In a truly tragic loss for the punk and greater music world, Michael Davis, bass player for US rock band MC5, has been confirmed dead aged 68.
According to the BBC who spoke with his wife Angela, Davis died at Enloe Medical Center in Chico, California, on Friday following a month of treatment for liver disease.
Born June 5th 1943, Davis was not the original bassist for the often-controversial group replacing original bassist Pat Burrows when frontman Rob Tyner and lead guitarist Wayne Kramer decided they liked his style better.
Davis was however part of the lineup that rose to prominence and he played on all thee of the band’s full lengths including the iconic debut LP Kick Out The Jams in 1969.
The band eventually broke up in 1972 and frontman Rob Tyner died in 1991 as well as guitarist Fred Smith in 1994. The remaining three members reformed in 2004 with new singer Handsome Dick Manitoba and the group have played sporadically since then.
Davis was involved in a serious motorcycle crash in 2006, which left him with a serious back injury and put him more or less out of action for the rest of his years.
Davis is survived by his wife, their three sons, and a daughter from a previous marriage.
