The Best Live Albums Of All Time, Ranked

MC5, ‘Kick out the Jams’

Kick Out The Jams is the debut album by proto-punk band MC5. This album was recorded live at Detroit’s Grande Ballroom over two nights in 1968: October 30, known as Devil’s Night, and October 31, Halloween. Then, Elektra Records released the album in February of 1969. This album had two versions: an edited and unedited version.

Angry lead singer of MC5 Rob Tyner was big on expletives, and so was this album. As a result, a Detroit-based chain called Hudson’s Department Stores wouldn’t stock and sell the album. The band angrily took out a full-page ad in a newspaper and used it to grow their album and audience even more.