Going back in sonic history looking for memorable albums…
1 February 2019
Band: MC5
Album: KICK OUT THE JAMS – the band’s debut (live) LP
Released: February 1969 – 50 years ago
ALL MUSIC wrote: “Rather than try to capture their legendary on-stage energy in a studio,
MC5 opted to record their first album during a live concert at their home base, Detroit’s
Grande Ballroom, and while some folks who were there have quibbled that Kick Out the Jams isn’t the most accurate representation of the band’s sound, it’s certainly the best of the band’s three original albums, and easily beats the many semi-authorized live recordings of MC5 that have emerged in recent years…. The band sound like they’re locked in tight and cooking with gas, while the full-blown rockers (pretty much all of side one) are as gloriously thunderous as anything ever committed to tape; this is an album that refuses to be played quietly. For many years, Detroit was considered the High Energy Rock & Roll Capital of the World, and ‘Kick Out The Jams’ provided all the evidence anyone might need for the city to hold onto the title.”
Full review here – Score: 5/5
Turn Up The Volume says: The first time I heard the record – late seventies – about
10 years after its release I was perplexed. I remember I never ever experienced such
a rambunctious and crazed helter-skelter racket although I had tons of LOUD records
in my collection: The Stooges, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Birthday
Party, New York Dolls and so on. It wasn’t like MC5 reinvented rock ‘n’ roll. No, it was
all about the overwhelming, red-hot, knockout performance that almost trashed my speakers. It felt like a hellish explosion! A fucking tornado! A turbulent storm! It wasn’t really about the number of decibels (pretty high, of course) but the sheer E-N-E-R-G-Y the band developed, like a bunch of mental maniacs who got out of their straight jackets only once a month. You get exhausted just by listing to them. Anyway, if you never heard of these legends than this brilliant footage will give you an idea of MC5’s massive stamina …
“We weren’t on a meth power trip… just a power trip” – MC5
Album in full…
.
As all the fans know original member WAYNE KRAMER formed a 50th ‘KICK OUT THE JAMS’ Birthday band with famous musicians (members of Soundgarden, Fugazi and Don Was among others) and started a world tour last year with several new dates (so far only
in Europe) to come in 2019. Check them out here .
MC50: Website – Facebook – Instagram