Following the MC5's recent nomination into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, guitarist Wayne Kramer has announced new music and a tour as part of a "reanimation" of the pioneering band, dubbed We Are All MC5.
The eight-date trek starts on May 5 at Detroit's El Club. Tickets go on sale on Friday, March 11.
"Nonstop touring, especially the last decade, I've come to understand that the music of the MC5 is as necessary as ever," Kramer said in a video statement. "It's definitely high time to write and record new songs and to carry a message of uncompromising hard rock to fans around the world."
The We Are All MC5 touring band includes singer Brad Brooks, drummer Stephen Perkins (Jane's Addiction), bassist Vicki Randle (Mavis Staples), and guitarist Stevie Salas (David Bowie).
The band has also recorded new music, Kramer's first as MC5 since 1972. A full album is slated for release in October on the Ear Music label.
Produced by Bob Ezrin (who has also worked with Pink Floyd, Lou Reed, Alice Cooper, and KISS), the lead single's A-side "Heavy Lifting" features Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, along with Don Was, Abe Laboriel Jr., and vocals by Brooks.
The B-side, "Edge of the Switchblade," is a reworking of a track from Kramer's 1995 solo record The Hard Stuff, and features guest vocalist William Duvall from Alice in Chains.
According to a statement from Kramer, he also collaborated with original MC5 drummer Dennis "Machine Gun" Thompson, Jill Sobule, Tim McIlrath, Kesha, and Alejandro Escovedo.
"Bob Ezrin produces because he is not only the titan of rock but also the most natural choice to deliver this music to fans in search of songs that capture an ultra-amplified soul," Kramer said. "The results are earth-shaking rock and roll."
The MC5 made its debut in 1969 with Kick Out the Jams, with an iconic intro calling to "kick out the jams, motherfuckers!" that resulted in Detroit's former Hudson's department store refusing the stock the record, and the band getting dropped from its label. MC5 followed with 1970's Back in the USA and 1971's High Time, with the original band breaking up in 1972. Stay connected with Detroit Metro Times. Subscribe to our newsletters, and follow us on Google News, Apple News, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Reddit.
