Dennis Thompson, last remaining member of MC5, dies at age 75

Dennis Thompson, the MC5 drummer known as "Machine Gun" because of his aggressive style of drumming, died Thursday at a long-term care facility in Taylor, according to his family. He was 75.

Thompson was the last remaining member of powerhouse Detroit rock outfit MC5, who were announced as inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April. The deeply influential rock act, known for its counterculture politics and its rollicking anthem "Kick Out the Jams," had been nominated for induction six times but had never made the cut. The band was awarded entry this year as part of the Rock Hall's Musical Excellence honorariums, and is set to be inducted at a ceremony in Cleveland on Oct. 19.

Thompson's death follows the death of MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer, who died in February at age 75, and former MC5 manager John Sinclair, who died last month at age 82. Bassist Michael Davis died in 2012, guitarist Fred "Sonic" Smith died in 1994 and singer Rob Tyner died in 1991.

Thompson suffered a heart attack in April but he was aware of the group's induction into the Rock Hall, according to his son, Chris McNulty.

Thompson's reaction? "It's about f---in' time," he told McNulty.

McNulty, 55, found his father through ancestry records and connected with him over the last two years of his life. "He was a true, free-spirited rock and roller up until the very last day," McNulty said.

"He was a very intense, extremely bright individual who had a really soft heart. He had a soft side that I don’t think a lot of people got to see," he said.

McNulty was there when his father suffered a heart attack last month and took him to the hospital. Thompson eventually ended up at MediLodge of Taylor but his progress was slow, McNulty said.

"If Dennis had it his way, he would have just spent the rest of his days at home with his cat," McNulty said.

Thompson grew up in Lincoln Park and joined the MC5 in 1965, when he was still in high school. His father worked two jobs and his dream was that his son graduate with an engineering degree from Wayne State University, Thompson wrote in a 2018 post on his website. Fate, it seems, had other plans.

"If my parents ever thought I would wind up on a high performance search and destroy team as the MC5, I think my drums might have magically disappeared one night," Thompson wrote.

Thompson also played drums in the MC5 revival act, DKT/MC5, from 2003 to 2012.

Funeral plans are pending.

agraham@detroitnews.com