No content with fronting THE DOORS, former Motorhead frontman IAN ASTBURY last night (March 13) joined a reformed MC5 during a comeback show for the seminal DETROIT garage rockers in London.
Astbury took to the stage in the legendary 100 Club for a show closing ‘Kick Out The Jams’, the MC5’s anthem and calling card. The MC5 split in 1972. Singer Rob Tyner died in 1991 and guitarist Fred ‘Sonic’ Smith died in 1994. Last night’s show was put together by surviving guitarist Wayne Kramer. However, Astbury – who can now go back to aping the role of Jim Morrison as frontman in a reformed Doors – was not the only hoary old rocker who stepped up fill Tyner’s boots.
[a][/a]’s Lemmy, The Damned’s Dave Vanian and The Hellacopters’ Nicke Andersson alternated vocals with Kramer. Newcomer Kate O’Brien also appeared for one song.
Only 350 people were packed into the 100 Club for the event.
The set-list ran:
‘Skunk (Sonically Speaking)’ – Kramer on vocals
‘Gotta Keep Movin’ – Andersson
‘Tonight’ – Vanian
‘Looking At You’ – Vanian
‘High School’ – Vanian
‘Poison’ – Vanian
‘American Ruse’ – Andersson
‘Let Me Try’ – O’Brien
‘Rama Lama’ – Kramer
‘Sister Ann’ – Lemmy
‘Back In The USA’ – Lemmy
Encore
‘Rambling Rose’ – Kramer
‘Kick Out The Jams’ – Astbury