MC5 | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Alongside their Detroit-area brethren the Stooges, MC5 essentially laid the foundations for the emergence of punk; deafeningly loud and uncompromisingly intense, the groups politics were ultimately as crucial as their music, their revolutionary sloganeering and anti-establishment outrage crystallizing the counterculture movement at its most volatile and threatening. Under the guidance of svengali John Sinclair (the infamous founder of the radical White Panther Party), MC5 celebrated the holy trinity of sex, drugs, and rock & roll, their incendiary live sets offering a defiantly bacchanalian counterpoint to the peace-and-love reveries of their hippie contemporaries. Although corporate censorship, label interference, and legal hassles combined to cripple the bands hopes of mainstream notoriety, both their sound and their sensibility remain seminal influences on successive generations of artists. The Motor City Five formed in Lincoln Park, MI, in late 1964 by vocalist Rob Tyner, guitarists Fred "Sonic" Smith and Wayne Kramer, bassist Pat Burrows, and drummer Bob Gaspar; at the time, its members were still in high school, appearing at local parties and teen hangouts while clad in matching stage uniforms. In time, however, Smith and Kramer began experimenting with feedback and distortion, a development that hastened the exits of Burrows and Gaspar during the fall of 1965; adding bassist Michael Davis and drummer Dennis Thompson a year later, MC5 landed a regular gig at the famed Detroit venue the Grande Ballroom, building a fanatical local fan base on the strength of their increasingly anarchic live appearances. Soon the band caught the attention of Sinclair, a former high school English teacher anointed the Motor Citys "King of the Hippies" after founding Trans Love Energies, the umbrella name applied to the many underground enterprises he operated, including his White Panther Party, a radical political faction espousing "total assault on the culture by any means necessary, including rock & roll, dope, and f*cking in the streets." In early 1967, Sinclair was named MC5s manager; within months they issued their debut single, "I Can Only Give You Everything." As the official house band of the White Panthers, they became musical conduits for the partys political rhetoric, taking the stage draped in American flags and calling for a revolution; run-ins with the law became increasingly common, although in the wake of the Detroit riots of July 1967, the group relocated to the nearby college town of Ann Arbor. The following summer, MC5 appeared in Chicago at the Yippies Festival of Life, a rally mounted in opposition to the Democratic National Convention, and in the audience was Elektra Records A&R; executive Danny Fields, who signed the band a few months later. Their debut album, the classic Kick Out the Jams, was recorded live at the Grande Ballroom on October 30 and 31, 1968; although the album reached the national Top 30, retailers, including the Hudsons chain, refused to carry copies due to its inclusion of Tyners trademark battle cry of "Kick out the jams, motherf*ckers!" The controversy spurred MC5 to run advertisements in the underground press reading "F*ck Hudsons!" Against the bands wishes, Elektra also issued a censored version of the album, replacing the offending expletive with "brothers and sisters." When the dust settled, MC5 was dropped by Elektra; when Sinclair was subsequently jailed for possession of marijuana, the band was left without their manager and without a contract. They signed to Atlantic, where producer Jon Landau was installed to helm their second album, 1970s Back in the U.S.A.; with Sinclair out of the picture, the musics political stance vanished as well, with a newly stripped-down, razor-sharp sound replacing the feedback-driven fury of before. The records approach divided fans and critics, however, and when the 1971 follow-up High Time failed to even reach the charts, Atlantic released MC5 from their contract; in addition to filing for bankruptcy, the group was dogged by mounting drug problems and in early 1972, Davis was dismissed from the lineup as a result of heroin abuse. Bassist Steve Moorhouse stepped in as his replacement, but soon after, both Tyner and Thompson announced their retirement from active touring; on New Years Eve of 1972, the group played their final gig, appearing at the Grande Ballroom -- the site of so many past glories -- for just 500 dollars. As the years went by, however, MC5s influence expanded; punk, hard rock, and power pop all clearly reflected the bands impact and by the 1990s, they were the subject of a steady stream of reissues and rarities packages. Following the bands demise, its members pursued new projects: Tyner released several solo records and also earned acclaim for his photography before suffering a fatal heart attack on September 17, 1991. Smith, meanwhile, formed Sonics Rendezvous with fellow Detroit music legend Scott Morgan, issuing the underground classic "City Slang" in 1977 before leaving the group; in 1980 he wed Patti Smith, dying of heart failure on November 4, 1994. After spending much of the following decades battling drug addiction -- including a two-year prison stint -- Kramer resurfaced in 1995 with a blistering solo album, The Hard Stuff, the first of several new efforts for punk label Epitaph. Less successful were Davis, who seemingly disappeared from sight after a tenure with underground legends Destroy All Monsters (he died of liver failure on February 17, 2012 at the age of 68), and Thompson, whose solo ambitions went largely unrealized. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 19 Title: Kick Out the Jams Released: 1969 Tracks: 8 Duration: 40:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Ramblin Rose (04:15) 2 Kick Out the Jams (02:52) 3 Come Together (04:29) 4 Rocket Reducer No. 62 (Rama Lama Fa Fa Fa) (05:41) 5 Borderline (02:54) 6 Motor City Is Burning (06:04) 7 I Want You Right Now (05:22) 8 Starship (08:24) |
| Kick Out the Jams : Allmusic album Review : Rather than try to capture their legendary on-stage energy in a studio, MC5 opted to record their first album during a live concert at their home base, Detroits Grande Ballroom, and while some folks who were there have quibbled that Kick Out the Jams isnt the most accurate representation of the bands sound, its certainly the best of the bands three original albums, and easily beats the many semiauthorized live recordings of MC5 that have emerged in recent years, if only for the clarity of Bruce Botnicks recording. From Brother J.C. Crawfords rabble-rousing introduction to the final wash on feedback on "Starship," Kick Out the Jams is one of the most powerfully energetic live albums ever made; Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith were a lethal combination on tightly interlocked guitars, bassist Michael Davis and drummer Dennis Thompson were as strong a rhythm section as Detroit ever produced, and Rob Tyners vocals could actually match the soulful firepower of the musicians, no small accomplishment. Even on the relatively subdued numbers (such as the blues workout "Motor City Is Burning"), the band sound like theyre locked in tight and cooking with gas, while the full-blown rockers (pretty much all of side one) are as gloriously thunderous as anything ever committed to tape; this is an album that refuses to be played quietly. For many years, Detroit was considered the High Energy Rock & Roll Capital of the World, and Kick Out the Jams provided all the evidence anyone might need for the city to hold onto the title. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 19 Title: Back in the USA Released: 1970 Tracks: 11 Duration: 28:31 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Tutti-Frutti (01:31) 2 Tonight (02:29) 3 Teenage Lust (02:36) 4 Let Me Try (04:16) 5 Looking at You (03:03) 6 High School (02:42) 7 Call Me Animal (02:06) 8 The American Ruse (02:31) 9 Shakin Street (02:21) 10 The Human Being Lawnmower (02:24) 11 Back in the USA (02:26) |
| Back in the USA : Allmusic album Review : While lacking the monumental impact of Kick Out the Jams, the MC5s second album is in many regards their best and most influential, its lean, edgy sound anticipating the emergence of both the punk and power pop movements to follow later in the decade. Bookended by a pair of telling covers -- Little Richards "Tutti Frutti" and Chuck Berrys "Back in the U.S.A." -- the disc is as much a look back at rock & rolls origins as it is a push forward into the musics future; given the Fives vaunted revolutionary leanings, for instance, its both surprising and refreshing to discover the records emotional centerpiece is a doo wop-inspired ballad, "Let Me Try," thats the most lovely and gentle song in their catalog. The recurring theme which drives Back in the USA is adolescence, its reminiscences alternately fond and embittered -- while cuts like "Tonight," "Teenage Lust," "High School," and "Shakin Street" celebrate youth in all its rebellious glory, others like "The American Ruse" and "The Human Being Lawnmower" condemn a system which eats its young, filling their heads with lies before sending them off to war. Equally gripping is the records singular sound -- produced by Jon Landau with an almost complete disregard for the bottom end, Back in the USA captures a live-wire intensity 180 degrees removed from the groups live sound yet perfectly suited to the material at hand, resulting in music which not only salutes the power of rock & roll but also reaffirms it. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 19 Title: High Time Released: 1971 Tracks: 8 Duration: 42:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Sister Anne (07:25) 2 Baby Wont Ya (05:33) 3 Miss X (05:11) 4 Gotta Keep Movin (03:26) 5 Future/Now (06:23) 6 Poison (03:25) 7 Over and Over (05:15) 8 Skunk (Sonicly Speaking) (05:31) |
| High Time : Allmusic album Review : MC5 were nearing the end of their long and bumpy trail when they cut High Time in 1971, and it was widely ignored upon initial release. While it lacks the flame-thrower energy and "off the man!" politics of Kick Out the Jams or the frantic pace and "AM Radio of the People" sound of Back in the USA, High Time sounds like MC5s relative equivalent to the Velvet Undergrounds Loaded, their last and most accessible album, but still highly idiosyncratic and full of well-written, solidly played tunes. Fred Smiths "Sister Anne" and "Skunk (Sonically Speaking)" bookend the album with a pair of smart, solidly performed hard rockers (bolstered by fine horn charts), and Wayne Kramers "Poison" ranks with the best songs he brought to the band (he later revived it for his solo album The Hard Stuff). For a group that was apparently on the verge of collapse, MC5 approach this material with no small amount of skill and enthusiasm, and Geoffrey Haslams production gives the band a big, punchy sound that suits them better than the lean, trebly tone of Back in the USA. Its interesting to imagine what MC5s history might have been like if High Time had been their first or second album rather than their last; while less stridently political than their other work, musically its as uncompromising as anything they ever put to wax and would have given them much greater opportunities to subvert Americas youth if the kids had ever had the chance to hear it. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 19 Title: Babes in Arms Released: 1983 Tracks: 15 Duration: 46:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Shaking Street (02:31) 2 American Ruse (02:27) 3 Skunk (Sonically Speaking) (04:10) 4 Tuttie Fruttie (01:34) 5 Poison (03:24) 6 Gotta Keep Moving (03:28) 7 Tonite (02:48) 8 Kick Out the Jams (02:59) 9 Sister Ann (06:45) 10 Future Now (03:04) 11 Gold (03:01) 12 I Can Only Give You Everything (02:38) 13 One of the Guys (02:15) 14 I Just Dont Know (02:36) 15 Looking at You (02:46) |
| Babes in Arms : Allmusic album Review : Wayne Kramer assembled this collection of 15 rare MC5 tracks, and while trying to cover the career of a band who helped give birth to punk rock AND made it onto Spiro Agnews enemies list might seem like a near-impossible task in less than an hour, Babes in Arms does a pretty respectable job of capturing what the MC5 were all about in one convenient package. Most of the cuts on Babes in Arms are alternate versions of songs from the bands three studio albums, but while the most of the tracks appear in variant mixes or longer edits, the differences are minimal enough that they can pass for the originals in a pinch (one crucial exception: a great acoustic version of Fred "Sonic" Smiths "Shakin Street"), making Babes in Arms a solid "Best of the MC5" collection. Even more importantly, the set also includes several excellent and hard to find early single sides, including the amusing garage-protest nugget "One of the Guys" and a primal, in-the-red rave-up on "Looking at You" that leaves the version on Back in the U.S.A. in the dust. The one previously unreleased song, "Gold," is an unfocused jam that doesnt really go anywhere, and the sound quality of the source materials isnt all that hot (especially on the CD version), but otherwise Babes in Arms is a howling, furious blast of what made the MC5 one of the finest (and most dangerous) American rock bands of the 1960s. Crank it up loud -- the guys would want it that way. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 19 Title: Vintage Years Released: 1991 Tracks: 8 Duration: 25:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Just Dont Know (02:34) 2 One of the Guys (02:15) 3 Looking at You (02:44) 4 I Can Only Give You Everything (02:54) 5 Borderline (03:11) 6 Rock n Roll Pips (live) (03:51) 7 Kick Out the Jams (uncensored Version) (03:32) 8 Down at the Bogaloo (04:28) |
 | Album: 6 of 19 Title: Black to Comm Released: 1994 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:13:21 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Ramblin Rose (02:53) 2 Kick Out the Jams (03:34) 3 Come Together (05:22) 4 Revolutionary Blues (05:52) 5 Im the Man for You (Rama Lama Fa Fa Fa) (05:01) 6 James Brown Medley (07:56) 7 Upper Egypt (05:26) 8 Tutti Frutti (01:54) 9 Borderline (03:05) 10 Born Under a Bad Sign (04:47) 11 I Want You (05:07) 12 Starship (07:27) 13 I Believe to My Soul (03:56) 14 Black to Comm (10:54) |
 | Album: 7 of 19 Title: Looking At You Released: 1994 Tracks: 12 Duration: 43:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Intro / Human Being Lawnmower (03:01) 2 Tonight (03:07) 3 Its a Mans World (05:49) 4 Teenage Lust (02:39) 5 Looking at You (03:52) 6 Fire of Love (03:57) 7 Shakin Street (03:05) 8 Ramblin Rose (02:46) 9 Im the Man for You (Rama Lama Fa Fa Fa) (03:53) 10 Starship (01:10) 11 Kick Out the Jams (03:02) 12 Black to Comm (07:22) |
 | Album: 8 of 19 Title: Power Trip Released: 1994-08-30 Tracks: 9 Duration: 1:08:58 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Looking at You (instrumental version) (02:50) 2 Im Mad Like Eldridge Clearver (18:55) 3 Black to Comm (07:20) 4 The Pleadge Song (02:28) 5 Head Sounds, Part Two (16:22) 6 Power Trip (03:25) 7 I Put a Spell on You (06:49) 8 Born Under a Bad Sign (05:02) 9 I Want You (05:43) |
| Power Trip : Allmusic album Review : For a band that never had a hit record, the MC5 were a pretty well documented outfit. This is even more amazing considering that such things as board tapes and home cassette recorders were both in their infancy at the time of these-and other- recordings. This collection of previously unreleased material varies widely in quality (none of it studio grade, unfortunately, but nothing here is unlistenable), featuring four live recordings from the bands Grande Ballroom heyday, three instrumental runthroughs and the band track to "Looking At You," the groups second single. The emphasis throughout is on the bands experimental jamming tendencies, heard to its greatest effect on the 18 minute plus free association blues, "Im Mad Like Eldridge Cleaver," featuring the sax noodlings of the groups manager, John Sinclair. While the live version of "Black to Comm" is a nice addition to the groups meager discography, this is a collection better enjoyed by hard core fans. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 19 Title: The American Ruse Released: 1995 Tracks: 14 Duration: 49:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Tonight (instrumental alternate take) (03:24) 2 The Human Being Lawnmower (02:23) 3 Looking at You (instrumental alternate take) (03:16) 4 Looking at You (03:23) 5 The American Ruse (02:31) 6 The American Ruse (instrumental alternate take) (02:45) 7 Call Me Animal (instrumental) (02:20) 8 Tonight (03:14) 9 Tutti Frutti (01:40) 10 Teenage Lust (instrumental) (02:40) 11 High School (instrumental) (03:01) 12 Back in the USA (02:38) 13 I Believe to My Soul (live Sept 8, 1968) (03:39) 14 Black to Comm (live Sept 8, 1968) (12:46) |
 | Album: 10 of 19 Title: Teen Age Lust Released: 1996 Tracks: 10 Duration: 49:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Intros / Ramblin Rose (03:50) 2 Human Being Lawnmower (02:42) 3 Tonight (03:26) 4 Rama Lama Fa Fa Fa (05:00) 5 Its a Mans Mans Mans World (05:49) 6 Teen Age Lust (03:12) 7 Looking at You (05:30) 8 Fire of Love (04:03) 9 Shakin Street (03:39) 10 Starship / Kick Out the Jams / Black to Comm (11:46) |
 | Album: 11 of 19 Title: Starship Released: 1998-09-22 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:10:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Kick Out the Jams (03:42) 2 Come Together (05:44) 3 Revolutionary Blues (06:18) 4 Rama Lama Fa Fa Fa (06:49) 5 Cold Sweat / I Cant Stand Myself / There Was a Time (08:19) 6 Upper Egypt (05:35) 7 Tutti Frutti (01:46) 8 Borderline (03:05) 9 Born Under a Bad Sign (05:02) 10 I Want You (05:58) 11 Starship (07:31) 12 Black to Comm (11:01) |
 | Album: 12 of 19 Title: 66 Breakout! Released: 1999 Tracks: 11 Duration: 40:01 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Looking at You (06:53) 2 Black to Comm (07:55) 3 I Just Dont Know (02:39) 4 Little Red Riding GRMPH (00:28) 5 I Dont Mind (02:57) 6 Break Time (01:00) 7 One of the Guys (02:17) 8 Look What Youve Done Done (05:05) 9 Baby Please Dont Go (03:57) 10 Im a Man (04:12) 11 I Can Only Give You Everything (02:38) |
 | Album: 13 of 19 Title: Motor City is Burning Released: 1999 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:09:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Kick Out the Jams (03:37) 2 Come Together (05:21) 3 Revolutionary Blues (05:48) 4 Human Being Lawnmower (02:42) 5 Tonight (02:53) 6 Teenage Lust (02:36) 7 Looking at You (03:41) 8 Shakin Street (03:09) 9 Ramblin Rose (02:43) 10 Tutti Frutti (01:53) 11 Borderline (03:05) 12 Born Under a Bad Sign (04:47) 13 I Want You (05:02) 14 Starship (07:27) 15 I Believe My Soul (03:56) 16 Black to Comm (10:53) |
| Motor City is Burning : Allmusic album Review : Motor City is Burning is an English compilation of bootlegged material from the MC5 recorded at various locations including the Sturgis Armoury in Michigan during the bands peak. Even though these tracks have been remastered, the sound quality is poor, but considering how influential this band has become, its still monumental material. Along with the Stooges, there are numerous MC5 discs (some of dubious legality) of live and studio outtakes readily available. Motor City Is Burning is sufficient after obtaining the official live release on Elektra Kick Out the Jams and deciding thats not enough. These 16 tracks include cover versions of "Born Under a Bad Sign," "Tutti Frutti," along with the rare "Black to Comm," not available on any of the commercially released original Five albums. | ||
 | Album: 14 of 19 Title: Greatest Hits Live Released: 1999-02-02 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:10:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Ramblin Rose (02:54) 2 Kick Out the Jams (03:05) 3 Come Together (05:24) 4 Revolutionary Blues (05:54) 5 Rocket Reducer No. 62 (03:37) 6 Looking at You (03:51) 7 Cold Sweat / I Cant Stand Myself / There Was a Time (07:56) 8 Human Being Lawnmower (02:47) 9 Tutti Frutti (01:56) 10 Borderline (03:08) 11 Born Under a Bad Sign (04:47) 12 I Want You (05:06) 13 Tonight (03:09) 14 I Believe to My Soul (03:59) 15 Black to Comm (07:20) 16 Its a Man World (05:14) |
| Greatest Hits Live : Allmusic album Review : The MC 5 is worth hearing under just about any circumstances, and this set--given the song list, probably recorded sometime in 1969--is no exception. A motley collection of sound-board tapes (with lead singer Rob Tyner way down in the mix) and stuff that sounds like second-generation dupes from cassette decks in the audience, the music is nonetheless vintage Detroit madness, with the bands thrilling oleo of heavy metal out of the Who and the Yardbirds and 60s free-jazz heard to particularly good advantage on "Rocket Reducer No. 62" and the never-recorded-in-the-studio epic "Black to Comm." This is, of course, quintessentially low-fi stuff, although hardcore fans will want it if only to hear the 5 bulldoze their way through James Browns "Its a Mans World." If youre new to the band, however, you should probably invest in the groups three "official" albums, including the live--and obviously much better engineered--KICK OUT THE JAMS. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 19 Title: Thunder Express Released: 1999-05-03 Tracks: 8 Duration: 38:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Kick Out the Jams (02:13) 2 Empty Heart (08:34) 3 Ramblin Rose (03:05) 4 Thunder Express (04:22) 5 Rama Lama Fa Fa Fa (10:06) 6 Motor City Is Burning (04:19) 7 I Can Only Give You Everything (02:55) 8 I Just Dont Know (02:35) |
| Thunder Express : Allmusic album Review : There are numerous bootleg packages that contain the same material included here, a blast-through-it-once set of originals and stage staples recorded at Herouville Castle in Europe in 1972. The big ticket here is the inclusion of "Thunder Express," an original the band never officially recorded. To round things out, the disc also features "I Can Only Give You Everything" and "I Just Dont Know," both sides of the groups first single. Both "Thunder Express" and "I Can Only Give You Everything" officially appear on the single-disc Rhino best-of. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 19 Title: The Big Bang: The Best of the MC5 Released: 2000 Tracks: 21 Duration: 1:17:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Can Only Give You Everything (02:59) 2 Looking at You (02:46) 3 I Just Dont Know (02:37) 4 Ramblin Rose (live) (04:25) 5 Kick Out the Jams (live) (02:46) 6 Come Together (live) (04:34) 7 Rocket Reducer No.62 (Rama Lama Fa Fa Fa) (live) (05:39) 8 Tonight (02:31) 9 Teenage Lust (02:31) 10 High School (02:37) 11 Call Me Animal (02:02) 12 The American Ruse (02:28) 13 Shakin Street (02:18) 14 The Human Being Lawnmower (02:20) 15 Back in the USA (02:26) 16 Sister Anne (07:18) 17 Baby Wont Ya (05:29) 18 Miss X (05:06) 19 Over and Over (05:10) 20 Skunk (Sonicly Speaking) (05:28) 21 Thunder Express (live) (04:21) |
| The Big Bang: The Best of the MC5 : Allmusic album Review : A best-of for a group that only made three albums might be considered an inessential addition to their discography, particularly as all three of those albums remain available on CD. However, if you only want one MC5 album, this compilation makes more sense than if might appear at first. It draws judiciously from each of the three records; adds three somewhat rare tracks from pre-Kick Out the Jams singles; and finishes with a live 1972 cut, "Thunder Express," recorded for French TV and previously available on a Skydog CD. In somewhat of a surprise, it leans most heavily on Back in the U.S.A. (with eight tracks), and not so much on the album that most would view as their most significant effort, Kick Out the Jams (only four tracks). That decision works out better than you might think. The three tracks from 1967-1968 singles are fairly similar to the Kick Out the Jams vibe anyway, and if you dont own Kick Out the Jams already, you may well be ready for something a little cleaner-sounding and less assaultive by the time seven songs have gone by. Its unfortunate, nonetheless, that the two remaining pre-Kick Out the Jams tracks from non-LP 45s, "One of the Guys" and a different version of Kick Out the Jams "Borderline," were not included. Kick Out the Jams itself would get most peoples nod as the first and most essential MC5 purchase, but this is a close second, its value enhanced by detailed historical liner notes. | ||
 | Album: 17 of 19 Title: Purity Accuracy Released: 2004-10-11 Tracks: 73 Duration: 4:35:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Skunk (Sonicly Speaking) (05:15) 2 Poison (03:26) 3 Gotta Keep Movin (03:19) 4 Baby Wont Ya (1970 Unreleased version) (04:49) 5 Sister Ann (06:47) 6 Future Now (03:06) 7 Over & Over (02:13) 8 Train Music (03:03) 9 The Pledge Song (02:27) 10 Power Trip (03:23) 11 Tutti-Frutti (01:36) 12 Tonight (02:50) 13 Teenage Lust (instrumental) (02:39) 14 Looking at You (2nd version) (03:21) 15 High School (instrumental) (03:01) 16 Call Me Animal (instrumental) (02:16) 17 The American Ruse (02:30) 18 Shaking Street (02:31) 19 Human Being Lawnmower (02:22) 20 Back in the USA (02:36) 21 Looking at You (instrumental) (03:10) 22 What Is Zenta? (00:42) 1 Looking at You (02:48) 2 Borderline (03:19) 3 Looking at You (instrumental) (02:33) 4 I Can Only Give You Everything (02:40) 5 I Just Dont Know (02:38) 6 One of the Guys (02:18) 7 Little Red Riding Grmph (00:27) 8 I Dont Mind (02:58) 9 Look What Youve Done Done (05:05) 10 Baby Please Dont Go (03:57) 11 Break Time (01:00) 12 Im a Man (04:12) 13 Looking at You (06:53) 14 Black to Comm (07:51) 15 I Put a Spell on You (06:49) 16 Born Under a Bad Sign (05:02) 17 I Want You Right Now (05:44) 18 I Believe to My Soul (03:41) 1 Intro: Ramblin Rose (?) 2 Human Being Lawnmower (?) 3 Tonight (?) 4 Rocket Reducer No. 62 (Rama Lama Fa Fa Fa) (?) 5 Its a Mans World (?) 6 Teenage Lust (?) 7 Looking at You (?) 8 Fire of Love (?) 9 Shakin Street (?) 10 Starship / Kick Out the Jams / Black to Comm / Teenage Lust (?) 1 Brother J.C Intro (27th Oct 1968) (02:54) 2 Motor City Is Burning (30/31 Oct 1968) (04:28) 3 I Believe To My Soul (30/31 Oct 1968) (03:00) 4 Rocket Reducer No 62 (Rama Lama Fa Fa Fa) (31st Oct 1968) (06:11) 5 Im Mad Like Eldridge Cleaver (27th Oct 1968) (18:53) 6 Ice Pick Slim (26th May 1968) (18:11) 7 Black To Comm (07:19) 1 Kick Out the Jams (03:41) 2 Come Together (05:42) 3 Revolutionary Blues (06:16) 4 Rocket Reducer No. 62 (Rama Lama Fa Fa Fa) (06:47) 5 James Brown Medley:- Cold Sweat, I Cant Stand Myself, There Was a Time (08:17) 6 Upper Egypt (05:34) 7 Tutti Frutti (01:45) 8 Borderline (03:01) 9 Born Under a Bad Sign (05:02) 10 I Want You Right Now (05:57) 11 Starship (07:29) 12 Black to Comm (10:59) 1 Sister Anne (feat. Lemmy) (06:27) 2 Gotta Keep Movin (feat. Nicke) (?) 3 Looking at You (feat. Dave Vanian) (?) 4 Skunk (Sonically Speaking) (?) |
| Purity Accuracy : Allmusic album Review : This compilation of MC5 rarities is a single-disc digest of highlights from Easy Actions six-CD box set, also titled Purity Accuracy, that was released in 2004. Just as that set brought together a lot of material that had been circulating in one form or another for years, hardcore MC5 fans wont find much in the way of surprises on this album -- six of the 15 tracks here first surfaced on ROIRs Babes in Arms anthology in 1983, and just about everything else has appeared on one of the many semi-authorized collections that Alive Records issued in the 1990s. So this disc is clearly redundant for the faithful, and folks first dipping their toes into the MC5s great music would be better served with Babes in Arms, the 2007 rarities set I Can Only Give You Everything, Rhinos excellent "greatest-hits" CD The Big Bang: The Best of the MC5, or their landmark debut, Kick Out the Jams. But having said that, there is still some great music on Purity Accuracy that ranks with the MC5s best moments -- a potent if technically ragged live recording of "Black to Comm" (a concert staple that never made it onto an official album), the original single version of "Looking at You" that lays the re-recording on Back in the USA to waste, and blistering alternate takes of "Sister Ann," "Gotta Keep Moving," and "The Human Being Lawnmower." The trouble with the Purity Accuracy sampler isnt that the music isnt worthwhile -- some of its damn near essential -- but that it has been distributed before and in more coherent contexts, and though this makes more sense for most folks than buying the full box set, obsessives wont need the short version and neophytes are better off elsewhere. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 19 Title: The Very Best Of Released: 2008-06-01 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:04:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 The American Ruse (02:34) 2 Kick Out the Jams (original Uncensored version) (03:03) 3 Shakin Street (02:37) 4 Skunk (05:17) 5 Tuttie Frutii (01:40) 6 Poison (03:30) 7 Gotta Keep Moving (03:23) 8 Tonight (02:54) 9 Sister Anne (06:51) 10 Future/Now (03:08) 11 Gold (03:07) 12 I Can Only Give You Everything (02:56) 13 I Just Dont Know (02:42) 14 Looking at You (02:46) 15 Black to Comm (07:55) 16 Baby Please Dont Go (04:01) 17 Rocket Reducer No. 62 (06:13) |
 | Album: 19 of 19 Title: Kick Out the Jams! Anthology 1965-1971 Released: 2010 Tracks: 25 Duration: 1:38:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Kick Out the Jams (original Uncensored version) (03:03) 2 Shakin Street (02:37) 3 The American Ruse (02:31) 4 Skunk (Sonicly Speaking) (05:15) 5 Tutti Frutti (01:41) 6 Poison (03:25) 7 Gotta Keep Movin (03:26) 8 Tonight (02:52) 9 Sister Ann (06:49) 10 Future/Now (03:08) 11 Gold (03:07) 12 I Can Only Give You Everything (02:59) 1 One of the Guys (02:18) 2 I Just Dont Know (02:42) 3 Looking at You (original "A-Square" single version 1968) (02:52) 4 Black to Comm (07:55) 5 I Dont Mind (02:58) 6 High School (instrumental) (02:50) 7 Come Together (05:21) 8 Baby Please Dont Go (live 1966) (04:04) 9 Im a Man (live 1966) (04:17) 10 Look What Youve Done Done (live 1966) (05:11) 11 Rocket Reducer No 62 (Rama Lama Fa Fa Fa) (31st Oct 1968) (06:11) 12 Ramblin Rose (live 1970) (03:57) 13 Sister Anne (feat. Lemmy) (06:27) |