Rock world pays tribute to MC5 founder Wayne Kramer, who died this week at the age of 75

Stars from across the world of rock have paid tribute to The MC5 founder Wayne Kramer, who died this week at the age of 75.

The guitarist and driving force behind the hugely influential Detroit, Michigan, band passed away from pancreatic cancer at Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles on Friday, February 2.

His death was announced in a short post on Kramer's Facebook page that read: "Wayne Kramer passed away today peacefully from pancreatic cancer. He will be remembered for starting a revolution in music, culture, and kindness."

In the wake of the news, rock stars including Alice Cooper, Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash, Jack White of The White Stripes, and Rage Against The Machine's Tom Morello have paid their respects to Kramer.

Alice Cooper says: "I’ve known Wayne since 1968 in Detroit, and we’ve worked together often and as late as last year. He had a big life, and I always respected how passionate he was about his charity Jail Guitar Doors which helped give prisoners access to music, guitars and often hope for their future.

"Bob Ezrin and I considered Wayne one of our favourite people, and we will miss collaborating with him tremendously."

In an Instagram post, Slash writes: "My life was forever changed for the better when I met this man and I'm going to miss him immeasurably. The embodiment of all things Rock'n'Roll and a really fucking great human being. RIP Wayne, you will live on in our hearts."

Kramer founded The MC5 – short for "Motor City Five", a tribute to their Detroit roots – in 1963. The band quickly became noted for their wild performances, in which garage rock and blues rock were blended with psychedelia, free jazz and left-wing politics to create a live experience that was as politically charged as it was musically adventurous.

Their influence on Detroit musicians is a theme of many of the tributes being paid.

Detroit native Jack White says: "We lost one of Detroit's greatest, brother Wayne Kramer of the MC5. The first guitar solo I ever sat down and learned was Wayne's from the 5 song Looking At You.

"He was definitely part of the solution as he changed rock and roll and broke the ground wide open in Detroit for the rest of us. Thank you brother Wayne for all that you have done and will continue to do forever."

Alice In Chains singer William DuVall says he loved working with Kramer when he sang live with MC5 in 2008 and 2011, and when he recorded new music with Kramer last year.

DuVall says: "Part of what makes today so shocking is that Wayne was about to write another chapter of his life with a new MC5 album, Heavy Lifting, for which I was honoured to sing one track, a new lineup, new tour dates – an entire campaign. I looked forward to watching it all unfold as a die-hard fan."

RATM guitarist Morello adds: "Brother Wayne Kramer was the greatest man I’ve ever know. He possessed a one of a kind mixture of deep wisdom and profound compassion, beautiful empathy and tenacious conviction. His band the MC5 basically invented punk rock music and was the only act to not chicken out and performed for the rioting protestors at the 1968 Dem National Convention.

"I’m pretty sure every album I’ve ever worked on the rawest fastest track had the working title MC5 (Sleep Now In The Fire for example).

"Wayne came through personal trials of fire with drugs and jail time and emerged a transformed soul who went on to save countless lives through his tireless acts of service. He and his incredible wife Margaret founded Jail Guitar Doors USA which founds music programs in prisons as life-changing, effective rehabilitation.

"I’ve played with Wayne in prisons and watched him transform lives, he was just unbelievable."