MC5

Creem Magazine presents this totally great film by Leni Sinclair and Cary Loren, Kick Out the Jams. OK, one wishes they would come up with a title other than that of a debut album, confusing projects is easy in this age of too much media, but this DVD movie -- featuring '60s footage of the band that Leni Sinclair shot, captures the essence of the group in a way that the vinyl format simply couldn't. Assembled by Cary Loren of the group Destroy All Monsters, and with the online-resurrected Creem Magazine's endorsement, this is a psychedelic fun house that gives new meaning to the term "going further down the rabbit hole." Young Wayne Kramer and the boys have the look -- and the sound and with performance spliced over footage from the day it comes off as some twisted Bikini Beach film outtake, and that is said in a positive way. The title track includes the "f" word, of course, many copies of the original vinyl LP were censored so some had it, some didn't. The live footage is riveting and it is a pity that this film wasn't concocted back in the day -- it could have easily given the band the prominence they deserved but failed to find on the world stage. Not as menacing as the Stooges, and perhaps a little too political for their own good at the time, and like the West Coast's Moby Grape, something like this musical documentary was needed to bring the band out from cult status. Said to have sold 25,000 copies worldwide after its release, the Kick Out the Jams DVD is probably the best representation of MC5 to date. The bonus track is an intentionally grainy and bizarre black-and-white interview with John Sinclair from November 19, 2003, which is told while "Peyoteland," from Sinclair and Monster Island, plays behind it. The DVD comes with a nice, four-page booklet that you'll have to blow up on the Xerox machine. Listen to and watch "I Want You Right Now" to hear a truly wonderful nightmare of Jimi Hendrix gone punk. Extraordinary. ~ Joe Viglione, All Music Guide