Wayne Kramer, the founding guitarist of legendary hard rock and glam punk band the MC5, is going to celebrate the anniversary of the bands historic debut album Kick Out the Jams in style; with a 35+ date “Kick Out the Jams: The 50th Anniversary Tour.”
Kramer has named the musicians joining him on the adventure as MC50; and guitarist Kim Thayil of Soundgarden, drummer Brendan Canty of Fugazi, bassist Dug Pinnick of King’s X and frontman Marcus Durant of Zen Guerrilla will take part in history. Drummer Dennis Thompson, the MC5’s only other surviving original member, will perform on select tour dates with no specifics given as of yet.
The tour will begin in early September after the band participates in several European festivals. The tour will end on October 27th where it all started, in Detroit in 1968 where Kick Out the Jams was recorded live at the Grande Ballroom on Halloween Night. The band will announce full dates momentarily but tickets for the Fillmore Detroit date are on sale here at 10am EST on Friday, March 9.
“The message of the MC5 has always been the sense of possibilities: a new music, a new politics, a new lifestyle,” Kramer says of revisiting the album. “Today, there is a corrupt regime in power, an endless war thousands of miles away, and uncontrollable violence wracking our country. It’s becoming less and less clear if we’re talking about 1968 or 2018. I’m now compelled to share this music I created with my brothers 50 years ago. My goal is that the audience leaves these concerts fueled by the positive and unifying power of rock music.”
Kramer is also releasing a memoir called The Hard Stuff: Dope, Crime, the MC5, and My Life of Impossibilities (Da Capo Press). On the memoir, he notes, “I’ve come to accept that we were a dangerous band and that I lived a dangerous life. The music we made at that time represented something that said — we are part of a tribe, we are part of a bigger movement — and apparently it still represents that.” The memoir can be found here.
The MC50 tour will feature the album played in its entirety followed by new material that will change from night to night. Kramer explains: “This band will rip your head off. It’s real, raw, sweaty, total energy rock and roll, like a bunch of 40-to-70-year-old ‘punks on a meth power trip.’ The world has lived with these songs burned in amber for half a century, so I’m not interested in a note-for-note reproduction of a record you’ve known your entire life. It’s time to bring the monster back to life with supremely talented musicians who will interpret it in their own unique ways.”
Rolling Stone named Kramer who has released 10 solo albums, as one of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time and Kick Out the Jams as one of the 50 greatest live albums of all time.
UPDATE (8/13): Faith No More bassist Billy Gould has been added to the MC50 roster. He will be appearing onstage with Wayne Kramer and his band of rock legends, which already includes Kim Thayil of Soundgarden, Brendan Canty of Fugazi and Marcus Durant of Zen Guerrilla. Dug Pinnick of King’s X was previously playing with the supergroup, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of Kick Out The Jams.
2018 MC50 European Tour Dates
11/09 – UK, Bristol Academy
11/10 – UK, Glasgow ABC
11/11 – UK, Manchester Albert Hall
11/12 – UK, London Shepherds Bush Empire
11/14 – France, Paris Elysee Montmartre
11/15 – France, Montpellier Rockstore
11/21 – Italy, Milan, Alcatrazz
11/22 – Switzerland, Zurich Komplex
11/23 – Germany, Munich, Neue Theatrefabrik
11/24 – Hungary, Budapest, A38
11/25 – Austria, Vienna Flex
11/27 – Germany, Cologne, Gloria
11/28 – Germany, Berlin, Columbia Halle
11/29 – Germany, Hamburg, Fabrik
11/30 – Holland, Alkmaar Victory
11/01 – Belgium, Antwerp, Trix
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