The news of MC5 bass player Michael Davis's death on Friday, February 17^th was confirmed on by his wife Angela. He was 68. Davis died on Friday at the Enloe Medical Center in Chico, California after a month-long battle with liver disease, reports The Associated Press. Diagnosed with Hepatitis C back in 2005, Davis explained that it was caused by his heavy years of alcohol and drug use, as explained on his blog. His death came more than 15 years after the passing of two other original members, Rob Tyner in 1991, and Fred Smith in 1994.

Born in 1943, Davis joined MC5 in 1964, replacing the band's original bass player Pat Burrows and he remained with the group until 1972. He played on each of the band's three classic albums, including the extremely influential 'Kick Out The Jams'. He also took part in two short-lived reunions with MC5, first in 2003 and then again in 2005.

The bassist also worked as a producer and was behind the controls for records by the likes of Lords of Altamont, Dollhouse, Tokyo Sex Destruction, and OJM. In his later years, Davis co-founded the Music Is Revolution Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting music education in schools.