Wayne Kramer.Photo:Scott Dudelson/Getty
Scott Dudelson/Getty
Wayne Kramer, founding member of the legendary Detroit punk band MC5, has died at age 75.
A statement was posted to his officialInstagramand the profile of the nonprofit that he founded,Jail Guitar Doors USA, on Friday. “Wayne Kramer passed away today peacefully from pancreatic cancer,” read the statement shared in the caption of an old photo of Kramer performing.
“He will be remembered for starting a revolution in music, culture, and kindness,” the note continued.
Wayne Kramer performing with MC5.Leni Sinclair/Michael Ochs Archive/Getty
Leni Sinclair/Michael Ochs Archive/Getty
The musician, known for being a punk pioneer and longtime political activist, was born Wayne Kambes on April 30, 1948 in Detroit, Michigan, according toBritannica.
Along with bassist Michael Davis, rhythm guitarist Fred “Sonic” Smith, drummer Dennis Thompson and vocalist Rob Tyner, Kramer co-founded a band in suburban Detroit in 1965. Per Britannica, the project began as a bar band in which the group played covers, but it eventually evolved into the genre-bending rock group the MC5, or the Motor City Five.
From left: Fred “Sonic” Smith, Wayne Kramer, Rob Tyner, Wayne Kramer, Dennis “Machine Gun” Thompson and Michael Davis of MC5.Leni Sinclair/Michael Ochs Archive/Getty
The group became even more fully formed when they met John Sinclair, a writer and founder of the anti-racist socialist group known as the White Panther Party, according toNPR. While Sinclair never played in the band, as their manager, he encouraged them to write songs expressing their political frustrations and exploring the tension in Detroit in the late ‘60s — or the radical music that’s became part of their legacy.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“Young people in general felt unified in resisting the efforts of the older generation,” Kramer toldRolling Stonein a 2018 interview about the MC5’s involvement in politics. “We thought they were messing it up and it was our duty as patriots to try and straighten this business out and the MC5, we took it personally, in as much as this is my neighborhood. These are my neighbors. This is my family and we’re all on the receiving end of a blunt stick coming down on our heads."
MC5.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty
MC5 gained a reputation for their leftist lyricism and politically-charged stage show and famously played a concert outside of the 1968 Democratic National Convention as a part of the anti-war effort’s protest of the Vietnam War. According toAllMusic, there they caught the attention of Elektra Records and went on to secure their first record deal to release their influential debut albumKick Out the Jamsin 1969.
After releasing the LPsBack in the USAin 1970 andHigh Timein 1971, MC5 disbanded due to lack of commercial success and addiction issues within the band, including Kramer, who was arrested on drug related charges and spent four years in jail, per NPR.
Wayne Kramer.Chris McKay/Getty
Chris McKay/Getty
He held onto his punk spirit even in his later years, devoting much of his energy to the nonprofit that he co-founded with his wife Margaret Kramer in 2009, Jail Guitar Doors U.S.A.
Both Kramer’s incendiary guitar-playing in MC5 and leftist activism has been a source of inspiration for punk acts that followed, such as The Clash.
Tom MorelloofRage Against the Machinewas among his proteges and paid tribute to the late rocker with a thoughtful post onInstagram. In a lengthy tribute, he called Kramer “the best man [he’s] ever known.”
“I’ve played with Wayne in prisons and watched him transform lives, he was just unbelievable. Wayne had a soft heart but was also Detroit tough as nails," the guitarist, 59, wrote.
Wayne Kramer.Astrid Stawiarz/Getty
Astrid Stawiarz/Getty
Morello added, “Wayne was a guardian angel to so many. But mostly Wayne was a great friend, a beautiful comrade, and an older brother who helped me to forgive myself for making mistakes, take chances with my music, and never be afraid to help those in need. The countless lives he’s touched, healed, helped and saved will continue his spirit and legacy."
While speaking withSPINin 2017, Kramer reflected on his and MC5’s legacy. “Well, it holds up because what the band represented, at its best, was a direct connection with people’s concerns and the sense of possibilities — that there could be new music or new politics or a new lifestyle, new culture,” he said. “That, with effort in full measures and going all the way with your ideas, you can actually make something happen. One person can make a difference. A handful of people can make a big difference. A couple dozen people could change the world if they were organized and committed.”
source: people.com
