God I LOVE the MC-5

[DrBB]

Yeah, a blast from the distant, pre-punk--proto-punk?--past. But jeez they were a great hard-ass, kick-ass, POLITICAL as hell band.

Just listening to the MIT radio station, which does a great oldies show at noon--all kinds of obscure stuff, old garage rock, psychedia, whatever, or not-so-obscure but stuff that NEVER would get on a commercial "oldies" station. And they ended up the show with a superb old MC-5 song, Over and Over

People talkin 'bout solutions, over and over
'Bout how we need a revolution, over and over
I was talking 'bout ecology, over and over
'Bout how we'll be saved by technology, over and over
While the cat next door spends all his time
Trying to think up new antisocial crimes

I said no, I said hang on a minute now
I set let me outta here
I said no, no, no

People talking revolution, over and over
About a mass execution, over and over
Well I was working in a factory, over and over
Just trying to make it satisfactory, over and over
But all these inclinations toward manic frustration
I want my vaccination against castration
Vietnam, what a sexy war
Uncle Sam's a pimp, wants us to be whores,

I said no, I said I can't take much more of this
You better let me outta here
I said no, no, no

Oh you see I need a release for my frustration
Oh don't you see I can't hold my aggravation
Oh...no, no, no, no

I see people dyin', over and over
Why don't I sit around crying, over and over
I see people taking, over and over
Why don't I sit around waiting, over and over

The cop on the street wants us down on our knees
The president says we've got to have peace
The other cat says we need our liberation
The hippies telling us we're in the love generation

I said whoa, I said hang on a minute now
This can't go on much longer
I said no, no, no

Over and over, over and over
Over and over, over and over

Next proto-punk post, we revisit....

THE DICTATORS!

[el_gato]

1. maybe the term

paleopunk would apply

they started out when? '68 maybe, i can't remember.

[5thGenDemocrat]

2. Paleopunk

If not the MC5, then certainly Iggy Pop. God, I love Michigan.
John
Just let me be who I am and let me kick out the jams. Yeah! KICK OUT THE J-A-A-A-MS!!
ON EDIT: 1968 sounds about right -- I saw the MC5 in Saginaw in 1970 (one of my first concerts, as was Alice Cooper) and Iggy Pop several times.

[mitchum]

14. paleopunk would be The Monks

check out "Black Monk Time"

[kid shelleen]

15. I did, a few years ago...

...you can have my copy. I'm castin' my paleopunk vote for the Troggs.

[roughsatori]

3. I saw Fred Sonic Smith play guitar at a Patti Smith show once

In NYC--I remember nothing about it due to my, ummm, condition. I do remember that I saw a band my friind was in the next night: "Three teens kill four" I never was blessed to see the MC-5.

[Ellen Forradalom]

11. So did I, in Chicago

[vi5]

4. I have a hard time listening to the political bands from each decade...

Whether it's the MC5 or any other late 60's band, or punk in the 70's or U2 from the 80's or any number of leftie rabble rousing 90's bands.

It makes me remember those times when anything seemed possible and that a sea tide of change was coming. And in the 90's for the most part it did.

But listening to so many of those bands just makes me sad for how far we've regressed.

[kid shelleen]

5. Kick 'Em Out!

One of the absolute best R&R bands ever.

[On the Road]

6. MC5? MC5?

Weren't they they mid-60's one-hit wonder who did "Bits and Pieces" at the time Beatles were releasing songs like "She Loves You" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand"?

Or maybe there's trademark suit brewing.

[5thGenDemocrat]

7. Polly says

That was the Dave Clark Five.
John
And I think she's right.

[catpower2000]

8. Ha!

Okay, that's funny. :)

Their big hit was "Kick Out The Jams". Ringing any bells?

Cat

[Ellen Forradalom]

9. Hey, there's an MC5 documentary

by some friends of mine. Called 'MC5: A True Testimonial.'

http://www.futurenowfilms.com

[Ellen Forradalom]

10. The American Ruse

They made me say the Pledge of Allegiance
Before they beat me bloody down at the station
They haven't got a word out of me since
I got a billion years probation

69 America terminal statis
The air is so thick it's like drowning in molasses
I'm sick and tired of paying these dues
And I'm finally getting hip the American Ruse!

Well well well Take a Look Around!

[Fovea]

12. Millimeter...

Milo-meter, buy millometer... Six pint bottles of fun, I didnt mean to hurt anyone, didnt mean to hurt anyone... look out for, THE HUMAN BEING LAWNMOWER -- CHOP CHOP CHOP CHOP CHOP CHOP CHOP!

It is like an auditory version of the corporate states flag of amerika.
90 db found poetry.

[mitchum]

13. Greatest live band ever

There is a fantastic Swedish documentary that is packed with live clips. It's fucking jawdropping! Their albums always suffered from bad production, but I don't think recording studios and vinyl could ever hope to capture their power.