The MC5

After a performance during the turbulent 1968 Democratic party convention in Chicago, the band was signed to Elektra Records. Their first album, Kick Out The Jams (1969), was an extremely powerful and totally uncompromising live recording which took them into the Top 30. It also embroiled the band and Elektra in a controversy over the title track's rallying cry, "Kick out the jams, motherfuckers!".

Some stores refused to stock the album and Elektra, wary of further trouble, dropped the band. They were signed almost immediately by Atlantic, but follow-up albums, the critically acclaimed Back In The USA (1970) and High Time (1971), sold poorly, prompting Atlantic to drop the band also. The MC5 were soon back in the bars of Detroit.

Revolutionary both politically (their association with the White Panther party - which was led by the band's manager, John Sinclair - meant their gigs were regularly filmed by the FBI) and musically, it's not surprising that The MC5's reputation has continued to snowball since their unlamented demise in 1972.

Not only did their furious guitar sound -along with The Stooges - pave the way for punk and the eventual Detroit garage-rock revival, but their flamboyant dress sense was a massive influence on Glam Rock.

Fred 'Sonic' Smith went on to the Detroit supergroup, Sonic's Rendezvous Band, which also included The Stooges' drummer Scott Asheton, Rationals singer Scott Morgan and Up bassist Gary Rasmussen. The group lasted five years (1975 - 1980) but only released one single, Holy Grail. The group disbanded after Fred settled down with Patti Smith.

Vocalist Rob Tyner died from a heart attack on 17 September 1991 (aged 46). Three years later Smith also died of a heart attack, on 5 November 1994 (aged 45).