MC5 (Motor City Five) – the legendary Detroit band. Their first single, included here, was released in 1967. In 1968 they played the infamous Democratic Convention that turned into a police riot, and became the ‘Official White Panther Party Band’. Their manager John Sinclair became a hippie activist martyr, after being jailed for 10 years for 2 joints, inspiring John Lennon’s ‘10 For 2’ song. Thrown off their first label Electra, they signed to Atlantic for two more albums but only achieved underground success. Today they are greatly revered as one of the seminal rock’n’roll bands and a huge inspiration for punk.

Thunder Express documents their last and first studio works: – six tracks recorded in France at Studio Castle Herouville for a TV show in 1972; plus four tracks from their debut singles from ’67 & ’68. The title track is not available elsewhere. In limited yellow vinyl, the inner bag includes a 1970 interview feature, and the White Panther Party ’10-Point Program’. In 2024 MC5’s guitarist Wayne Kramer, drummer Dennis Thompson and manager John Sinclair all passed away, marking the end of the MC5 era.

1. Kick Out the Jams
2. Empty Heart
3. Ramblin Rose
4. Thunder Express
5. I Can Only Give You Everything
6. I Just Don T Know
7. Rama Lama Fa Fa Fa
8. Motor City is Burning
9. Looking At You
10. Borderline