Kick Out The Jams

Why is this newsletter called 'Kick Out The Jams'?

We Gotta Kick Em Out!

Someone asked why I called this newsletter “Kick Out The Jams.” This post might clear that up.

No song rocks harder than this song.

The original 1969 Detroit-based MC5 (Motor City Five) song was arguably way ahead of its time. Take a listen. youtube.com

Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello described MC5 as having "basically invented punk rock." wikipedia.org

This is the awesome Henry Rollins and Bad Brains cover from the 1990 Christian Slater movie Pump Up The Volume soundtrack. youtube.com

This is a fun version of the song from the Presidents of the United States of America. youtube.com

This is how Rage Against The Machine interpreted it. youtube.com

It was featured in one of the musical episodes of Xena: Warrior Princess. youtube.com

Prophets of Rage, Tom Morello, Chuck D and Dave Grohl did an incredible cover live in Toronto featuring a bridge that includes lyrics from Tricky’s song Black Steel. youtube.com

Street Sweeper Social Club (more Tom Morello) and Trent Reznor also kicked out the jams in 2009. youtube.com

It has been covered by many others, including U.K. Subs, Blue Oyster Cult, Living Colour, Pearl Jam, Mudhoney and Jeff Buckley. youtube.com, youtube.com, youtube.com, youtube.com, youtube.com

“We gotta kick em out!”