07:00 PM

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MC5 was big on attitude and heavy with their sound but pretty much a one trick pony.
Their political angle and lack of real follow up material boxed them in.

Dead wrong!! Check out all 3 of their albums: there's depth, there's growth, there's greatness in spades..

Also, that German TV version of "Kick Out The Jams" is great but they also did a version of "Motor City's Burning" that day, which is also on YouTube, which is just so unbelievably badass.. They play that song like it's their life story, which it was....

**Whitehouse** · December-19-10, 09:43 PM

Originally Posted by d'oh

Also, that German TV version of "Kick Out The Jams" is great but they also did a version of "Motor City's Burning" that day, which is also on YouTube, which is just so unbelievably badass.. They play that song like it's their life story, which it was....

Hell, why not. Let's post that here as well. This thread is unexpectedly turning into something entertaining!!

Ps. According to the Wiki page they were active from 1964 to 1972. This video is from 1973. Wiki wrong again?

**Bobl** · December-19-10, 11:29 PM

MC5 - Looking At You [[Live 1970)

**1KielsonDrive** · December-19-10, 11:49 PM

Originally Posted by Whitehouse

Just because it is!

[[Finally an uncensored version on youtube....)

Has anyone in this forum ever seen them perform in person?

Many times. Detroit had a lot of great 'house' bands back then. If you were into music, you had myriad local band choices each week at myriad local venues. MC5, Stooges, SRC, Frost, Alice Cooper, Savage Grace, Up, Sunday Funnies, All The Lonely People, Third Power, Frijid Pink and on and on. Often local bands would be paired with national, international acts. Often it would be all Detroit/Michigan bands on the bill. Either way, the shows were incredibly good, with the local bands sometimes outperforming the 'headliners' as in the time I saw Savage Grace with Credence Clearwater Revival and a relatively unknown Jethro Tull at Olympia. It wasn't that Credence and Tull weren't good, they were excellent, but Savage Grace just brought the house down. The venues were top notch too: Eastown Theatre, Grande Ballroom, Palladium [[Birmingham), Factory Ballroom and a host of smaller clubs and high schools. It was, without a doubt, an excellent music scene.

**Ocean2026** · December-19-10, 11:58 PM

Saw them NYC in 69 - they were loud.

**1KielsonDrive** · December-20-10, 12:21 AM

Originally Posted by Ocean2026

Saw them NYC in 69 - they were loud.

Detroit bands were, as a rule of thumb, loud. They almost literally blew other bands off of the stage with volume and frenetic energy.

**bobby wobby** · December-20-10, 12:38 PM

The last time I saw the 5 was at the Driftwood Bar on Grand River, I remember they all had pointed shoes on , which where out of style at the time ,that made them cool.

**ordinary** · December-20-10, 01:04 PM

MC5? That's not music, that's crap!

**1KielsonDrive** · December-20-10, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by ordinary

MC5? That's not music, that's crap!

To each his/her own! I feel the same way about Kid Rock. But, there are lot's of people who like him.

**ordinary** · December-20-10, 02:13 PM

I know I'm being a little bombastic. I've worked in industrial settings my whole life and I've always tried to wear hearing protection when possible but now I definitely have to go get fitted for hearing aids. Why in the world anybody would willingly subject himself to this is beyond me. It's so formula, so cliche. The formula seems to be: buy an electric guitar, learn three chords, and play as loud as you can. Oh and don't forget to smash your musical instrument to show how edgy and raw you are and how much of a 'rebel' you are. Don't forget to where your converse Chuck Taylors either.

But, as you say, to each his own.

**EASTSIDE CAT 67-83** · December-20-10, 03:28 PM

And that makes you ......well ordinary

**Fury13** · December-20-10, 03:36 PM

MC5's claim to fame is that they were one of the first bands to use an expletive on record. It was oh-so-daring and forbidden at that time. The taboo factor sold a lot of records.

**ordinary** · December-20-10, 03:42 PM

Eastside Cat,
I am guilty as charged. I'm also kind of boring.

Fury,
You hit the nail on the head.

**Johnlodge** · December-20-10, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by ordinary

I know I'm being a little bombastic. I've worked in industrial settings my whole life and I've always tried to wear hearing protection when possible but now I definitely have to go get fitted for hearing aids. Why in the world anybody would willingly subject himself to this is beyond me. It's so formula, so cliche. The formula seems to be: buy an electric guitar, learn three chords, and play as loud as you can. Oh and don't forget to smash your musical instrument to show how edgy and raw you are and how much of a 'rebel' you are. Don't forget to where your converse Chuck Taylors either.

But, as you say, to each his own.

It wasn't formulaic and cliche when they were doing it. It is now because of everybody who came after and copied it. That's called being influential, and the MC5 were hugely influential to the garage/punk rock scene. People want to point to New York and London when discussing punk rock's roots, but Detroit's MC5 shouldn't be excluded from the conversation.

**GPCharles** · December-20-10, 04:25 PM

High school dance at Our Lady Star of the Sea girl's high school in Grosse Pointe Woods, off Morningside, I think. They got as far as "Kick out the jams, mother ..." and the power was 86ed. So much for that encore. The streets outside after the show were absolutely jammed and the GPW cops were beside themselves.

**Downriviera** · December-20-10, 05:26 PM

Originally Posted by Johnlodge

It wasn't formulaic and cliche when they were doing it. It is now because of everybody who came after and copied it. That's called being influential, and the MC5 were hugely influential to the garage/punk rock scene. People want to point to New York and London when discussing punk rock's roots, but Detroit's MC5 shouldn't be excluded from the conversation.

Amen, brother.

**ordinary** · December-20-10, 07:46 PM

I just find this weird hero worship a bit much, acting as if these guys were some kind of cultural icons. The whole shock value aspect of it is silly. Just some kids succeeding at getting a rise out of yelling the word motherfucker at a dance. .
I listen to people argue about which rock band was better and it reminds me of my kids when they were little arguing whether the hulk could kick superman's ass or whatever.

**sumas** · December-20-10, 08:04 PM

Thank you ordinary, very grounding. My kids had similiar fights.

Could have gone to Woodstock but I was clueless.

Saw most major bands in major and minor venues. Mostly just a date.