Released in 1969 Kick Out the Jams by MC5 is one of the most controversial debut albums in rock history, and one of the rare cases where a band introduced itself to the world with a debut album that was also a live record. Captured at Detroit’s Grande Ballroom the album distills the chaos, energy, and revolutionary spirit of late ’60s America into a raw, unfiltered blast of sound. From Rob Tyner’s infamous “Kick out the jams, motherf***ers!” rallying cry that kicks off the album (and caused a heap of controversy that followed) to the roaring guitars and proto-punk aggression, the record channels the political unrest and countercultural ideals of that era in America like few others.
As most shots across the bow like this typically play out, the critics at the time were stunned. Rolling Stone completely dismissed it. Radio DJ’s were afraid to play it. And department stores across the country refused to carry it after the band’s infamous feud with Hudson’s (where the band put out a full page advert in the newspaper that simply said “Fuck Hudson’s”). But Kick Out the Jams has since been vindicated as a crucial precursor to punk rock and a symbol of a band who gleefully decided to declare war on conformity.
Standout Songs: “Ramblin’ Rose”, “Kick Out the Jams”, “Motor City Is Burning”
