Wayne Kramer has died aged 75.
Wayne Kramer has died aged 75
The guitarist - who co-founded the rock band MC5 - passed away on Friday (02.02.24).
A post on Kramer's Instagram page reads: "Wayne S Kramer. Peace be with you. April 30 1948 – February 2 2024. (sic)"
A cause of death has not been revealed.
The Detroit-born star first found fame as a teenager, when he co-founded MC5, the American rock band that became well-known for its left-wing political links and anti-establishment lyrics.
The band were fiercely proud of their working-class roots and are widely regarded as one of the best rock bands of all time.
The group split in the early 1970s, and Kramer spent subsequent years battling a drug addiction and legal troubles.
However, after being released from prison in 1979, he embarked on a solo career.
In 2001, Kramer formed a supergroup to perform MC5 music, while in 2018, he announced plans for a 50th anniversary tour for MC5.
Meanwhile, at the time of his death, Kramer was preparing to release a third studio album from the band.
Speaking about their return to the music scene, Kramer said: "I think it was time to reignite that spirit of 1968, the spirit of my generation, when we were all young people.
"I think we’re at a very dangerous time in our history. And I think if we don’t all organise, come together, and step up, we could lose it all. Democracy could go away. The forces that we’re up against are not joking. This is not playtime. This is serious."
Kramer was also determined to "make a difference" in the world.
He said: "Now that I have the advantage of 50 years of skills and experience and wisdom to channel through the message of MC5, it’s my most powerful tool.
"It’s the most powerful tool I have to make a difference, to try to motivate people to take themselves seriously, to take their responsibilities to each other, to our community seriously."