Wayne Kramer (Detroit Portrait series)
Artist
Kurt Novak
(American)
Date2003 - 2005
MediumArchival pigment print on cotton rag paper
DimensionsPaper Size: 20 × 16 in. (50.8 × 40.6 cm)
Frame Size: 26 1/2 × 22 1/2 in. (67.3 × 57.2 cm)
ClassificationsPhotograph
Object numberUAC6107
DescriptionIn 1964, at the dawning of the era of hard rock, a new group emerged – MC5. Short for “Motor City Five,” MC5 was originated by friends Wayne Kramer and Fred “Sonic” Smith, and grew out of the duo’s interest in R&B, free jazz, and musicians such as Chuck Berry, John Coltrane, and The Ventures. Quickly earning popularity in the Detroit music scene for their intense, high-energy shows, the group played frequently at Detroit’s Grande Ballroom. After the end of MC5, Kramer continued to play with various other groups in the New York City rock scene, including the band Gang War and Fats Deacon and The Dumbwaiters, and began a solo career with Epitaph Records in 1994. In 2001, Kramer and his wife launched the label MuscleTone Records. Kramer continues to be involved with Jail Guitar Doors USA, an organization founded in 2009 by Kramer and fellow musician Billy Bragg dedicated to providing prison inmates with a musical education and outlet for expression.Collections
