Along with the other kings of Detroit, The Stooges, The MC5 would help to pave the way for what would become Punk music. The guitars were unforgiving and their lyrics did not simply focus on the normal subject matter of Rock 'n Roll, but instead fueling the counterculture and it's politics. The political nature of the band would ultimately become as crucial to The MC5 as their music, making them a band who was motivated to become one of the most volatile and threatening bands of it's day.
Under the guidance and management of John Sinclair (the founder of the White Panther Party), the MC5 would create a flash on rock music that would never be matched. Their live sets were downright frightening and although their ideals were very similar to the hippy generation, the way of expressing them would be the exact opposite. The band would not be fully understood, and censorship and legal issues would never let the MC5 gain ground as a major band of the 60s and 70's. Their influence however would continue to pave the way for what we know as modern day Punk rock.
By the time their manager John Sinclair would be jailed for Marijuana possession it would prove to be the beginning for the end for the band. They released two more records after Kick Out The Jams, Back in the U.S.A and High Time, before eventually disbanding after their show on New Year's Eve of 1972.
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