<<
The FENDER JAZZ, as can be seen
by the bar inlays on the fretboard. The amplifiers in the background are
the Sunn amps that preceded the Marshalls. And the clothing is from a time
before the recording of Kick Out The Jams. [Note in the foreground the Mosrite Venture that Fred Smith has painted in black]
We recorded the album "Kick Out The Jams". Shaved the stash, bought a new FENDER JAZZ Bass guitar, had some killer threads made for me, which I dubbed "The Uncle Sam Suit", and got ready for the "big show". Although this is 1968, the bass had oval tuning keys, which were only produced one year, 1966. So, that is a sunburst 66 FENDER JASS BASS. Also, we have gone MARSHALL.
The whole deal. Fender Jazz Bass , Marshall , flags , sequenes , satin. The Rock and Roll Revival? I thought that was June 21. Who knows . . .?
I
have been outfitted with a FRAMUS STAR BASS.
A semi-hollow bodied, extremely narrow necked, "F holed", German
, bass instrument , that had to be taped over the sound holes to avoid
feedback. 
It
had a sound of plunk, plunk, plunk, and was mandated as the bass instrument
for the bass player , because the Fender Jazz Bass had a "noise"
in the electronics. BULLSHIT.
DECEMBER 1969 >>
(Photo RANDY
M. FOLEY)
The FRAMUS. In the early days, Bill
Wyman played a Framus. Perhaps, that is why it was chosen to replace the
Fender in the studio. All I know is, I never liked that damned thing,
and I only did it at the insistence of those "in charge."
Nice,
big stage. Could be the Eastown in Detroit, but do not know. I'm playing
a Rick. That's RICKENBACKER, as in 4001. After the Framus fiasco and various
scare-em-up basses; BALDWIN WILD DOG, DAN ARMSTRONG "clear lucite", etc.,
I bought a brand new Rickenbacker natural finish 4001 bass. I played this
bass for a very short time, before it was stolen at a pop festival in Toronto,
Canada. However, in the film, MC5*A
True Testimonial, I can be seen playing the "Rick" on a TV show, lip
syncing the record.Photos by RICK RIECKHOFF (left) & DAVID HARRIS (right)
Well,...I
finally hooked on to something else. A fucking GIBSON EBO or EB3. I don't
know the difference, to tell the truth. Marshalls carried the day to the
bitter end. The Gibson looks good, but they had a severe bass tone that
was way too woofy, and all the other settings sounded like tubas.
<< Hiwatts in the backline are rented or borrowed. The Precision
I'm playing may also have been borrowed, either in England or someone
in the States, as I never purchased another one of those since the original
white bass. The one and only, Steve "the Hawk" Harnedek, by the amplifier.
APRIL
1970 >>
(Photo STEPHEN FAIRCHILD)
St. Louis, Missouri
A theater in the round at a university, whose name has escaped me. Since
it is the inner sleeve of High Time, I know that by this time, the Jazz
bass is gone, and strange things have taken place in the past year. It
looks like I'm playing a Precision again . . . Marshalls, of course, and
an impressive presentation, if I don't mind saying so.
A Fender
Precision, as can be seen by the dot inlays on the fretboard <<<
LATER... On a final note; after all the basses that were played, bought, stolen, pawned, or generally lost, I finally settled down with an EPIPHONE solid bodied bass that had been refinished in a blue color. I played that bass until the end of my tenure with the band, The MC5.
Thanks for a look at some great photos, some I've seen, some I haven't.
(Photo
NORM SNYDER).
. . extra picture. 
It
is so very nice to see our old friend J.C. Crawford relaxing in the
chair beside me and Fred. He really was such a huge part of the MC5's
assault. I don't think he gets nearly the credit he deserves for his
inspirations. The film makers tried exhaustingly hard to locate Jessie.
Alas, he could not be found. A big thank you to J.C. Crawford, wherever
he may be.
MICHAEL DAVIS.
Posted on May 2003, find more MC5 infogearpage soon
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