Monday, February 22, 2010

Detroit's MC5 Live


Posted on October 13, 2008

There is a fine line between punk and thrash on one hand and out of control, inept performance, on the other. The MC5 came up in 1969 and they straddled the line between the two outcomes. They were ahead of their time in being brash and over the top with raw energy like some of the bands to come.

In the Priceless Collection, Extended Versions (Collectibles) release of a concert from around 1970 that borderline is crossed. The guitars tend to drown out the vocals in a crude way and the drums are present as a crashing noise somewhere just a little off the speakers. This is a historical document, of course, and for those who liked or like the band, it will be welcomed. For the rest it isn’t something to go out of the way to get. To cap it off the recording quality is sub-par. It’s not essential.

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