the stooges - ready to die

A couple of years have passed since the Stooges' last album was issued and I revisited it the other day after ignoring it for some time.

 

The Ron Asheton version of the Stooges died with Ron’s passing a few years ago, but James Williamson took early retirement from his role as a VP at Sony and began to shred once again. Two hard years of touring with the reformed Iggy and the Stooges led to this – Ready To Die, the follow up to Raw Power, 40 years on. 

 

Is it as good as Raw Power. No, of course it isn’t. What could be?

 

But it’s not the mess that The Weirdness was, the 2006 reunion record with Ron and Scott Asheton. It’s a fine, solid, and occasionally spectacular record. The production is excellent, sharp and clear, unlike the muddy thump of The Weirdness. Clocking in at an economical 34 minutes, with two distinct ‘sides’ just like in the ol’ days, we have seven fiery songs plus a couple of ballads and a lament written in honour of Ron. Aside from the slowies, which contain much world weariness, and Iggy’s deeply sonorous voice crawling up from the grave, the upbeat numbers genuinely don’t sound like they were written and played by guys in their sixties. 

 

Iggy clearly spent some time on the lyrics (unlike the Iggy by numbers of The Weirdness) and although a couple of tracks betray a rather juvenile leaning (“DDs” is, of course, about a large female chest) on the whole the lyrics match the blistering pace of the songs. It’s not pretty, it’s not terribly poetic, but it fits the music – for example the chorus of “Job” runs simply ‘I got a job, but it don’t pay shit’.

 

Jams Williamson spits out nasty riffs just like he did 40 years ago, Steve Mackay is still on board to blast some saxophone, and Mike Watt is demonstrably one of the world’s finest bass players. On the drums Scott Asheton is assisted by the Stooges semi-permanent touring drummer Larry Mullins. Scott had been ill for some time and was unable to play as much he wanted on the record, but Larry filled in well. 

 

So, if you want a rocking, angry, furious album of short snappy riffs and snarly vocals, Ready To Die is the one for you. The final track, now called “The Departed”, was originally debuted at Ron’s memorial concert a few years ago. It’s as close as the Stooges have ever come to a truly tender song, and the poignant quotes from “I Wanna Be Your Dog” (James mournfully plucks out the notes at a couple of points) mean that the album ends on a surprisingly emotional note.

 

The title track is one of the best – despite Iggy's advancing years, despite the deaths of some of his compatriots, despite his pronounced limp due to hip problems, Iggy Pop clearly isn't Ready To Die just yet. You know how they say that cockroaches could survive a nuclear war, well I suspect that Iggy, with his indestructible leathery skin, would be standing right next to them, shirt off, punching imaginary foes, leaping and whirling like an insane dervish. Iggy seems to be able to survive anything.

metallic ko - iggy & the stooges celebrate valentine's day...

Valentine's Day - Love is in the air. And on my iPod I'm playing Iggy and the Stooges' last stand as documented on Metallic KO. Who said I wasn't romantic?

 

 

This low-fi / high energy album was mostly recorded at their last gig (until 2003) at the Michigan Palace on February 9th 1974. I'm just a few days out for the 40th anniversary of this incredible show.

It's a legendary gig, but not for the music that was played that night, which does not really show the full power of this band at all, rather for the drama that surrounded it.

 

The background story surrounding this gig is well known - a local biker gang has been causing trouble at Detroit gigs for some time. A few days before the gig Iggy is interviewed on a Detroit radio show, and (in retrospect, very foolishly) dares the gang to show up at the Michigan Palace gig and 'do your worst'. Predictably they do (show up, and do their worst). Armed with all manner of debris to throw at the stage the gang begins the barrage right from the start of the gig. 

Ron Asheton wears his German army helmet for protection, James Williamson skulks at the back of the stage in the shadows, trying not to be seen, Iggy has to be even more fleet-footed across the stage than usual. The two Scotts (Asheton and Thurston) are literally sitting ducks behind drums and piano. Trying to dodge missiles causes Scotty A to lose his way during "Rich Bitch" and the whole song nearly derails completely.

At first Iggy seems defiantly unbothered by the violence and continues to amuse himself baiting the crowd and especially the bikers, but halfway through the set the Stooges have had enough. "Oh there's two guys left the stage" announces Iggy, actually sounding a little dismayed, "we're all gonna have to leave, see ya later".

After a few minutes respite Iggy somehow persuaded the band to return but they were met with a further hail. Even Iggy couldn't believe it and his comments to the crowd are far more subdued after they return to the stage. The band agree to play just one more song, a final, weary, ragged "Louie Louie", which grinds to a halt as light bulbs hit James' guitar and he walks off.

The Stooges had a handful of dates lined up for the rest of February but two days later Iggy called Ron to say that he simply doesn't want to play anymore. The Stooges are finally over.

But they weren't. Who'd have thought that in 2003 the nucleus of the band - Iggy and the Asheton brothers - would reunite? The sad death of Ron Asheton in 2009 didn't even stop the Stooges. James Williamson took early retirement from his senior corporate job at Sony. Despite not having played guitar since 1980 he rehearsed furiously and rejoined the band. And so, 40 years after their 'final' gig, most of the Stooges are still going strong.

 

What a band!