VIDEO CREDIT: WAYNE KRAMER YOUTUBE
Remembering Wayne Kramer, the revolutionary rocker who kicked out the jams!!!.....
It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Wayne Kramer, the co-founder and guitarist of the MC5, one of the most influential and radical bands in rock history. Kramer died on Friday, February 2, 2024, at Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles from pancreatic cancer. He was 75 years old.
Kramer was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1948, and grew up in a turbulent era of social unrest, racial tension, and political upheaval. He found his outlet in music, and in 1963 he formed the MC5 – short for “Motor City Five”, a tribute to their hometown – with singer Rob Tyner, guitarist Fred “Sonic” Smith, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis “Machine Gun” Thompson.
The MC5 quickly gained a reputation for their explosive live shows, which combined garage rock and blues rock with elements of psychedelia, free jazz, and radical politics. They were the house band for the White Panther Party, a militant anti-racist group that advocated for civil rights, social justice, and an end to the Vietnam War. They also performed at the infamous 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where they witnessed police brutality and riots.
The band’s debut album, Kick Out The Jams, was recorded live at Detroit’s Grande Ballroom in 1968 and released the following year. The album’s title track became their signature anthem, with its defiant “Kick out the jams, motherfuckers!” introduction. The album was controversial for its profanity and revolutionary message, and was banned by some radio stations and record stores.
The MC5 followed up with two more studio albums, Back In The USA in 1970 and High Time in 1971, both of which showcased their musical versatility and lyrical prowess. However, the band faced various challenges, such as censorship, legal troubles, drug addiction, and internal conflicts. They eventually disbanded in 1972, leaving behind a legacy that would inspire countless musicians in the punk, metal, and alternative rock scenes.
Kramer’s life after the MC5 was not easy. In 1975, he was arrested for selling drugs to an undercover federal agent and sentenced to four years in prison. During his incarceration, he learned to play piano and wrote songs. After his release, he briefly joined the funk-rock band Was Not Was, and then moved to New York, where he formed the short-lived Gang War with former New York Dolls guitarist Johnny Thunders.
Kramer spent most of the 1980s working as a carpenter, while struggling with drug addiction and depression. He eventually got sober and resumed his musical career in the 1990s, signing with punk label Epitaph and releasing several solo albums, such as The Hard Stuff, Dangerous Madness, and Citizen Wayne. He also collaborated with artists such as David Peel, Henry Rollins, and Lemmy Kilmister.
In 2003, Kramer reunited with the surviving members of the MC5, Davis and Thompson, for a tribute concert to Tyner, who had died in 1991. Smith had also passed away in 1994. The reunion show, which featured guest vocalists such as Dave Vanian, Ian Astbury, and Lemmy, was a success and led to a series of tours under the name DKT/MC5, with singers such as Mark Arm, Lisa Kekaula, and Evan Dando.
In 2018, Kramer celebrated the 50th anniversary of Kick Out The Jams with a new project called MC50, which included Kim Thayil and Matt Cameron of Soundgarden, Brendan Canty of Fugazi, Billy Gould of Faith No More, and Don Was. The band played the entire album live, as well as other MC5 classics, to rave reviews from fans and critics.
In 2022, Kramer announced that he was working on a fourth MC5 album, titled Heavy Lifting, which would be produced by Bob Ezrin and feature a new singer, Brad Brooks. He also revealed that the album would have guest appearances from Slash, Tom Morello, Vernon Reid, William DuVall, and others. The album was supposed to be released in October 2022, but was delayed due to the pandemic. Kramer said that the album was his way of pushing back against the dark times and carrying on the MC5’s legacy.
“We’ve just barely survived four catastrophic years of a failed presidency and a devastating pandemic.” Kramer said. "Brad and I started writing new music with the express purpose of pushing back against the cruelty of it all. It had become so polarised and depressing that bringing in other writers was like a hope injection.
“Nonstop touring, especially the last decade, I’ve come to understand that the music of the MC5 is as necessary as ever. It’s definitely high time to write and record new songs and to carry a message of uncompromising hard rock to fans around the world.”
Sadly, Kramer did not live to see the release of Heavy Lifting, which is now expected to come out in spring 2024. However, he left behind a rich and remarkable body of work that will continue to inspire and challenge listeners for generations to come.
Besides his musical achievements, Kramer was also a passionate advocate for prison reform and rehabilitation programs. In 2009, he co-founded Jail Guitar Doors USA, a non-profit organization that provides musical instruments and education to incarcerated individuals as a means of personal transformation. He also wrote a memoir, The Hard Stuff: Dope, Crime, The MC5, And My Life Of Impossibilities, which was published in 2018.
Kramer is survived by his wife, Margaret Saadi Kramer, and his son, Francis Bean Kramer, as well as his brother, Charles Kramer, and his sister, Kathy Kelley. He will be remembered as a visionary, a rebel, and a rock and roll legend.
Rest in peace, Wayne Kramer. You kicked out the jams, and we thank you for it.
