
The Hard Stuff
Dope, Crime, the MC5, and My Life of Impossibilities
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Narrated by:
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Wayne Kramer
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By:
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Wayne Kramer
The first memoir by Wayne Kramer, legendary guitarist and cofounder of quintessential Detroit proto-punk legends The MC5
"Voyeuristically dramatic." (The New York Times Book Review)
In January 1969, before the world heard a note of their music, the MC5 was on the cover of Rolling Stone. Led by legendary guitarist Wayne Kramer, the band was a reflection of the times: exciting, sexy, violent, chaotic, and even out of control. The missing link between free jazz and punk rock, the MC5 toured the country, played alongside music legends, and had a rabid following, their music acting as the soundtrack to the blossoming blue collar youth movement. Kramer wanted to redefine what a rock 'n' roll group was capable of, and though there was power in reaching for that, it was also a recipe for personal and professional disaster.
The band recorded three major label albums but, by 1972—it was all over. Kramer's story is (literally) a revolutionary one, but it's also the deeply personal struggle of an addict and an artist, a rebel with a great tale to tell. From the glory days of Detroit to the junk-sick streets of the East Village, from Key West to Nashville and sunny L.A., in and out of prison and on and off of drugs, Kramer's is the classic journeyman narrative, but with a twist: he's here to remind us that revolution is always an option.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2018 Wayne Kramer (P)2018 Hachette AudioListeners also enjoyed...




















Critic reviews
"[This] book comes alive when bringing the reader into the heart of the late-'60s scene, where revolution seemed not just possible but plausible...The Hard Stuff is rarely poetic, but in its brutal honesty Mr. Kramer may succeed in deterring future musicians from contemplating serious drug abuse."—Wall Street Journal
"By the time he turned 30, Kramer had been the lead guitarist in a legendary but star-crossed rock band, a playacting Detroit gangster, and a guest of the American carceral system. All this living is covered in his new memoir The Hard Stuff, along with Kramer's roundabout path to the life he leads today."—NPR Music
Get into the MC5. Do it now.
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Of course, MC 5 + punk rock followers will be thrilled with Wayne's tales of the storied, innovative band he co-founded.
But even more thrilling, and incredibly moving, is Wayne's personal tale of rise, fall, and rebirth.
And if that kind of thing is up your alley, I can't recommend this book enough!
What a fantastic book!
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Hard stuff indeed
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So honest and open.
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Genius
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JT-
Brother Wayne Kramer
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Brother Wayne Kramer
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Brutally Honest, Socially Astute
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Hard stuff is easy listening
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Awesome! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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