GRANDE DAYS - ROB TYNER

Rob Tyner was the lead singer of the legendary MC5 who, in the late 1960s, helped lay the foundation for what would later become punk rock. Their incredible live shows often upstaged the much more famous bands they were opening up for, including Eric Clapton and Cream, who "left the stage vanquished" by the MC5, according to one critic. Their reputation as a radical live band landed them on the cover of Rolling Stone before they had even released an album.

After releasing 3 albums in just a few short years, the band broke up in 1972. Rob released his only solo album, Blood Brothers, nearly 20 years later, in 1990. By then, according to MC5 biographer David Thomas, "Tyner had reinvented himself again. Appearing frequently in all-black post-apocalyptic 'armour', brandishing a samurai sword and immersing himself in Bushido code, Native American folklore and the writings of Joseph Campbell, Tyner seemed to embrace the timeless ideals of the classic warrior / poet".

Thanks to our friends at Big States for showing us this awesome video. And thanks to Rob Tyner for showing us what it really means to be "cool".