Influence of Jazz in the MC5 and Stooges' Music

The MC5 and Stooges were heavily influenced by avant-garde jazz music, such as Ferrell Sanders, Albert Ayler, and Son Ra. They consciously tried to integrate these elements into their music, which can be heard in their albums. They listened to the same jazz records, experimented with free-form playing, and aimed to move music forward. Their music was a counter to the orthodoxy and polarizing attitudes of the late 1960s, particularly during the Vietnam War and civil rights movements. They wanted to challenge the status quo and create music that broke down walls.