Wayne Kramer “Ramblin’ Rose” b/w “Get Some” 1978. Stiffwick Records (a collaboration of Stiff Records and Chiswick Records). Today, April 30th, is MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer’s 70th birthday (b. Wayne Kambes, 1948) (which is for whatever reason way less shocking than Kate Pierson turning 70 last week, probably because MC5 were doing their thing before I was born while the B-52′s were popular while I was a teenager).

“Ramblin’ Rose” is a cover of the song originally written by Marijohn Wilkin and Fred Burch, recorded first by Jerry Lee Lewis and also covered by MC5 on their 1969 Kick Out the Jams LP. “Get Some” is by Kramer and fellow Pink Fairies (as well as the Deviants member) Mick Farren, the same version of the track that is on this single appeared on the 2000 comp Wayne Kramer/Pink Fairies Cocaine Blues: ‘74-78.

This single was released as a fundraiser for Kramer during his incarceration in a Kentucky prison for dealing coke. The back of the record sleeve says “This record cost £1.00. Wayne Kramer was once in a band called MC5. He is currently serving five years for conspiracy to traffic in cocaine. £1.00. Do not pay less or more.” Mick Farren was the driving force behind the fundraising. About the effort Kramer said, “While I was in the penitentiary, he wrote me at one point that all the bands over there were outraged that I had to go to prison and a couple of labels had gotten together – Stiff Records and Chiswick Records – and they were gonna put out two of those tracks as a benefit for me, and they were gonna give me all the money when I got out of prison, which was really a brotherly thing for them to do, considering that most people come out of prison with what they have when they go into prison, which is nothing, and that’s generally the reason they wind up going back to prison. But when I came out, I had like 2000 dollars as a cushion to help me adjust to life back on the street. It really, really made the difference for me…not that I would have gone back to dealing drugs or selling stolen TVs or guns or whatever, but it really did…a couple grand, y’know, straightens you out. Takes the pressure off.”

Runout Groove Side A: RELEASE WAYNE KRAMER Runout Groove Side B: FREE WAYNE KRAMER