There's Never Been a Better Time to Kick Out The Jams

MC5: An Oral Biography of Rock’s Most Revolutionary Band
Brad Tolinski & Jaan Uhelszki with Ben Edmonds
(Omnibus Press)

Arguably, that version of that single is among the greatest rocknrollmusic recordings of all time. Kick Out The Jams was released on Elektra in 1969. An ensuing kerfuffle, over language, I guess—seems like free love but not free speech met with approval in the late 60s… Sweary ads in indie mag aimed at department stores banning your record over swearing in LP liner notes, not so much. “Kick out the jams, motherfuckers!” MC5 manager and radical, John Sinclair, had infamously written. Not long later the band were dropped by their label, it was never going to end there. They signed to Atlantic records shortly thereafter and the controlled chaos continued.

In the fall of 2024, Omnibus Press, a company never cowed by relative moralism of censors, will publish MC5: An Oral Biography of Rock’s Most Revolutionary Band. Written by Brad Tolinski & Jaan Uhelszki leaning heavily on the handwritten notes of Ben Edmonds, editor of Creem Magazine from 1971-75, who was working on a book about the MC5 when he died. The oral biography of MC5 is based on original interviews with the band and key members of their inner circle and will be available on October 10th. 

Legendary music journalist, Nick Kent says, “Mostly overlooked and under-appreciated, the MC5 certainly knew how to bring the ruckus. They were one of the best live acts to perform on this planet and their inspiring but often calamitous career has always cried out to be detailed in book form. Now that story is available for all to read.”

Fusing activism, art and entertainment. The MC5, with their classic line up of singer (and so much more...!) Rob Tyner, guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis Thompson provided a definitive proto-punk blueprint. Although the activist element was often very quickly and quietly dispensed with by hopeful punk careerists. At least appearance of a confrontational stance was not. MC5 fought for racial equality and the mitigation of drug laws. Sinclair himself founded the White Panther movement. In Kick Out The Jams and Looking At You the wrote unquestionably great songs while they were at it. If there was a Mount Rushmore for outsider rock stars, a pantheon, Rob Tyner's very familiar profile would be on it. The MC5 remain among the most often-cited influential bands of all time.

Author Brad Tolinski has been writing on the music scene for over 25 years and is editor of Guitarist magazine, Jaan Uhelszki was one of the first women to work in rock journalism, and co-founded Creem Magazine.  Former Creem editor, Ben Edmonds authored the acclaimed Marvin Gaye: What’s Going, and contributed to Rolling Stone and MOJO.

Look, if you think Dua Lipa’s a music radical or somebody like that, maybe take a peek at this book before you wrap it up for your grandparents for Christmas. Nothing will make them happier.