The Hard Stuff (Wayne Kramer album) explained

The Hard Stuff
Type:Studio
Artist:Wayne Kramer
Cover:The Hard Stuff (Wayne Kramer album).jpg
Studio:Westbeach Recorders, Hollywood
Genre:Rock 'n' roll
Label:Epitaph
Producer:Wayne Kramer
Next Title:Dangerous Madness
Next Year:1996

The Hard Stuff is the solo debut album by American musician Wayne Kramer, best known as a guitarist with the 1960s group MC5. It was released on January 10, 1995, by Epitaph Records. Kramer is supported by a range of younger musicians including the band Claw Hammer and members of Bad Religion, the Melvins, and Suicidal Tendencies.[1]

The cover art is modeled after the influential Blue Note Records releasees from 1950s and '60s.

The album concludes with a hidden track titled "So Long, Hank", a tribute to writer Charles Bukowski who died in 1994.

Critical reception

New York wrote that "...the Hard Stuff shows [Kramer] to be in full command of his jam-kicking facilities," while praising the album's "vital rawness".[2] David Sprague and Ira Robbins wrote in Trouser Press that the album "careens from free-jazz-backed spoken word to bug-eyed metal in a manner every bit as fierce and feral as Kramer's golden age."[3] Entertainment Weeklys Mike Flaherty was less favorable, describing the album as "a bombastic album dominated by tales of ’90s-style sociopolitical decay" and giving it a C+. The Washington Posts Mark Jenkins was also critical of the album, writing that on it, Kramer "is still tough and eclectic, but he fails to reconjure the sheer abandon of his former band's best work."[4] Alan Crandall wrote in Perfect Sound Forever that the album "had something, that undefinable "oomph" that keeps you throwing on a particular album because you just really like it for no easily articulated reason."[5]

Track listing

All tracks composed by Wayne Kramer; except where indicated.

  1. "Crack in the Universe"
  2. "Junkie Romance" (Kramer, Mick Farren)
  3. "Bad Seed" (Kramer, Mick Farren)
  4. "Poison"
  5. "Realm of Pirate Kings" (Kramer, Mick Farren)
  6. "Incident on Stock Island"
  7. "Pillar of Fire" (Kramer, Mick Farren)
  8. "Hope for Sale" (Kramer, Mick Farren)
  9. "Edge of the Switchblade"
  10. "Sharkskin Suit"
  11. "So Long Hank" (hidden track)

Personnel

Adapted from CD booklet

Wayne Kramer: Vocals and guitar (all songs); bass guitar on (6)

(1) Crack In The Universe

(2) Junkie Romance

(3) Bad Seed

(4) Poison

(5) Realm Of Pirate Kings

(6) Incident On Stock Island

(7) Pillar Of Fire

(8) Hope For Sale

(9) Edge Of The Switchblade

10 Sharkskin Suit

Technical Personnel

Notes and References

  1. MC5 Biography . https://web.archive.org/web/20131210120322/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/mc5/biography . dead . December 10, 2013 . Rolling Stone .
  2. January 9, 1995 . Recorded Music . New York . 28 . 2 . 85.
  3. Web site: Wayne Kramer . Sprague . David . Trouser Press.
  4. News: Kramer Misses MC5 Peak . Jenkins . Mark . The Washington Post . March 17, 1995.
  5. Web site: Wayne Kramer: Keep the Faith, Baby . Crandall . Alan . Perfect Sound Forever . November 1998.

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