Motor City is Burning

February 19, 2012 3:08 PM

Michael Davis, bass player for the bands MC5 and Destroy All Monsters, passed away at 68 on February 17, 2012 from liver failure.
posted by Smart Dalek (27 comments total)

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posted by NoMich at 3:15 PM on February 19, 2012

RIP, to another fallen brother.
posted by jonmc at 3:15 PM on February 19, 2012

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posted by LittleKnitting at 3:18 PM on February 19, 2012

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posted by joe lisboa at 3:22 PM on February 19, 2012

Aw hell.

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posted by Splunge at 3:33 PM on February 19, 2012

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posted by Seekerofsplendor at 3:33 PM on February 19, 2012

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Your YouTube links appear to be borked. I'm seeing pancake recipes and Soulja Boy for some reason. Try This and This instead.
posted by Sys Rq at 3:37 PM on February 19, 2012 [1 favorite]

This doesn't have to do with the deceased, but when I lived in Nashville in high school I read "Pulse" the magazine that Tower Records used to put out. In one of the random columns there was news that Wayne Kramer, one of the guitar players, had moved to Nashville. This was in 1991. At this time I was in band called The Tone Def Whiteboys (I know, I know) and I really liked the MC5. I decided to call information to see if I could get Wayne Kramer's phone number. Sure enough, he was listed and I called him. I told him who I was and how much of a fan I was and would he come see my band? He said yes, and was an, awesome, awesome, guy. I moved to Portland OR a few months later for college but he actually ended up recording and producing the Tone Def Whiteboys album with the other members.
posted by josher71 at 4:00 PM on February 19, 2012 [2 favorites]

I used my iPhone to post; there must be some sort of mobile browser string that threw things off. Thanks for the heads-up, Sys Rq.
posted by Smart Dalek at 4:03 PM on February 19, 2012

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posted by BitterOldPunk at 4:06 PM on February 19, 2012

Kick Out the Jams



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posted by Renoroc at 4:07 PM on February 19, 2012

Some kick ass footage. More.
posted by NoMich at 4:22 PM on February 19, 2012 [1 favorite]

Mod note: fixed the links, carry on, thanks SysRq
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 4:24 PM on February 19, 2012

MC5 kick ass in a way that few ever have.
RIP
posted by saul wright at 4:38 PM on February 19, 2012 [1 favorite]

Mike Kelley was found dead in South Pasadena, California, on February 1, 2012, aged 57, having committed suicide.[4] Sixteen days later, on February 17, 2012, Michael Davis died of liver failure, aged 68.

From the Destroy All Monsters Wikipedia page...


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posted by Huck500 at 4:42 PM on February 19, 2012 [1 favorite]

Holy shit, first Mike Kelley, now Michael Davis, just over two weeks apart?

The monsters are being destroyed quickly.

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posted by Chichibio at 4:43 PM on February 19, 2012

i remember them well back in the late 70s and early 80s

man, do i feel old
posted by pyramid termite at 5:13 PM on February 19, 2012

The MC5 changed my life. R.I.P., Mike...
posted by AJaffe at 5:15 PM on February 19, 2012

I remember him, too. He came to my friends' parties a few times one summer in Ann Arbor (either 1987 or 1988). He'd show with a couple other musical-types. Shit. He was super nice.
posted by heyho at 5:39 PM on February 19, 2012

Reason #1 why thrift stores in the '80s were the best time for thrift stores: I picked up a whole bunch of vinyl from the '60s and '70s for only about a dime each and one of them was the non-radio edit version of Kick Out the Jams. Thankfully, that was the one album that survived the days of needing to pay the rent on very little income.
posted by NoMich at 5:50 PM on February 19, 2012

Hearing "Sister Anne" for the first time in my early 20s was like having live current jammed directly into my arm - RIP, Brother Michael Davis, and thank you (thank you) for inspiration at a time when I really needed it.
posted by ryanshepard at 6:45 PM on February 19, 2012 [1 favorite]

The MC5 and the Stooges changed my teenage life. Thanks for that, man.
posted by Decani at 6:54 PM on February 19, 2012 [3 favorites]

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posted by motty at 7:49 PM on February 19, 2012

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Thanks.
posted by Phlegmco(tm) at 8:26 PM on February 19, 2012

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posted by SageLeVoid at 2:25 AM on February 20, 2012

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posted by El Brendano at 2:34 AM on February 20, 2012

I hope he has the LOUDEST FUNERAL EVER.
posted by echo target at 6:58 AM on February 20, 2012