Many punk rock historians had always wondered where did punk rock start in the U.K. Sessions for the new album were tough as the Stooges battled London’s cold air and poverty-like living.ĭuring sessions for the new album, the band played only one gig during their stay in London.
The band recorded their third album in London in the epicenter of the glam rock scene that was led by Bowie, T. Ron Asheton, who was responsible for the raucous guitar sounds in the band’s first two albums, was angered over Iggy’s decision and decided to use the bass as a weapon of revenge that helped the Stooges’ sound become more intense. He called up pal James Williamson as well as original Stooges band mates, guitarist Ron Asheton and his drumming brother Scott.Īfter reforming the Stooges, Iggy decided that James would take the lead guitar slot, as Ron would play bass. Iggy was becoming a part of Bowie’s entourage that included photographer Mick Rock and Iggy decided it was time to reform the Stooges. and helped score Iggy a management deal with Bowie’s manager Tony DeFries as well as a new recording deal with Columbia Records. After several conversations and meetings, Bowie, in the early stages of his Ziggy Stardust persona, took Lou and Iggy to the U.K. Bowie was a fan of the Stooges’ raw, rock n’ roll sound and saw Iggy as a unique figure that was completely different from the progressive rock music in the U.K. In a party at Max’s Kansas City, Iggy Pop met a young British musician named David Bowie who would become one of Iggy’s lifelong friends.
He met up with fan and proto-punk icon Lou Reed who was helping Iggy try to score the deal that would change his life. After the Stooges disbanded, Iggy went back home to Ann Arbor, Michigan where he cleaned himself on heroin with methadone and wrote some songs with Stooges guitarist James Williamson.Īfter regaining his health in late 1971, Iggy decided to go to New York City to score a record deal. Drug abuse, poor album sales, and boredom drove the Stooges to break up as singer Iggy Pop’s heroin addiction was taking its toll. For the Detroit proto-punk band the Stooges, the 70s started on a down note after making two influential albums that would provide the blueprint for punk rock that would come to realization in the mid-70s. The 1970s would hail as a new era in rock n’ roll where the rules would be broken by bands and artists who wanted to challenge people perceptions on how rock music can sound like.
#Stooges raw power movie#
It's ugly, evil, raw and rancid, and I adore it.Those famous words by Phillip Seymour Hoffman as legendary rock critic Lester Bangs in the movie “Almost Famous” says it all about one of the greatest rock albums ever made, the Stooges “Raw Power”.Īs the 1970s arrived, the psychedelic indulgence of the 1960s was on its way to fade into history. Truth be told, both mixes are pretty lousy compared to 99.9% of rock albums out there, but would we love 'Raw Power' more if it sounded like REO Speedwagon? (No offence meant to REO heads by the way - I've been one myself.) The whole point of The Stooges' epic third album is that it sounds nothing like anything else before or since, in whatever version. And there are extra bits in the later mix (such as a proper ending for 'Death Trip') that don't appear on the original. My God, does it blister, like nothing else in my collection - and that comes from a Discharge fan. But.once heard, the Iggy mix is that rare thing, a remix that actually makes me love the album even more. Like many here, it was the version that drew me to the album and will always be special for that reason.
The original (which I have on a 1977 CBS Embassy LP and an early noughties' 180 gram pressing, the former sounding better) is subtler than the Iggy remix and the traditionalist in me will always respect it as the definitive release.