| Wayne Kramer |
|
| Background information |
| Born |
April 30, 1948 (1948-04-30) (age 61) |
| Genres |
Punk rock, hard rock, garage rock, protopunk, blues rock, psychedelic rock |
| Occupations |
Musician, Songwriter, Guitarist, Composer, Producer |
| Instruments |
Guitar, Bass guitar, Vocals |
| Years active |
1964 – Present |
| Labels |
Epitaph Records
Alive Records
MuscleTone
Diesel Motor |
| Associated acts |
MC5
Gang War
Mudhoney
Was (not was)
Axis of Justice
GG Allin |
| Website |
www.waynekramer.com |
Wayne Kramer (born April 30, 1948 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and film and TV composer.
Kramer came to prominence as a teenager in 1967 as a co-founder of the Detroit rock group MC5 (Motor City 5), a group known for their powerful live performances and radical left-wing political stance. The MC5 broke up amidst drug abuse and personal problems, leading to several fallow years for Kramer, who battled drug addiction before returning to an active recording and performing schedule in the '90s.
Rolling Stone recognizes Kramer as one of the top 100 guitarists of all time.
Career
With the MC5
The MC5 often played at Detroit's famous Grande Ballroom and was managed by John Sinclair, a radical left-wing writer and co-founder of the White Panther Party, until 1970 when Jon Landau took over creative management of the group. After MC5's demise, Kramer spent several years committing crimes and battling drug addictions.
In 1975, he was caught selling cocaine to undercover federal agents and went to prison for over two years at the Lexington Federal Prison in Lexington, Kentucky. While incarcerated he met Red Rodney, the American jazz trumpeter who had played with Charlie Parker's quintet. They played together in the institution's Sunday chapel.
Post MC5
Upon his release from prison, he moved to New York City and briefly teamed up with Johnny Thunders. They formed the band Gang War.
Kramer also spent much of the 1980s working as a carpenter in the city, where he co-wrote and regularly performed the R&B musical "The Last Words of Dutch Schultz" with Mick Farren at Tramps, among other NY clubs. He recorded with and produced punk rock bands throughout his 10 years on New York's Lower East Side, including the notorious singer GG Allin.
In 1979, he joined the acid funk band Was (Not Was) as their first guitarist. Kramer plays on the single "Wheel Me Out". He makes a guest appearance again on their 2008 release "Boo!" on Ryko Records.
Kramer, along with the other surviving members of MC5, reformed in 1991 in a memorial concert to raise money for the family of former lead singer Robin Tyner, who died from a heart attack.
In 1994, Kramer signed to Brett Gurewitz's punk rock label Epitaph Records and began a solo career. He released solo records, including 1995's self-produced The Hard Stuff, which features the band Claw Hammer on most songs, along with appearances from members of The Melvins and The Vandals. In 1996 he released Dangerous Madness. In 1997, he released Citizen Wayne, co-produced by David Was. In 1999, he released the live record LLMF. In 2002, he released the studio album Adult World.
In 2001, Kramer and his wife and manager Margaret Saadi Kramer launched MuscleTone Records, an independent label. MuscleTone and Levi's Clothing partnered to produce a live performance featuring the surviving members and guests Ian Astbury, Dave Vanian and Lemmy, which they filmed at London's 100 Club for Channel 4 in the United Kingdom. The event generated worldwide press coverage and prompted a world tour. The tour spanned several years and included dates in Europe, America, Australia, South America and Japan. They have performed together on and off since then with a variety of guests.
Recent events
Kramer also recorded as bassist on the song "Inside Job" for the grunge band Mudhoney for the album he produced, Beyond CyberPunk. In 2006 he was interviewed for the VH1 show The Drug Years and has been interviewed for nearly a dozen programs about the 1968 Democratic National Convention riots in Chicago, for recovery and addiction in rock and roll, and programs about social justice issues.
On August 27, 2008, Kramer made a special guest appearance at political-rock band Rage Against the Machine's protest concert, at the Tent State Music Festival to End the War, in Denver, Colorado during the 2008 Democratic National Convention. He joined them on stage and gave a speech, followed by a joint performance of Kick Out the Jams.
On November 8, 2008, Kramer made a special guest appearance at progressive-rock band Coheed & Cambria's Neverender event in Hollywood, California. He was brought out during the encore act to perform with the band to Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released", and added a third guitar part during the solos of Coheed's song, "Welcome Home."
On may 1st 2009 he was at a benefit where he was honored for his work with the nonprofit Road Recovery in NYC's nokia theatre.
Selected discography
With the MC5
- Albums
Solo albums
- Death Tongue (1991) Progressive
- The Hard Stuff (1995) Epitaph Records
- Dangerous Madness (1996) Epitaph Records
- Dodge Main (1996) Alive
- Gang War (1996) Sonic
- Citizen Wayne (1997) Epitaph Records
- LLMF (Live Like a Mutherfucker) (1998) Epitaph Records
- Mad for the Racket (2001) MuscleTone
- The Return of Citizen Wayne (2002) MuscleTone
- Adult World (2002) MuscleTone
- More Dangerous Madness (2004) Diesel Motor
Composer
Highlights from recent scoring work can be heard in the Will Ferrell comedies "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" and Summer 2008’s "Step Bros" for Sony Pictures. Kramer's solo track “Edge of the Switchblade” runs at "Talladega's" end title credits. He co-composed the score for HBO’s controversial 2007 documentary "Hacking Democracy", which also featured his song “Something Broken in the Promised Land” as its title track.
Wayne recently completed work on the score for the ITVS/PBS documentary "The Narcotics Farm" about America’s decades-long failed drug war, as well as the accompanying soundtrack album entitled "Lexington". Kramer also composes music for television, including themes for Fox Sports Network's "5-4-3-2-1", "Spotlight", "In My Own Words" and "Under the Lights" and E!’s Emmy-nominated series "Split Ends" as well as the “Unlabeled” Jim Beam commercial.
He is currently at work on the score for the new HBO comedy series "East Bound and Down," starring Danny McBride and executive produced by Will Ferrell, Adam McKay and Chris Henchy under their new production banner Gary Sanchez. Season 1 has six episodes. It premiered on Sunday, February 15, 2009.
Influence
The 1996 EP "Eno Collaboration" by Half Man Half Biscuit features "Get Kramer", the lyrics of which begin:
We've got Kramer
Coming over
To produce us
So that we can show off to our specialist friends
Go down to the Falcon in Camden and say
'I'll have a pint for myself
And a pint for the ex-MC5"
Further on, mention is made of the band's work, viz:
And I'll call my farmhand
And he will come running in a red cap sleeve t-shirt
With a West Country smile that says
'I'll give you "Kick out the JAMS!"
The Clash also weigh in on Kramer's drug troubles in their song "Jail Guitar Doors":
Let me tell you 'bout Wayne and his deals of cocaine
A little more every day
Holding for a friend till the band do well
Then the D.E.A. locked him away
Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine often cites Kramer as a major influence and now performs with him at Axis Of Justice shows.
References
- Carson, David. Grit, Noise, and Revolution: The Birth of Detroit Rock 'n' Roll. University of Michigan Press: Ann Arbor, 2005.
External links
