The Stooges was a rock band from Ann Arbor, Michigan, which was formed in 1967 by Iggy Pop, Dave Alexander, and Ron and Scott Asheton. Some readers may or may not know that I’ve been living in Ann Arbor for a few years now, yet, I’ve never once listened to any of Iggy Pop’s or The Stooges’ albums, to the best of my recollection at least. According to the band’s Wikipedia page, there are two bands that were influences in the early days of the band were the Untouchable, which was an all-girl rock band from Princeton, and The Doors, which is one of my favorite bands of all time. The Stooges is also noted to be an important group in the proto-punk sound, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010. I’m pretty stoked to give this album a listen, so with that said, I’m going to jump on into the music.
“1969” starts out with some really groovy wah-pedal’d and distorted guitar that immediately sets a classic psychedelic rock tone for the soundscape. Oh wow, I’m already really digging this track. The drums seem to be digging deeper into primal territory, while a repetitive clapping encourages the track to continue. I’m really digging Iggy Pop’s vocals, which sound vaguely reminiscent of the shameless vocal style of Jim Morrison and infused with a bit of a proto-punk feel. Holy smokes, another guitar comes into the soundscape and both guitars become totally fuzzed-out. The contrast between the smooth vocals and bass line and the rough sound of the electric guitars has me listening closer and closer as the track continues. Wow, great track.
“I Wanna Be Your Dog” starts out with some super fuzzed-out guitar with a drum feel that leads into some feedback. Holy smokes, the track drops right into place with some fuzzed-out riffs, a sturdy beat, a groovy descending bass line, some relaxed vocals from Iggy Pop that almost sound like Frank Sinatra in a punk band, and some super interesting jangling percussion instrumentation section on the right side of the soundscape that sounds like it’s pulled out of a Christmas song. Holy smokes, another fuzzed-out guitar comes in as the track comes to its end while evoking a sound that reminds me a bit of Iron Butterfly. Great track.
“We Will Fall” starts out with some strange, droning tones that have a bit of a sitar/raga feel, while light and sparse percussion beckons the song along. Oh wow, there are some vocals that gently come in that have a sort of Tibetan throat-singing sound, while a psychedelic guitar gently drips into the soundscape. Oh wow, the lead vocals enter the soundscape and gradually guide the song along in a very Morrison/Doors-esque manner. I’m really digging this track so far. Oh wow, this track seems to gradually carry you along on some sort of stream of consciousness on a raft made of a mixture of psychedelic, raga, and worldly elements. I’m really digging the droning tones from what seems to be a viola based on the Wikipedia page for the album. The psychedelic guitar that drips into the soundscape is super groovy and very dynamic. The guitar work reminds me a lot of The Darkside, which was a band from the early 1990s comprised of former members of Spacemen 3. Oh wow, a super sweet melody from the viola has entered, making me think that perhaps the droning tones that have been present throughout the track aren’t actually a viola. Wow, awesome track.
“No Fun” starts out with a really rockin’ beat, which has a super upbeat feel coming off of the heels of the previous track. I really dig the contrasting sounds from the fuzzed-out electric guitar and the smooth vocals and bass line. Holy smokes, the vocals get a bit guttural in a manner that reminds me a lot of Jim Morrison. I really dig the fuzzed-out guitars in this track, which seem to be driven further into psychedelic territory as Iggy Pop seemingly strains his vocal cords. I know that after Jim Morrison passed, there was a bit of chatter of some folks wanting Iggy Pop to take over the role of the lead vocalist for The Doors. I’ve never really heard another vocalist like Jim Morrison, but Iggy Pop’s performance is potentially the closest I’ve heard. Great track.
“Real Cool Time” starts out with some really groovy, raw garage rock riffing from an electric guitar on one side of the soundscape, while a wah-pedal’d distorted guitar seems to drip into the sonic space on the other side of the soundscape. Oh wow, the track seems to get continually more psychedelic as the jams from the guitars seem to intensify further. Great tune.
“Ann” starts out with Iggy Pop’s vocals, and is soon joined by a drippingly psychedelic guitar, and a slow, gentle swing from the drums. The melody and overall feel of the track reminds me a ton of “The Crystal Ship” by The Doors, except a bit darker in overall presentation. Holy smokes, Iggy Pop really digs deep for a low, slow, and guttural vocal line, which then segues into a fuzzed-out jam from the electric guitars, with a big beat in the rhythm section. Wow, great track.
“Not Right” gets grooving right away with a strong beat that has a proto-punk feel, and some dark riffing from an electric guitar that brings a sound that reminds me a lot of the early days of hard rock. Oh wow, another guitar comes in with a bit of a chaotic energy that walks the line between psychedelia and punk, and reminds me a bit of Count Five, a psychedelic garage rock band from the 1960s. Great track.
Oh wow, “Little Doll” gets grooving with some big, distorted chords from an electric guitar, some very dynamic drums that create a lot of movement in the soundscape, a super groovy bass line that produces a clean, low harmony with the distorted guitar, while the vocals bring in a relaxed and nearly conversational tone that has a super self-assured feeling that reminds me a lot of The Doors. Oh wow, the guitar gradually climbs higher as the song fades out. Great track and a great way to finish the album.
Holy smokes, I’m glad I checked out The Stooges tonight. I could definitely understand how a lot of folks enjoy them and why they’re in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The overall experience felt a bit like The Doors meets punk rock, and I really dig the sound. If you’re into psychedelic rock from the late 1960s and/or you enjoy proto-punk or early punk rock at all, then you might want to consider checking out this album. If you do decide to give this album a listen, I sincerely do hope that you enjoy the listening experience at least as much as I did.
-A