Michael-Davis-Obituary

Michael Davis

Obituary

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Michael Davis, the bassist of influential late 1960s rock band MC5, has died of liver failure, his wife said Saturday. He was 68.

Davis died at Enloe Medical Center in Chico, Calif., on Friday afternoon after a month-long hospitalization for liver disease, said Angela Davis.

Born on June 5, 1943, the bassist gained attention in the revolutionary Detroit band MC5 and later played in a version of the group called DKT-MC5 with former MC5 members Wayne Kramer on guitar and Dennis Thompson on drums.

The original MC5 rose to prominence from 1964 to 1972, making waves with incendiary anti-establishment lyrics and a blistering early-punk sound, starting with their first album "Kick Out the Jams," released in 1969.

A sought-after bassist and also producer, Davis was planning to be in Belgium this week recording with punk rock musician Sonny Vincent, said Davis' wife.

Davis had a scare in 2006 when he injured his back in a motorcycle accident on a Southern California freeway. He later co-founded the non-profit Music Is Revolution Foundation, dedicated to supporting music education programs in public schools.

In the last few years, Davis also returned to a love of painting, fostered when he first studied fine arts at Wayne State University in Michigan. He dropped out of the program in 1964 to play music, but started studying art again recently in Oregon and California, with the intention of finishing his bachelor's degree in fine arts.

Davis is survived by his wife, their three sons, and a daughter from a previous marriage. Memorial plans were pending, said Angela Davis.

SOLVEJ SCHOU For The Associated Press


Copyright © 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Michael,
I met with you in Ann Arbor, MI back in the late 60s. We spent a wonderful afternoon together- I had sent you a telegram in response to a phone call you made to me- you were elated and said it was the first telegram you had ever received. I was very sad to hear of your leaving us. I have very fond thoughts of that afternoon together. RIP you were a great friend...

We knew Mike for about 5 years. We met through a mutual friend, Kenny B. We (Wife and I)were from OH,so we shared a Midwest upbringing. Mike got me a job working with him for VAP in Tucson. He and daughter Ursula would come over and visit. He was a good father. He was interested in the art scene in Tucson at the time through my wife's involvement. We bought his painting easle from Wayne State days off of him as it was nicer than what we had. He would sit in sometimes on drums with...

May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.

Very sorry for your loss. Thanks, Mike for lending us your bass when our pickup band opened for Destroy All Monsters and the Sillies at East Quad fall of 1977.Signed my copy of High Time too.

May you be comforted this scriptural promise. "And there will be many of those asleep in the ground of dust who will wake up, these to indefinitely lasting life . . ."

With heart felt sympathy may the God of comfort help you.

R.I.P. Michael. Condolences to his family.

My sympathy to the Davis family on your loss. Michael was an important part of possibly the most underrated influential band of the 1960's. May his memory be eternal and hopefully with Fred Sonic Smith and Rob Tyner together again they will kick up some noise. The legacy of the MC5 and the Grande Ballroom will always live on. It's time to testify!