The Hard Stuff (Wayne Kramer album)

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. The band Claw Hammer backs up Kramer on most songs, with featured guest appearances by members of Bad Religion, The Melvins and Suicidal Tendencies.[1]

The Hard Stuff
Studio album by
Wayne Kramer
ReleasedJanuary 10, 1995 (1995-01-10)
StudioWestbeach Recorders, Hollywood
GenreRock & roll
Length41:35
LabelEpitaph
ProducerWayne Kramer
Wayne Kramer chronology
The Hard Stuff
(1995)		 Dangerous Madness
(1996)

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Entertainment WeeklyC+[3]
Rolling Stone[4]
Village Voice[5]

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".[6] 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."[7] Entertainment Weekly's 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+.[3] The Washington Post's 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."[8] 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."[9]

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
  • Sweet Pea Atkinson – vocals on "Pillar of Fire"
  • Chris Bagarozzi – guitar
  • Randy Bradbury – bass
  • Sally Browder – engineer, mixing
  • Greg Cathcart – assistant engineer
  • Dale Crover – drums, percussion on "Poison"
  • Mark Deutrom – bass on "Poison"
  • Bruce Duff – bass
  • Mick Farren – guest artist
  • Matt Freeman – bass
  • Josh Freese – drums
  • Brett Gurewitz – guitar, mixing, vocals
  • James Jamerson, Jr. – bass on "Pillar of Fire"
  • King Buzzo – vocals on "Poison"
  • Wayne Kramer – bass, guitar, mixing, vocals
  • Steve Kravac – assistant engineer
  • Bob Lee – drums
  • Stephen Marcussen – mastering
  • Keith Morris – vocals on "Edge of the Switchblade"
  • Mackie Osborne – art direction
  • Tony Rambo – assistant engineer
  • Brett Reed – drums on "Realm of Pirate Kings"
  • Kim Shattuck – vocals
  • Jon Wahl – guitar, harmonica
  • Rob Walther – bass
  • Dan Winters – photography

References
  1. "MC5 Biography". Rolling Stone.
  2. Raggett, Ned. "The Hard Stuff Review". AllMusic.
  3. Flaherty, Mike (13 January 1995). "The Hard Stuff". Entertainment Weekly.
  4. Drozdowski, Ted (1995-03-23). "Recordings -- The Hard Stuff by Wayne Kramer". Rolling Stone.
  5. Christgau, Robert (29 August 1995). "Consumer Guide". Village Voice.
  6. "Recorded Music". New York. Vol. 28 no. 2. 1995-01-09. p. 85.
  7. Sprague, David. "Wayne Kramer". Trouser Press.
  8. Jenkins, Mark (17 March 1995). "Kramer Misses MC5 Peak". The Washington Post.
  9. Crandall, Alan (November 1998). "Wayne Kramer: Keep the Faith, Baby". Perfect Sound Forever.
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