On March 27, 2026, something happened that felt both surprising and long overdue. Alice Cooper and Suzi Quatro finally joined forces for a major duet, releasing their own version of the MC5 classic “Kick Out The Jams.”
For rock fans, it almost feels too perfect to be real. Two Detroit-born icons. Two voices that helped define the raw energy of 1970s rock. Two artists who built their reputations by breaking rules rather than following them. And yet, despite more than fifty years in music, they had never truly shared a moment like this on record—until now.
The track appears on Suzi Quatro’s 2026 album Freedom, released the same day. The idea began simply, when her son and producer suggested covering “Kick Out The Jams.” At first, she hesitated. Then one name entered the conversation: Alice. Suddenly, everything clicked.
As Suzi later put it, the duet felt like “two buddies from Detroit going back to Detroit and honoring a Detroit band.” It sounds simple, but that’s exactly why it works.
Before the fame, before the stages and personas, both artists were just kids growing up in Detroit’s gritty music scene—surrounded by loud clubs, rebellious sounds, and a culture that encouraged pushing limits. MC5 came from that same world, and “Kick Out The Jams” was never meant to be clean or controlled. It was built on noise, defiance, and attitude.
That spirit hasn’t disappeared—it’s just evolved.
The 2026 version doesn’t try to replicate the original. Instead, it leans into something heavier and more deliberate. It trades youthful chaos for seasoned intensity. Rather than chasing who they once were, Alice Cooper and Suzi Quatro sound like artists who have lived through it all and still have something to say.
There’s also a small, human moment fans can’t stop talking about. The original song’s iconic opening line includes the phrase “Kick out the jams, mother—.” Alice Cooper, with a grin, reportedly declined to say it, joking, “I’m a Christian.” So Suzi took the line herself. It’s a detail that’s a little funny, a little awkward, and completely genuine—adding charm instead of polish.
Listeners have praised the duet not for being flashy, but for being real. There’s something powerful about hearing two veterans of rock—each with decades of history—still sounding energized, still playful, still engaged.
Rock music often celebrates youth, but this collaboration tells a different story. Sometimes, the most compelling performances come later—when voices carry experience, when memories shape the sound, and when the artists know exactly who they are.
For one song, two old friends returned to their roots—and made Detroit feel young again.