View source for Rob Tyner

{{Short description|American musician (1944–1991)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{more citations needed|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Rob Tyner
| image             = Rob Tyner.jpg
| caption           = 
| image_size        = 
| birth_name        = Robert Derminer
| alias             =
| birth_date        = {{birth date|1944|12|12}}
| birth_place       = [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]], U.S.
| death_date        = {{nowrap|{{death date and age|1991|9|18|1944|12|12}}}}
| death_place       = [[Royal Oak, Michigan]], U.S.
| origin            = 
| instrument        = Vocals, bass, autoharp, harmonica
| genre             = [[Proto-punk]], [[hard rock]]
| occupation        = 
| years_active      = 
| label             = 
| associated_acts   = [[MC5]]
| website           = 
}}

'''Robert W. Derminer''' (December 12, 1944<ref>{{cite web|title=Say It's Your Birthday: Lester Bangs and The MC5's Rob Tyner|url=https://www.mtv.com/news/hitoxf/say-its-your-birthday-lester-bangs-and-the-mc5s-rob-tyner|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240118111158/https://www.mtv.com/news/hitoxf/say-its-your-birthday-lester-bangs-and-the-mc5s-rob-tyner|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 18, 2024|website=[[MTV]]|date=12 December 1995|accessdate=5 September 2021}}</ref> – September 18, 1991), known as '''Rob Tyner''', was an American musician best known as the lead singer for the Detroit [[proto-punk]] band [[MC5]]. His adopted surname was in tribute to the [[jazz]] pianist [[McCoy Tyner]]. It was Tyner who issued the rallying cry of "[[Kick Out the Jams|kick out the jams]], motherfuckers" at the MC5's live concerts.  Tyner had originally auditioned as the bass player, but the band felt his talents would be best used as the lead vocalist.

== Life and career ==
=== Early years ===
Rob Tyner was born on December 12, 1944, in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. He was baptized and raised in the [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal Church]], but often sought ways to incorporate the spirituality from his Native American heritage into the Christian faith of his birth.<ref>[http://www.furious.com/perfect/mc5/robtyner5.html Rob Tyner]. ''Perfect Sound Forever. August 2007. Retrieved 5 September 2021.</ref>

=== MC5 ===
Tyner joined the group that was to become MC5 in 1964.<ref>{{cite news|first=Stevie|last=Chick|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/aug/17/mc5-10-of-the-best|title=MC5 – 10 of the best|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=17 August 2017|accessdate=5 September 2021}}</ref> He auditioned to be the band's bassist, but soon became its lead vocalist. 

MC5 earned national attention with their first album, ''[[Kick Out the Jams]]'', recorded live on October 30 and 31, 1968, at Detroit's [[Grande Ballroom]]. Critic Mark Deming writes that ''Kick out the Jams'' is:<ref>{{Citation |title=MC5 - Kick Out the Jams Album Reviews, Songs & More {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/kick-out-the-jams-mw0000263578 |language=en |access-date=2023-02-12}}</ref>
{{Quote|text=One of the most powerfully energetic live albums ever made ... this is an album that refuses to be played quietly.}}
The album caused some controversy due to the inflammatory [[liner notes]] by the band's manager, [[John Sinclair (poet)|John Sinclair]], and the title track's rallying cry of "Kick out the jams, [[motherfuckers]]!" According to MC5 guitarist [[Wayne Kramer (guitarist)|Wayne Kramer]], the band recorded this as "Kick out the jams, brothers and sisters!" for the single released for radio play; Tyner claimed this was done without group consensus. The edited version also appeared in some LP copies, which also withdrew Sinclair's comments. The album was released in January 1969.

He remained with the band until late 1972, when the MC5 split up.

=== Other works ===
In 1977, Tyner collaborated with [[Eddie & the Hot Rods]] for a 7-inch release coinciding with a promotional UK tour to promote MC5 vinyl reissues. Simultaneously back in the US, Tyner had launched "the New MC5" which later operated as the Rob Tyner Band and laid the foundation for "Rob Tyner & the National Rock Group", a project which was prolific but issued no recordings. In 1985, Tyner donated his talents to a benefit LP for [[Vietnam Veteran]]s. 

Tyner dipped into the song catalog of the National Rock Group for his 1990 album ''Blood Brothers'', and plans were in the works to play more live shows, including plans with [[Blackfoot (band)|Blackfoot]] drummer Jackson Spires, when he died in 1991.

===Death===
On September 17, 1991, Tyner suffered a heart attack in the seat of his parked car close to his home town of [[Berkley, Michigan]]. He was taken to Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, where he died, leaving his wife, Becky, and three children.<ref>{{cite news|first=Jon|last=Pareles|authorlink=Jon Pareles|date=September 20, 1991|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE6DD1130F933A1575AC0A967958260|title=Rob Tyner, Singer With MC5 Group In 60's, Dies at 46|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Tyner is buried at Roseland Park Cemetery in Berkley, Michigan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://99wfmk.com/three-michigan-musician-graves/|title=The Graves of Three Michigan Rock Musicians|website=99.1 WFMK|date=July 7, 2022}}</ref>

==Discography==

===MC5===
* ''[[Kick Out the Jams]]'' (1969)
* ''[[Back in the USA (album)|Back in the USA]]'' (1970)
* ''[[High Time (MC5 album)|High Time]]'' (1971)

===Robin Tyner & The Hot Rods===
* "Till the Night Is Gone (Let's Rock) / Flipside Rock" (1977)

===Stev Manteiv===
* ''Ambush'' (1985)

===Solo===
* ''Blood Brothers'' (1990)

===The Rob Tyner Band===
* ''Rock and Roll People'' (1999)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{Refbegin}}
*David Thomas (1999) [http://www.furious.com/perfect/MC5/robtyner4.html The (R)Evolution of Rob Tyner]. Future/Now Films
*John Sinclair (May 1967). [http://makemyday.free.fr/sunint.htm Robin Tyner interview] for ''The Warren-Forest Sun''
{{Refend}}

{{MC5}}
{{2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tyner, Robin}}
[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:1991 deaths]]
[[Category:American rock singers]]
[[Category:MC5 members]]
[[Category:American protopunk musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:Singers from Detroit]]
[[Category:People from Berkley, Michigan]]
[[Category:20th-century American male singers]]