Wayne Kramer of the MC5 Interview Show
Detroit's MC5 were a ground breaking thrashy punk garage band formed by Wayne Kramer that released a rabid debut in 1968, recorded live at the Grande Ballroom, called "Kick Out the Jams." Two albums followed in '70 and '71 to complete their oeuvre, while the members (particularly Kramer) immersed themselves in the political maelstrom happening in Detroit and Ann Arbor in those turbulent times. Kramer was the "Minister of Culture" of the White Panther Party, whose leader, John Sinclair, also managed MC5. The two experienced plenty of jail time, John for possession of two joints and Wayne for dealing cocaine. We'll deal mainly with the music and politics (leaving Wayne's drug addiction, criminal activities, and correctional experience behind, described in detail in his brand new memoir "The Hard Stuff.") MC5 are touring with Soundgarden's Kim Thayil and Fugazi's Brendan Canty as part of the band.