Wayne Kramer

A ROUGH TRADE BOOK OF THE YEARWayne Kramer, legendary guitarist and co-founder of quintessential Detroit proto-punk legends The MC5, tells his story in The Hard Stuff.As gripping as it is sobering.THE TIMESVoyerustically dramatic.NEW YORK TIMESEye-opening.GUARDIANOne of rocks most engaging and readable memoirs.ROLLING STONEInspiring and redempetive.UNCUTAn endearing read.MOJOLed by legendary guitarist Wayne Kramer, The MC5 was a reflection of the times: exciting, sexy, violent, out of control - assuring their time in the spotlight would be short-lived.Kramers story is a revolutionary one, but it is also the deeply personal struggle of an addict and an artist. From the glory days of Detroit to the junk-sick streets of the East Village, from Key West to Nashville and sunny Los Angeles, in and out of prison and on and off of drugs, his is the classic journeyman narrative, but with a twist: hes here to remind us that revolution is always an option.

The first memoir by Wayne Kramer, legendary guitarist and cofounder of quintessential Detroit proto-punk legends The MC5"Voyeuristically dramatic."-THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW In January 1969, before the world heard a note of their music, the MC5 was on the cover of Rolling Stone. Led by legendary guitarist Wayne Kramer, the band was a reflection of the times: exciting, sexy, violent, chaotic, and even out of control. The missing link between free jazz and punk rock, the MC5 toured the country, played alongside music legends, and had a rabid following, their music acting as the soundtrack to the blossoming blue collar youth movement. Kramer wanted to redefine what a rock n roll group was capable of, and though there was power in reaching for that, it was also a recipe for personal and professional disaster. The band recorded three major label albums but, by 1972-it was all over. Kramers story is (literally) a revolutionary one, but its also the deeply personal struggle of an addict and an artist, a rebel with a great tale to tell. From the glory days of Detroit to the junk-sick streets of the East Village, from Key West to Nashville and sunny L.A., in and out of prison and on and off of drugs, Kramers is the classic journeyman narrative, but with a twist: hes here to remind us that revolution is always an option.

LA HISTORIA DEL VERTIGINOSO ASCENSO Y LA BRUTAL CAÍDA DE MC5, EL LEGENDARIO GRUPO PROTOPUNK DE DETROITEn enero de 1969, antes de que el mundo hubiera oído una sola nota de su música, los integrantes de MC5 aparecieron en la portada de la revista Rolling Stone. Representaban el eslabon perdido entre el free jazz y el punk rock, y eran salvajes, originales y, cuando las cosas iban bien, completamente imparables.Liderados por el legendario guitarrista Wayne Kramer, reflejaban todos los aspectos de aquella epoca turbulenta, sexi, caotica y descontrolada, lo que practicamente garantizaba que no tendrian una carrera muy larga. En poco tiempo consiguieron actuar por todo Estados Unidos, tocar con grandes leyendas de la musica, contar con una legion de seguidores enfervorecidos y convertir sus canciones en la banda sonora del movimiento obrero juvenil norteamericano. Lo que Kramer buscaba, sobre todo, era redefinir los limites de una banda de rock, una idea con mucho merito pero, al mismo tiempo, el camino mas seguro hacia el desastre personal y profesional. Y asi fue: el grupo grabo tres albumes con dos discograficas importantes, pero para 1972 todo habia quedado en un recuerdo.Asuntos peligrosos narra la lucha de un artista rebelde y adicto a las drogas que tenia y tiene infinidad de cosas que contar. Desde los dias de gloria de Detroit hasta las calles llenas de yonquis del East Village; desde Key West hasta Nashville y la soleada Los Angeles; fuera y dentro de la carcel, con drogas y sin ellas, la vida de Wayne Kramer es un relato clasico de superacion pero con un toque diferente: el sigue aqui para recordarnos que la revolucion es siempre una buena opcion.