The MC5 (Motor City 5) were a U.S. garage rock / heavy psychedelic / proto punk rock band, formed in Lincoln Park, Michigan in 1964. The members were Rob Tyner (vocals), Wayne Kramer (guitar), Fred Smith (guitar), Michael Davis (bass) and Dennis Thompson (drums).

In 1968, they relocated to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and following a performance at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Elektra Records A&R man Danny Fields signed them to Elektra Records. Their overtly political, anti-establishment stance stymied more widespread acceptance outside of the American Rust Belt and likely played a role in Elektra dropping them in 1969, after releasing their highly influential debut album Kick Out the Jams.

The group then signed with Atlantic Records after the suggestion of producer Jon Landau, and released their second album Back in the USA. In 1971, they released their third and final album High Time, this time with Fred Smith at the helm of the band (as the two previous records had Kramer on that role). By the end of 1972 the group had disbanded,

Kramer, Davies and Thompson reunited between 2003 and 2012 as DKT/MC5, with other members in the places of Tyner and Smith (both had passed away in the early ’90s).