12 '70s Hard Rock Albums All Fans Should Own

The Detroit outfit are one of many bands who can stake a claim to having invented punk, primarily through tracks like “Kick Out The Jams” on their first record. When follow up High Time rolled around they had abandoned the breakneck aggression for something thicker, harder, and altogether more drug fueled.

MC5 slowed things down here, with the majority of the tracks exceeding the five minute mark, but this is no grind - the sound is beefed up considerably and brimming with ideas and contributions from all members. The sound is loose, wild, and live, with closer "Skunk (Sonicly Speaking)" coming especially close to falling apart altogether as the players and instruments pile up.

“Miss X”, written by guitarist Wayne Kramer, is the album’s one light note, a delicate but complex composition to break up the walls of noise. This is MC5 at their most raucous and out of control - it’s a shame, but not a surprise, they didn’t last longer.

They have reunited and toured since, but no new music has been forthcoming - this remains their definitive statement.