Emerging from the gritty streets of Detroit in the mid-1960s, MC5 revolutionized rock and roll with their blistering fusion of garage rock, blues, soul, free jazz, and proto-punk. Infamous for incendiary live performances and a radical left-wing stance, their status as pioneers of punk and protest rock has inspired many musicians like Ramones, The Clash, Rage Against The Machine, The White Stripes, Slash, and countless others and continue to shape the sound of punk and alternative rock for generations to come.
earMUSIC will release the first new music from MC5 in more than 50 years (following 1971’s “High Time”) with the album “Heavy Lifting” due October 18 — one day before the band’s induction into 2024’s Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame when they will receive the “Musical Excellence Award.”
“Heavy Lifting” features guitar and vocals by founding MC5 member Wayne Kramer, who also co-wrote 12 of the album’s 13 songs together with Oakland singer/songwriter Brad Brooks. Prolific for five decades, Kramer was the last remaining active member of MC5. He passed away suddenly in February, followed by the death of drummer Dennis “Machine Gun” Thompson in May. It is Thompson‘s final studio recording.
Led by Wayne Kramer and recorded with iconic producer Bob Ezrin (Lou Reed, Alice Cooper, Kiss), the album features original MC5 drummer Dennis ‘Machine Gun’ Thompson on two tracks along with special guests including Slash, Tom Morello, William DuVall (Alice in Chains), Vernon Reid (Living Colour), Don Was, and Tim McIlrath (Rise Against)
Pre-order “Heavy Lifting” on CD, vinyl, and digital download, in addition to bonus 2CD and bonus 2LP, HERE.
The album’s debut track “Boys Who Play With Matches” is out digitally today. Stream it below.
In an interview with Uncut in November 2023, Kramer discussed the album and said: “Live long and stay creative. This is my attitude. And this album continues from where ‘High Time’ left off. In that, I think it’s an artist’s responsibility to reflect the times they’re going through. And I think that we made an album that is in sync with where we’re at today and the challenges that we’re facing, and that carries a positive message.”
“It’s very heavy,” iconic producer Bob Ezrin reports on “Heavy Lifting”. “It has a revolutionary message but also a good sense of humor. There’s a little bit of heavy metal. There’s quite a bit of funk. But it is a heavy record, and it’s a guitar record left, right, and center. Just a wall of guitars most of the time, and mostly driven by Wayne and his ethos. It’s a snapshot of a guitar man at the height of his powers. We all feel a responsibility to make sure that his work is heard, and he is celebrated. We poured our hearts into the project.”
