MC5 predates most of the bands on this list, having formed way back in 1964. They were generally considered a straight-up rock band, but listening to songs such as 'Kick Out the Jams' you'd be forgiven for thinking they were full-on punk. With their stripped down style and anti-establishment lyrics they were definitely a huge influence on modern punk rock music. Like many bands on this list, MC5's protest affiliations move them into the activist proto-punk sphere. The band played in protests against the Vietnam War, and were reportedly radically influenced by Marxism and the Beat Generation. Like the Dead Kennedys after them, too, MC5 received a lot of criticism for so-called obscenity. The opening line of 'Kick Out the Jams', vocalist Rob Tyner shouts "kick out the jams, motherfucker"! This was censored heavily, with one chain of stores, Hudsons, even refusing the stock the album. Obviously the band came back with a direct and "obscene" response of "F**k Hudsons" leading to them being dropped by their then label. If that isn't proto-punk, I don't know what is...
