MC5 embodied revolution in a way most bands only pay lip service to. The Detroit cops sent riot squads and even a tank to break up their shows, and even raided their house. They were the only band to play at the infamous protest outside the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Their radical manager, John Sinclair, wrote manifestos allying with the Black Panthers and declaring rock ‘n’ roll THE vehicle for revolution. But by the 1970s, all that idealism curdled into the classic story of broken record deals, drugs, crime, and jail, with redemption only possible through personal, not political, revolution.

To view the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com.

This episode was originally published on April 11, 2023.

To listen to Disgraceland ad free and get access to a monthly exclusive episode, weekly bonus content and more, become a Disgraceland All Access member at disgracelandpod.com/membership.

Sign up for our newsletter and get the inside dirt on events, merch and other awesomeness - GET THE NEWSLETTER

Follow Jake and DISGRACELAND:

Instagram

YouTube

X (formerly Twitter) 

Facebook Fan Group

TikTok

To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices