The MC5 and social change: a study in rock and revolution

213 Pages·2009·20.274 MB·English

by  White Panther Party.;MC 5.;Bartkowiak, Mathew J

The MC5
and Social Change

The MC5
and Social Change
A Study in Rock
and Revolution
MATHEW J. BARTKOWIAK
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Jefferson, North Carolina, and London
LIBRARYOFCONGRESSCATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATIONDATA
Bartkowiak, Mathew J.
The MC5 and social change : a study in rock and revolution /
Mathew J. Bartkowiak.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-7864-4037-5
softcover : 50# alkaline paper
1. Rock music—Social aspects—United States. 2. Rock
music—Political aspects—United States. 3. Rock music—
United States—History and criticism. 4. MC5 (Musical group)
5. White Panther Party. I. Title.
ML3918.R63B37 2009
306.4'84260973—dc22 2009009938
British Library cataloguing data are available
©2009 Mathew J. Bartkowiak. All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying
or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publisher.
On the cover: Wayne Kramer of MC5 strikes a defiant pose, courtesy
of Leni Sinclair; peace sign ©2009 Shutterstock.
Manufactured in the United States of America
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
To my wife Sara,
with thanks for her infinite support and patience,
and
my daughter Ella,
who had the distinction of dancing for the first time
in her life while “Kick Out the Jams” was playing

Acknowledgments
My immense gratitude goes to all of those who helped make this book
a reality. To my incredible wife, Sara, and daughter, Ella, for their patience
and love, thank you. I would like to acknowledge as well my wonderful fam-
ily. Mom and Dad, thanks for teaching me about the importance of music,
and instilling the passion to always keep learning. We miss you, Dad. Thanks
to Jus, Mark, Sandy and Aaron and family for their support. Thanks as well
to Adam Nelson, Baaron Schulte, and of course, Rick.
The work contained within, I hope, is an adequate reflection of the bril-
liant scholars I have worked with over the years: Gary Hoppenstand, Ann
Larabee, David Stowe, Maria Bruno, Jack Santino, Joe Ruff, Joe Austin,
Craig Lockard, Andrew Austin, Peter Kellogg, and Russ Reising. I have been
so fortunate to surround myself with such caring and gifted scholars. Thank
you all so much. Thanks to Peter and Susan Rollins for your support. Thanks
as well to everyone in the American Studies Department at Michigan State:
a phenomenal collection of students, staff and faculty.
I would also like to thank those whom I have so completely exploited
through their efforts in editing and discussion about this topic: Kathryn
Edney, Dr. Jerry Goldberg, Arthur Versluis, Katherine Kalish and Don Gar-
sow. Thanks as well to Matt Conger and Tom Smith for introducing me to
the MC5’s music.
I want to thank Doug Sheppard at Ugly Things Magazine (ugly-things.
com) for the use of his interview with Rob Tyner. Thanks as well to the folks
at the “MC5 Gateway.” I would also like to thank the staff of the Univer-
sity of Wisconsin-Marshfield/Wood County Library, the staff of the Michi-
gan State University Libraries, the Marshfield Public Library and the Bowling
Green State University Sound Recordings Archive and its director, Bill
Schurk. Thanks as well to the faculty, staff, and students of the University
vii
Acknowledgments
of Wisconsin-Marshfield/Wood County, the University of Wisconsin Col-
leges English Department, and the University of Wisconsin-Marshfield
Foundation.
My humble thanks as well to the DKT/MC5 family who have been so
incredibly open and kind during these interviews: Michael, Angela Davis
and family, Wayne Kramer and Margaret Saadi-Kramer, Dennis Thompson
and Patrice, John Sinclair, Leni Sinclair (a huge thanks for the photos), and
Pun Plamondon. I hope that I have done some justice to a subject and a
band that will continue to fascinate generations to come.
Thanks as well to The Journal of Popular Culture and The Journal for
the Study of Radicalism, who printed earlier versions of what would become
two of the book’s chapters.
viii
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments vii
Preface 1
Introduction: Rock and Revolution—
The MC5 and Music’s Political Life 7
ONE. Fighting in the Streets:
Understanding the Undercurrent of Rebellion in Rock 21
TWO. Revolution on Your Headphones:
Charting Social Location in the Rise of
the MC5 and the White Panther Party 37
THREE. Motor City Burning:
Rock and Rebellion in the WPP and the MC5 65
FOUR. Sonic Anarchy: The Making of the MC5 87
FIVE. Guns and Guitars:
Revolutionary Style and Substance? 112
SIX. Managing the Legacy of the Sound and the Fervor 139
SEVEN. Up Against the Wall: Music’s Place in Revolution 168
Chapter Notes 187
Bibliography 189
Index 195
ix