"Wait a minute, this sounds like rock and or roll..."

Ashamedly, I can't really claim to be much into 'proto-punk' (or to quote Jello Biafra 'Primal Music', which I think sounds ace); the elite group of musicians labelled as the forefathers/concievers of punk-rock. Iggy and the Stooges, the New York Dolls, the Who (the Ramones to some extent) etc. etc. I suppose subconsciously my theory has always been why would I bother listening to what is essentially an unrefined version of a later, to my eye (well, ear), superior product? Obviously it's important and interesting to look at the preceding texts in all areas of the media, but I just never saw much appeal in proto-punk.

Except for the MC5 ('Motor-City Five'), that is. The MC5 are a band that I have no recollection of how I came across, I just remember being quite taken aback that such an 'old' band could be so forceful and deliver such explosive energy.

Here's an incredible live performance (the kids at school still call me "Ol' Cliche-face") by the band, performing their track "Lookin' at you", it's really quite something:



The syncronised burst of electricity the band is hit by as the song crashes into life sums up their music perfectly.

Look at the video at about 2:55, on the left hand side you can see the only two people in the whole audience that are getting down into it (it's really hard not to use a 70's lexicon to write this post), the only two doing anything other than standing around looking slightly confused. I find it fascinating and really appealing to watch; I'd like to think that perhaps the rest of the crowd is just too stunned to think of what to do with themselves, though I suppose it's more than likely they just wouldn't know what to do anyway, due to nobody having invented slamdancing, or even pogoing at that point. I tip my hat to those two kids for having the guts to go with it and do whatever.

The band are also noted for getting tied up with the anarchic leftist organisation the 'White Panthers' (an organisation set up as a way for white people to show support for the black civil-rights group, the Black Panthers). Now THAT's Rock n' Roll! I've decided more 'rock' bands need to align themselves with controversial political groups. I'd like to see U2 pull shit like that!

If you're interested in seeing more, I suggest you check out this video, as well as the numerous others there are, up on YouTube. It's a shame there aren't more jam bands around nowadays, listening to this stuff to much really makes you feel cheated by more contemporary rock bands with the paltry three-and-a-half minute listless songs they usually throw your way. Some good modern jam bands I can think of right now would be Nebula and Wolfmother, though I'm sure there's lots more, go check 'em out.

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