MC5 holds a special place in Rock history as being not only a rock spectacle from michigan, but also containing influential pioneers that went on to influence the Punk world and play within it despite having started in the early ’60s. Wayne Kramer, and Fred “Sonic” Smith went on to other fame as solo performers and with Fred Smith, his own band and having married Patti Smith, collaborating with her on her comeback Dream of Life album. MC5 was managed by political activist/provocateur, John Sinclair, who was famously sentenced 10 years for possession of two joints in 1969 (but was released in 1972 after the law he was arrested on was declared unconstitutional). MC5 produced two studio albums with Back In The USA (1970), and High Time (1971), along with the popular Kick Out The Jams live set that performed better on the charts than their studio albums. The band dissolved in 1973.
On October 18, a reformed MC5 will release a new album featuring 13 new songs, most written by Wayne Kramer, who led this project. Also in attendance for a few songs was original drummer, Dennis Thompson. Unfortunately, both members of the iconic band have now joined their brothers on another plane of existence. Kramer passed in February of 2024; Thompson followed in May. The new album, which has a single in release – “Boys Who Play with Matches” (heard below), will be called Heavy Lifting. Heavy Lifting was produced by original MC5 producer, Bob Ezrin, and accompanied by a star stable of “influenced by MC5” artists.
Heavy Lifting will be released on 2CD, DD, and 2LP on Black vinyl. The second disc in the sets are ten previously unreleased live performance tracks from recent MC50 Tour.
Heavy Lifting – MC5
CD1 (Original Album)
01 Heavy Lifting (with Tom Morello)
02 Barbarians At The Gate
03 Change, No Change
04 The Edge Of The Switchblade (with William DuVall and Slash)
05 Black Boots (with Tim McIlrath)
06 I Am The Fun (The Phoney)
07 Twenty-Five Miles
08 Because Of Your Car
09 Boys Who Play With Matches
10 Blind Eye (with Dennis “Machine Gun” Thompson)
11 Can’t Be Found (with Vernon Reid & Dennis “Machine Gun” Thompson)
12 Blessed Release
13 Hit It Hard (with Joe Berry)
CD2 (Bonus Disc – Previously Unreleased Live Tracks)
01 Ramblin’ Rose
02 Kick Out The Jams
03 Come Together
04 Motor City Is Burning
05 Borderline
06 Gotta Keep Movin’
07 Future/Now
08 Poison
09 Shakin’ Street
10 Sister Anne