Punk Rock Pioneers MC5 Release New Single Can’t Be Found Ahead Of New Album Heavy Lifting

by | Aug 2, 2024

Detroit Today, Detroit punk rock pioneers MC5 have released Can’t Be Found (feat. Vernon Reid, Dennis Thompson), the second single from their upcoming album Heavy Lifting, dropping on 18th October. This track showcases the album’s funky heavy rock fusion with electrifying guitar riffs, highlighting the soul of founding member Wayne Kramer. Kramer, alongside original MC5 drummer Dennis Thompson and Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid, deliver a refreshing signature anthem, setting the stage for the album’s release.

MC50 @ The O2 Arena

Wayne Kramer of MC5/MC50 @ The O2 Arena (Kalpesh Patel)
Wayne Kramer of MC5/MC50 @ The O2 Arena (Kalpesh Patel)

Emerging from the gritty streets of Detroit in the mid-60s, MC5 revolutionised rock’n’roll with their blistering fusion of garage rock, blues, soul, free jazz, and proto-punk. Infamous for incendiary live performances and a radical left-wing stance, their status as pioneers of punk and protest rock has inspired many musicians like Ramones, The Clash, Rage Against The Machine, The White Stripes, Slash, and countless others and continues to shape the sound of punk and alternative rock for generations to come.

MC50 @ The O2 Arena

Wayne Kramer of MC5/MC50 @ The O2 Arena (Kalpesh Patel)
Wayne Kramer of MC5/MC50 @ The O2 Arena (Kalpesh Patel)

earMUSIC will release the first new music from MC5 in over 50 years (following 1971’s High Time) with Heavy Lifting – one day prior to the band’s induction into 2024’s Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame when they will receive the Musical Excellence Award.

Listen to Can’t Be Found below:

The new LP features guitar and vocals by late founding MC5 member Wayne Kramer, who also co-wrote 12 of the album’s 13 songs together with Oakland singer/songwriter Brad Brooks. Prolific for five decades, Kramer was the last remaining active member of MC5. He passed away suddenly in February, followed by the death of drummer Dennis ‘Machine Gun’ Thompson in May. It is Thompson’s final studio recording. In an interview with UNCUT in November 2023, Kramer discussed the album and said: “Live long and stay creative is my attitude. This album continues from where High Time left off, in that I think it’s an artist’s responsibility to reflect the times they’re going through. We made an album that is in sync with the challenges we’re facing today, and that carries a positive message.”

Guns N' Roses @ BST Hyde Park 2023

Slash of Guns N' Roses @ BST Hyde Park 2023 (Kalpesh Patel)
Slash of Guns N' Roses @ BST Hyde Park 2023 (Kalpesh Patel)

Heavy Lifting was recorded with iconic producer Bob Ezrin (Lou Reed, Alice Cooper, KISS) and features an all-star lineup of Kramer’s friends and musical colleagues including Slash, Tom Morello, William DuVall (Alice in Chains), Vernon Reid (Living Colour), Don Was, and Tim McIlrath (Rise Against), allowing for a collaborative effort that bridges the gap between generations of musicians inspired by MC5’s fearless approach to music and activism.

Tom Morello @ Electric Ballroom

Tom Morello @ Electric Ballroom (Kalpesh Patel)
Tom Morello @ Electric Ballroom (Kalpesh Patel)

The breadth of MC5’s impact can be heard by all the album’s players, including Vicki Randle (Aretha Franklin), Stevie Salas (Parliament Funkadelic, Rod Stewart), Abe Laboriel Jr. (Paul McCartney), Winston Watson Jr. (Bob Dylan), and Joe Berry (M83). Far more than a trip down memory lane, Heavy Lifting is a resounding affirmation that the spirit of punk endures.

Tom Morello Recruits His Army Of Love At The Electric Ballroom

Mother Mother @ Troxy (Kalpesh Patel)

Mother Mother Announce New Album ‘Nostalgia’ And Announce Brixton Headline Show

Celebrating their 20th anniversary as a band, globally-celebrated alt-rock phenomenon Mother Mother have shared their brand new single Make Believe via Parlophone/Warner Records. The track heralds the arrival of their upcoming tenth studio album, Nostalgia, out on 6th June.

Himalayas (Andy Ford)

HIMALAYAS Drop Latest Single ‘Surrender’

HIMALAYAS have released their new single Surrender, the latest song to be taken from their forthcoming album BAD STAR out April 25th via Nettwerk Music Group. Surrender is a foreboding cavernous rock track which examines uncritical loyalty to individuals and organisations, and the willingness to blindly accept anything they say. It also speaks to the inability to see why others may think differently, leading to further division instead of cooperation to achieve a common goal.

Brandon Boyd of Incubus @ Brixton Academy (Kalpesh Patel)

Incubus Announce Special Guest Paris Jackson For 2025 London Headline Show

Following their highly successful sold-out 2024 US Arena tour, US rockers Incubus will perform their iconic Morning View album in its entirety plus the hits at London’s The O2 on Saturday 26 April 2025, their only UK and Ireland show.

Jet Fuel Rock’N’Roll With The Hillbilly Moon Explosion And The Zipheads In London

Tucked away under Oxford Street, the 100 Club feels like a terribly kept secret, the venue you’d miss if you strode...
Zakk Sabbath @ O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire (Catherine Beltramini)

Zakk Sabbath Deliver A Tribute To The Prince Of Darkness At O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire

If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to witness Black Sabbath’s iconic riffs brought to life with a new level...
Better Joy (Press)

Manchester’s Better Joy Embarks On Her Debut UK Tour Across March & April

This Spring – better joy – AKA Manchester-based Bria Keely, embarks on her highly anticipated debut tour of the UK. With 8 headline dates throughout March and April, including a headline London show at Old Blue Last and a recently upgraded hometown show at Manchester’s Night & Day, the shows will coincide with the release of better joy’s eagerly awaited heading into blue EP, dropping on 28th March.

Justin Hawkins of The Darkness @ Ipswich Regent Theatre (Emma Shaw)

The Darkness Leave Their Home County Toasted At Second Ipswich Regent Theatre Show

This should have been the first gig of the tour for renowned rockers The Darkness, but their return to their home...
Twinnie (Press)

Twinnie Shares New Single ‘Woah Man’

A UK artist who is making an increasingly substantial impact in the Nashville scene, Twinnie excels at uniting country’s storytelling heart with an instantly appealing pop energy and determined self-empowerment. Those traits all shine proudly as Twinnie shares her brand new single Woah Man.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing