The MC5 were Punks before there was any classification of it as a musical genre. This live album was recorded nearly ten years before there were bands such as the Sex Pistols, The Clash, the Dead Kennedys or Black Flag. This album was full of controversy on release, with a bunch of bad marketing decisions attempting to prevent the album from being promoted or sold, namely in Hudsons and this eventually convinced their then label Elektra to drop the band. However, much like The Stooges or The Velvet Underground who were also forerunners of what eventually became known as Punk, the music surpassed the bad circumstances of the time to be widely accepted in the musical history books as an essential listening experience for all interested in rebellion, chaos and energetic music. The band consisted of Rob Tyner (vocals), Wayne Kramer (guitars and vocals), Fred “Sonic” Smith (guitars and backing vocals), Michael Davis (bass guitar) and Dennis Thompson (drums). Let’s hear this album and we shall see if it sounds as good as it can today.

Ramblin’ Rose begins with some clapping and screaming from the audience in anticipation of the band. This is different, and eventually it leads into applause for the group. The group leads to the microphones and asks the crowd to get noisy. The band then asks if the listener out there is either going to be part of the problem, or the solution. A really fantastic introduction to the music at hand. Really cool and manic sounding. Eventually, electric guitars and drums enter. This is simple, loud and punchy, and put simply, it is very powerful. The vocals here are strangely falsetto delivery based vocals. A manic guitar solo follows, and this tune sounds odd in its appeal and intent. Very much sounding like the most furious thing out of the 1960s, this does sound like a band who was treading new territory here. This is a piece of in your face Rock music. The guitar soloing at the end is nuts. It then ends with loud guitars laden with feedback and chaotic drum rolls. The audience approves of it all.

Kick Out The Jams begins with loud guitars and punchy drumming, quickly launching into a good tune with decent singing. The guitar riffing is good, and the whole song is much the same. It’s a manic, confrontational and completely different sounding listening experience from anything else the Hippies were doing at the time. A loud guitar solo is in the second half whilst the band continue on. Profanities are present throughout, which was also a big step ahead in Rock music at the time. It ends with loud, noisy guitars and drum rolls. Not bad.

Come Together begins with guitar swells and enters into a loud and noisy tune. It sounds very discordant and quickly enters into a very fiery-sounding song. This is not The Beatles song of the same name, it is a loud and manic tune instead. After a while, a guitar-led jam enters and this sounds completely different to anything else recorded in 1969. The volume, insanity and spirit of the music are clearly audible here. It sounds like the sort of music that could kick-start a revolution. It does sound very different. The loud guitars and pounding drums throughout are an attention grabber. Imitating orgasm sounds, this is obviously an imitation of sexual activity here. Very much adult music for those who have no need to worry about an R18+ label sort of music, this is dramatic and powerful in its intent. An okay song, even for those of you who do not like the rebellious ethos of this sort of music. The feedback-laden guitars at the end sound shrill, but the song eventually concludes with loud cheers. The band makes some interesting comments at the end of this song.

Rocket Reducer No. 62 – Talk has some talk at the start, quickly launching into an oppressive and destructive-sounding tune that is a loud, confrontational and chaotic listening experience. There are guitars galore, launching into some very good riffing. This is proto-Punk and Garage band-styled music. This one is somewhat more poppy, yet retains the loud, raw and furious-sounding music of the live performance. This is the sort of music that would deliberately start revolutions in society, though (hopefully) perhaps more musical revolutions than political ones. A really out there tune, the guitar playing is very, very good, with some soloing that is simple, oppressive and impressive. Some harmonies in the middle of this song sound really cool. An interesting musical piece, this is rather an odd listen but one that makes sense if you are angry and fed up with society. Obviously a loud and chaotic sounding group, the band stops as dual guitars do a neat solo section. This sounds very different from the Psychedelic/Progressive Rock of the time. It gradually slows down, and the band concludes playing with loud overdriven chords and interesting drumming. Very different and loud sounding. It concludes with some cheering from the audience.

Borderline begins with some decent guitar riffing that sound chaotic. Soon enough, drums enter and this tune gets going. This is a short and bitter sounding tune, bitter against regular society of course. This is a completely different listen to anything else at the time. There is a key change that quickly occurs, before resuming a very odd-sounding tune. Quite cool and different musically. A very in-your-face styled tune that has a youthful appeal to it, the music briefly stops in the second half to a lone vocal harmony, before returning in a sense of volume and musical chaos. Loud and confrontational, it ends with a load of feedback and applause from the crowd. Different.

Motor City Is Burning is a reference to the band’s hometown of Detroit. It launches into an introduction of screaming about the world that was 1969. Soon enough, some slow and subdued dual guitar riffing enters and is a strange left turn musically. This sounds like a messed-up take on a traditional Blues song. Very different and strange take on social and political events of the time, this does sound super weird musically. It is an interesting listening nonetheless, with some excellent guitar playing and soloing throughout. This directly details the Vietnam War, in full Bluesman style and detail. A very strange tune, but played differently by the MC5. This is an odd addition to the album, it sounds very weird and completely different to other music out there. A peculiar tune to think of, this is a hard left-wing mantra set to proto-Punk music. Very, very weird. It still has some appeal to some out there, even in the obviousness of a particular message musically. This is music as a call-to-arms for all extreme Socialists and Communists back in 1969, to a fiery musical backdrop. Different, but a mixed-up feeling overall on this one. It ends with loads of chaotic drum rolls and crazy-sounding guitar leads. The crowd and band go wild at the end.

I Want You Right Now begins with some noise-based guitar and launches into a loud and energetic Rock jam. Very different musically, once again, this is Noise Rock galore. Eventually, this song launches into a piece of music about lusting after a lady of choice. Powerful, loud and chaotic sounding, this is a strangely noisy and different piece of music. Some decent guitar soloing is here that sounds very different. The music throughout is very confrontational and raw-sounding. An extended jam that is about sexual lust. This tune gets very quiet around the midsection, with emphasis on the vocal section which is actually pretty good. Obviously very sexual and glorious about that, this is a better tune from this strange live album. This is macho male sexual glory with some decent singing but is terribly dated today. A rather unusual tune, but this was 1969, after all. After some screaming, the band returns with some good guitar riffing and playing. Nonetheless, a good song that sounds dirty. The riffing and playing continue throughout to the end. Decent to hear, in any case. It ends with dramatic guitars and feedback galore, along with some screaming.

Starship begins with some Fender Stratocaster playing with feedback. The song is introduced, and the music gradually builds up and this gets going. This sounds like very dated 1960s music, but at the time, this was no doubt revolutionary. The loud, clanging guitars and furious attitude sound completely different to anything else out there today. This obviously paved the way for Punk bands in the future to arise, despite the musings of the group about space travel. Pretty weird, beyond all belief. Eventually, the music briefly stops before some strange melodies enter and this tune sounds messy and odd. This is oddball, all right. The sounds and vocals throughout are really odd, complete with guitar harmonics and some science fiction influenced outer space vocals. It’s difficult to appreciate this, it sounds really insane. A very odd and unusual listening experience throughout. This is more like music as a concept, rather than actually being music to enjoy. The band’s playing gets louder in the midsection leading into the second half and sounds rather odd and weird. It goes back to lone vocals and the audience is completely quiet. Perhaps Doctor Who fans would like this music, but few others would. At this point, many would not desire to listen to this album. It’s more artistic and conceptual listening than anything of musical value. If you dig conceptual Noise Rock, this is appealing. Otherwise, probably not. The music gets louder and eventually finishes up with some odd chords and loud drum rolls throughout. A strange musical end to a strange album that is not for the faint-hearted. Not good, to be fair. It ends with guitar feedback and the audience goes wild at the end.

This is an appalling album from start to finish. Sure, the title track is an okay listen, but the rest of the album is below average with a bad sense of musicality. Classic album? Nah, mate. Go and check out The Velvet Underground instead if you want to hear music that was hugely inspirational in a similar way, but is actually good. Should you listen to this album? Definitely not.

Appalling music and musicianship.

3/10