The Stooges

The show in Denver last night was spectacular! I knew I was in for quite a show when I saw the roadies use tie-wraps to anchor the amps on stage. Sure enough, Iggy zoomed onto the stage as if the seat of his pants was on fire, and he never let up.

The rest of the band was in smokin' hot form. The Asheton brothers haven't lost it after all these years. Ron brought that thick, gritty, mean sound on guitar, and Scott kept that tough, hard beat with just the right swingin' feel that always made The Stooges sound more sophisticated and yet more thuggish at the same time. Steve Mackay sounded great on sax too.

Watt played great, but frankly, he looked as though he was fracturing his ass to keep up. A decade younger than his bandmates, yet he looked more haggard and out-of-breath, just standing in one spot song after song, than Iggy did with all that running around.

They played four songs from The Weirdness, five from the first album, and all of Funhouse, including "L.A. Blues" (or something that sounded damn close to it). They also played the single "I Got a Right." But nothing from Raw Power. Anybody know if there's a story behind that fact? Is Williamson holding back the rights to perform those songs? Do they have some kind of grudge?

Regardless of the Raw Power songs' conspicuous absence, it was an unforgettable show.

There was a good interview with Ron Asheton in the Weekly Dig in Boston. He doesn't directly address the question of the tour setlist (the interviewer helpfully points out that this reunion "is for Fun House fans") but he does say "This is the good Stooges, the fun Stooges."

Asheton says that Raw Power is very "bittersweet" for him now, even though he likes the record, because of what was going on in the band then (Iggy getting professional management and hiring the band members as employees). Sadly, I have no scanner, or else I'd post the whole interview.

Williamson was brought in to be a second guitarist but ended up trying to take over and drag Iggy off for himself.

The Ashtons were snubbed when Iggy went to England to record "Raw Power" as a solo album. Iggy & Bowie rehearsed dozens of British guitarists, couldn't get one they liked, so THEN they called the Ashtons.

the Ashtons don't consider it a "real" Stooges album and are still bitter about it.



Post Edited (04-18-07 13:47)

Also interesting to note that Scott Thurston played all the lead guitar on "New Values", and that both Bowie and Williamson dropped out of producing "Soldier".

BTW Grinderman is the new Stooges album.



Post Edited (04-19-07 17:46)