PUSSY POWER

(9-26-12 part 2)    STOOGES IN DISGRACE...In Sept. of '64 the KINKS "You Really Got Me" was Number One all over the globe. IGGY has been quoted as saying that once he heard the original Blues artists it was hard for him to go back to listening to British Invasion bands. " I'm sorry", said The IG, " The Kinks are great, but when you're a young guy trying to find out where your balls are, you go "Those guys sound like pussies!" Thankfully IGGY found his testes by the time of RAW POWER. It's hard to imagine the crazed power riffs of RAW POWER without the pioneering early work of the Brothers Davies. Besides, this is more about "LOUIE,LOUIE" than it is about the Blues.  And just look at these Limeys! Who ya callin' pussies, Stooge?!? 

LE KINKS

WITH FRIENDS LIKE THIS...

     (9-26-12) MUST FLEE TV...In Sept. of 1994 "Friends" debuted on NBC and a great dark cloud descended upon the Earth. The only reason this concerns us here is some fool matched Jen and Our IGGY together and posted it on the world wide web for all to see. Really, what kind of IDIOT would have the time and the inclination to engage in this sort of...nonsense?!?

   FYI...During IGGY's Sept. '77 tour of Europe he performed a version of Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels Rock N'Roll medley "Jenny Take a Ride", which included Little Richard's ( see Blooge "PEACHES REGALIA " for 8/6/12) "Jenny, Jenny."  Find The IG's version on the CD/LP "Iggy Pop Hippodrome-Paris 77" on Revenge Records.

BONUS BOMB BLOOGE

 (9-27-12 part 2)     BLACK CHERRY BOMB...Joan is so cool she deserves her own solo photo. Her platinum selling 1988 LP "Up Your Alley" featured her version of "I Wanna Be Your Dog", which probably made the STOOGES more moolah than 20 years of sales for their first album.  I remember a BLONDIE gig at the Whisky when for the encore Joan led Debbie out on stage with a dog leash and collar and the band along with Joan played "I Wanna Be Your Dog". Playing STOOGES songs for new bands of this era was like older bands playing CHUCK BERRY songs for encores ( see Blooge Archives for "SISTER STOOGE" 5/4/12).

JETT BOY JETT GIRL

    (9-25-12 part 1)  JOAN OF ROCK...A Rockin' B-Day (9/22) to our Queen of Noise JOAN JETT. Never mentioned when people write about The RUNAWAYS is how the band helped open up L.A. venues to local bands. Before The Runaways places like The Whisky had become dance clubs. To get gigs in this town you had to have songs on the radio ( almost impossible for new bands back then) and the successful groups played the Santa Monica Civic and  large venues like The Forum.  

Bands like The Runaways and The Blasters made it possible to go out almost every day of the week and hear and see great music up close ( and cheap!). The Hollywood music scene of the late '70's was our Cavern Club, our Grande, our CBGB's. Thanks Joan for being a big part of it.

THE SCENE OF THE CRIME

20TH CENTURY STOOGE

(9-24-12)    RIDE A WHITE DUKE...A happy B-Day ( 9/30/47) and a sad D-Day (9/16/77) for that Rockin' elf MARC BOLAN of T-Rex, who achieved the improbable feat of taking hobbit imagery and lyrically turning it into ROCK N"ROLL ( Led Zep?  Noooo...). While recording RAW POWER in England under BOWIE's patronage all the STOOGES claimed that the only British band they liked was T-Rex. IGGY was even wearing a T-Rex t-shirt in that iconic shot of the SACRED TRIANGE ( Bowie, Iggy, & Lou...see Blooge archive "DAY 21 A.I. from 1/12). Not that Marc didn't deserve the STOOGES adulation; far from it. But seeing how Marc was Bowie's only rival in the Great Glam sweepstakes this seems a little suspicious. Could it be the boys were taking a not so subtle swipe at their foreign benefactor who they knew they needed but still resented for that very reason? 

BONUS STYLE BLOOGE

(9-22-12 part 2)       FASHION WATCH...Lets see them Frogs croak up this kind of fashion action!

  ...thanks to Little Stranger for the pix!

FASHION VICTIMS

(9-22-12)     BUSH LEAGUE...This year the first day of FALL falls on 9/22/12. And this just in:  IGGY has been chosen to be the Fall/Winter fashion representative for the Eleven Paris clothes brand! Just think, 40 years ago The Ig was homeless and puking up while lying face down in the gutters of Hollywood USA while people walked by and either ignored or laughed at him. And now he's been embraced by the Parisian fashion elite!

  The woman is English model Daisy Lowe. Daisy's claim to fame is that at 14 she found out that her godfather, Gavin Rossdale of British grunge (?) band BUSH, was also her biological dad because of a one night stand Gavin had with her maw. Gav is currently married to Gwen Stefani. Her group No Doubt was for years a struggling L.A. punk/ska band, opening for bands like X and The Blasters. Now Gwen has her own fashion line, too. I realize this blooge is going nowhere fast...I guess bands come and go and fashion is always in fashion but I much rather be writing about ( and listening to) new LP's even  half as good as Raw Power, KOTJ, and Under the Big Black Sun. Ya pays ya money, you takes yer choice....

CROON OF DOOM

(9-21-12)     TOUCH ME OR I'M JUST ANOTHER CROONER...Happy B-Day to Birthday Party boy NICK CAVE.  I never really got the whole Nick Cave thang. I can sort of understand his charisma but if I wanna hear this kind of doom croon I'll listen to Peter Murphy or even The IG himself. Speaking of IGGY ( fancy that..), this might be the worst photo of Osterberg EVER

BONUS BLOOGE BOOGIE

(9-20-12 Part 2)      " And don't...forget...to Stooge..."

LAUGHING BLUES

(9-20-12)     THE BLUES HAD A BABY AND IT WAS BORN BLIND...Commentators often cite the domino like deaths of 60's Rock Gods Jimi, Janis, and Jimbo as somekinda generational benchmark. If this is indeed the case then for a lot of us this sad march of doom actually began with the death  (9/3/'70) of musician, conservationist, Blues scholar , and one of a kind character ALAN "BLIND OWL" WILSON of Canned Heat. Blind Owl's amplified bottleneck guitar, combined with the heavy psychedelic blues guitar of the late Henry "Sunflower" Vestine, created a sonic stew that sounded both ancient and modern at the same time. Add to that mix Blind Owl's own personally revealing songs and you have a great original sound and vision that seemed to disappear from the scene along with Wilson. Also featuring the late Bob "The Bear" Hite, Larry "The Mole" Taylor, and Adolfo "Fito" de la Parra, the classic Heat lineup was close enough to the Blues to make it feel real while being wise enough to have a sense of humor about it ( these were some funny-ass hippies!). Canned Heat were the first and last white ( Fito aside) band to make the word "boogie" cool. 

    IG CONNECT:  The STOOGES and The Heat both shared the same Grande Ballroom stage back in April of '69.  SIC ' EM, STOOGES!!

ONE KIND FAVOR...

THE TELL-TALE STOOGE

(9-19-12)    THE DARK STOOGE...2012 has been declared "YEAR OF THE BAT".  Our nocturnal brothers and sisters the BATS, the coolest and most ROCK N' ROLL of all the animals, are in trouble! For all the gory details check out: 

          http://www.yearofthebat.org/

While you're at it, groove on this rad pix of VINCENT PRICE from ( what else?) "The Bat".  Vincent Price movies, especially those made by Roger Corman and William Castle, were mandatory viewing for any cool kid in the '60's ( or now!).  You just know Jimmy O. and the Asheton boys were heavily into that guano.

HOLY IGGY CONNECTION, BATMAN!...During his 1979 tour of Europe IGGY performed LINK WRAY's arrangement of the "Batman Theme", even doing the narration.  Drummer Jackie Clarke played Robin ( "Batman, is that the Bat Signal? " ) with the IG as the Caped Crusader ( " You're F@!king right it's the F@!KING BAT SIGNAL!!! " ).  Hear it on the ubiquitous "Nuggets" CD of POP rarities.

HEAVEN HAS NO SORROW

(9-18-12)       THE WIND CRIES JIMI...

  "Will the wind ever remember,

      the names it has blown in the past...

  And with its crutch, its old age, and its wisdom,

    it whispers no, it will be the last..."

  

For the real facts about Jimi's demise check out:

   http://www.univibes.com/News.html

"Until We Met Again"

P.S. IGGY recorded a demo for the "Brick By Brick" LP called "The Wind."

BONUS BIRTHDAY BLOOGE 9-17-12

(9-17-12)     IGGY gets into the act!

STOOGE SURFER

(9-17-12)    BUG MUSIC...A Rockin' B-Day  (9/17) to the fabulous guitarist with the INSECT SURFERS ( picked Best Instrumental Band in Los Angeles by the L.A. Weekly ), lead vocalist with the RAW POWER RANGERS ( thumbs up from James Williamson himself!), contortionist, charter member of The BLOOGE, great friend and all around soulful cat DAVID ARNSON! Dave also rocked some IGGY/JIMI jams at Amanda's and I's wedding reception ( see Blooge Archive "Ain't No Life Nowhere" 9/9/12  for his 'set list').  Thanks again Dave and Rock-ith On, Brutha!

  P.S.  Check out Blooge Archive "Day 16 A.I. " from waaaay back in December of 2011 for a cool shot of DA hangin' with JW backstage after the Palladium gig.

WE'RE ALL PSYCHOTRONIC!

RAW CAT POWER

    (9-14-12) PUSSYCAT WALK...I wanna take a break from September's Litany of Dead Rock Stars ( there's more a'comin'!) and showcase an artist actually born after 1970 and currently still at the top of her considerable game. I'm referring to singer, songwriter, musician, actress, model , and indie love goddess Chan Marshall aka CAT POWER.  After two fab CD's of cover songs she has returned with "Sun", her first LP of new material since 2006. The penultimate track is a 10 minute epic called "Nothin But Time"; sort of a "Heroes" for the 21st Century. The song comes to a climax with an appearance by IGGY, who's growl slowly emerges from the sonic mist singing: " you wanna live". This echoes IGGY's own "I Wanna Live" song from his "Naughty Little Doggie" CD. Indeed, having Chan and POP around is reason enough to go on living...well, that and my wife and kid...family and friends...lemon cream pie...Jimi's latest...a 45 that doesn't jam (or skip)...a starry sky...drinking a vodka soda in some dive whilst "Life's a Gas" by T-Rex plays on the jukebox..oh, and The Daily Blooge, of COURSE..have a bitchen weekend, everybody! 

KEITH'S HOLIDAY CAMP

      (9-13-12) THE CAMP WITH THE DIFFERENCE...The cymbals crashed one last time on Sept. 7, '78 when Mr. KEITH "The Loon" MOON kicked the old bucket T.  Our friend James Hazley once said:  "You know, I think when Moon died he took all the fun with him."  Of course I didn't know Keith...Who did? ( see blooge "WHO ASKED YOU" 8/23/12). But maybe that's an epitaph he might have appreciated.  In the meanwhile, the next time "I Can See For Miles" comes on the car radio I'll try not to accelerate into infinity.
THE FLINT CONNECTION

TEDDY BOYS

    (9-12-12) I WANNA BE YOUR BEAR...Sept. 9th is NATIONAL TEDDY BEAR DAY! The STOOGES, desperate for cash and credibility, try in vain to get an endorsement deal from the Teddy Bear industry.

    BEAR FACTS # 1 : While appearing (12/86) on an English Saturday morning kid's TV show IGGY, much to the surprise of the show's hosts, grabbed a giant Teddy Bear from the set and proceeded to simulate anal sex with it. IGGY hasn't been asked back...

     BEAR FACTS # 2 : The Swedish band TEDDYBEARS's CD "Soft Machine" features a song called "Punkrocker" with vocals by IGGY. Truth be told, it's one of the best IGGY solo performances ever. Be forewarned: there's also another version with vocals by the band itself which ain't half as good. If possible, get the 12 inch vinyl version which has different mixes, including an a cappella one. Listen to the music with no fear!

JOHNNY C. GOODE

     (9-12-12 pt 2) WORLD IN BLACK...On Sept. 12, 2003 we lost the great JOHNNY CASH. I can't think of another Pop, Rock, or Country performer who ended his/her career with the dignity and the artistry of Johnny. He made his best work just before he died...for most recording artists it's the other way around. It should be the gold standard for how singers and songwriters create in their 'golden years' ;  a model for people like IGGY, BOWIE, and The STONES.  But sadly I don't see anyone following JC into that promised land.  

  IG CONNECT: While being interviewed for the "Lust For Life" documentary IGGY stated that Johnny's "I Walk The Line" was the structural model for The STOOGES' "No Fun".

SEPARATE BATHROOMS

THE ADULTRESS

(9-11-12 pt 2)     SHE'S SPECIAL...A  happy B-Day (9/7) to Pretender CHRISSIE HYNDE. The IG was the support act for the Pretenders on a late '80's tour. Every night after IGGY's set Chrissie would come out, get on her hands and knees, and in front of everyone literally kiss the stage that the IG had just played on. She's also part of the documentary that comes with the recent RAW POWER deluxe reissue. 

    WTF...There's a video on youtube of Hynde and POP duetting on "Candy".  If KATE PIERSON doesn't  feel betrayed, well she should ( see Blooge archive "Give Me Back My Stooge" for 4/26/12). Couldn't they have picked another song to do like "I Need Somebody", or "Cry For Love", or "LA Blues"? ANYTHING! I mean, COME ON..that's KATE"s tune, man...

    P.S. During Mott The Hoople's reunion shows of 2009 Pretender drummer Martin Chambers filled in for an ailing Mott drummer Dale 'Buffin' Griffin.  Thanks, Marty!

BOLLOCK BROTHERS

(9-11-12)     SEX STOOGES...Sept. 3, '55 is the B-Day of STEVE JONES. How cool is Jonesy, seen here with James Williamson AND wearing a Gene Vincent T-shirt. Steve wrote and recorded a lot with Mr. POP ( check out the "Blah, Blah, Blah" and "Instinct " LP's). And the Sex Pistols closed just about every show with the STOOGES' "No Fun". It was even the B-side to their "Pretty Vacant" single. I would go as far as saying the Pistols do it...gulp...better than the STOOGES! But don't tell anyone I said that....

  P.S. Both SJ and JW recorded demos of "Purple Haze" with IGGY. JW's version ( solo guitar w/IG vocals) is on the fab "Wild Love" CD from Bomp Records. SJ's take is an eerie Goth Rock arrangement featuring some new lyrics by IG. It's now available on the 7 disc "Where The Faces Shine Vol.2" boxset. It's so good it should really have a more accessible release. Hell, it should be a single!

  P.P.S.  For JIMI the line " can't go on like this" was just a throwaway line during the song's fade. On the JW version IGGY took the same line and repeated it; making it part of the chorus and the hook. That's one reason why The IG is one of the greats.
"Cold Metal...like a Hendrix Tune"

HYMN FOR THE BLOOGE

(9-10-12)       BLOOGE AIN'T JIVE...This last Saturday the 8th marked the 200th post on the internet version of the Blooge!!  Brother DOUG has done an amazing job matching my little missives to great visuals and links. So if you haven't checked it out lately correct your head and go to:   http://countdowntothestooges.blogspot.com/2012/09/turn-blue.html 

The 200th Blooge features a shot of a dearly departed ELVIS. Here's a pix of him, like the Blooge, still very much alive. So remember, there's always a new Blooge rising. We're still here...you are not alone.

    P.S.  Any (perhaps) obscure sounding references in today's blooge are from "Hymn For the Dudes" by MOTT THE HOOPLE. If you ain't gots the "MOTT" LP, or you haven't played it lately..ROCK IT OUT!

SONIC REDUCER

(9-7-12)     STOOGE ASYLUM...Mid-August 1970 found the STOOGES again playing Ungano's in NYC (see Blooge archives for "Miles High", 5/25/12). One of the shows ( taped from the audience by Danny Fields ) has been released as a CD called "Have Some Fun: Live At Ungano's".  It's a unique and welcome document of this particular version of the band. It does however have one thing in common with every other live Stooge release....IT SOUNDS TERRIBLE!  Not performance wise, but ' sonicly speaking.'  There are live recordings that  are classic components of the group's canon. "METALLIC KO" in particular is, after the band's first three LP's, an essential guidepost for your continuing existence. And all STOOGE recordings are important pieces of the POP puzzle. But it'd sure be cool to have an in your face, instrumentally and vocally balanced recording of the band in  action. Amanda and I were lucky enough to get on stage at a live internet concert of the RON ASHETON version of the STOOGES . To hear how great that version of the band REALLY sounded , as opposed to the awful job producer Steve Albini did on "The Weirdness", was an amazing , ear-opening experience. But sadly it's too late for RON and that band and it's songs.  If the current JW STOOGES do not intend to release new material ( which appears to be the case) why not record a residency at some acoustically appropriate venue? Then pick out the best performances of songs like "Open Up And Bleed" and take your time mixing and mastering a killer sounding recording you can then unleash on a eagerly awaiting ROCK N'ROLL  world.  You can even do a classic style analog double LP ( like KOTJ should have been).  Come on, STOOGES...now that you're finally in charge of the asylum, why not do it right?

EIN JUNGE NAMENS JOE

(9-6-12)       HE'LL HARM YOOOU...August 12, 1907 was the B-Day of JOE 'Stinky' BESSER. I had a fab pix of Besser with a pie in his kisser just waiting for this date but then my PC crashed and I lost all my photos. Whilst trying in vain to find that shot again I ran across this Johnny Cash German language B-Side called "BESSER So, Jenny-JOE".  What a trip, huh?

  BTW..I think Joe gets a bum rap when it comes to The Three Stooges. Sure, he's no CURLY or SHEMP but he no Curly-Joe either ( fools sometimes confuse the two ).  Joe's persona ( a confused and easily irritated infant ) was pretty ridiculous and some Stooge aficionados claim that Besser brought some needed energy to the later Stooge shorts. Joe had it in his contract that MOE could not hit him so by necessity the films became more character driven and plot heavy. Sometimes that could be a good thing because it gave LARRY more to do...oh, I've been smart all the time, only you didn't know it.
NOT SO LOUD!

RON'S REVENGE

(9-5-12 pt 2)     I'LL WHIP YOU, YOU'LL WHIP ME...On August 11, 1974 at Rodney's English Disco in Hollywood IGGY performed an improvised set piece called "Murder of the Virgin."  It featured RON ASHETON whipping IGGY and ended with The IG slashing himself with a knife. Plenty of shots of IGGY's bloody chest have circulated over the years but what I find most interesting is the look on RON's face both while he's waiting his turn ( see pic ) and when he's doing the deed. Either he's a great actor or he's really getting something off HIS chest. At this time The STOOGES were kaput and RON has said that if it wasn't for IGGY's ( and Scott's and Williamson's) enormous drug intake the band "could've been the American Rolling Stones." Is RON taking out on IGGY's bare torso some of his understandable frustration at The STOOGE's inglorious demise? Just speculatin'...

A STARR IS BORN

(9-5-12)       SWEET JANES PROXIMITY...Happy belated B-Day (8/15) to the late miss groupie supreme SABLE STARR , seen here with groupie galpal Lori Maddox throwing a double team on The IG.  "Those were different times.."....ain't they always?

  PS ..check out Blooge archives "Lonely Planet Boy" (4/23/12)  and "Starr Time" (4/18/12) for more SS action.

12 O'CLOCK HIGH

(9-4-12)        HIGH NOON...Detroit's CREEM Magazine shows it's pride in Motor-City homeboy IGGY POP by featuring him in the top of the clock position on its August '73 cover story about "Rock's Deca-Sexual Elite"( The IG's actual record sales were almost non-existent compared to those of the other featured 'elite'). Look up 'Decasexual' now and you'll find it  defined as  "a person sexually attracted to objects, males, females, hermaphrodites, and animals in two dimensional form (animated or drawn)." I'm thinkin' Creem had a different definition in mind back in '73...

BOY HOWDY!

THE BOOK OF MORONS

      (8-31-12) WHAT, ME WORK?.... I 'm taking this Monday off from The Blooge to celebrate LABOR DAY...maybe I'll read a book. But have no qualms or trepidations, I will return and justify your faith in me indubitably. I'm sure the vicissitudes I'll encounter will have me elevated to a lofty position. Rock On!

TALE OF THE PUP

  (8-31-12 #2)   POP IS POP SPELLED BACKWARDS...Here's a bonus blooge featuring a current shot of POP with a Stooge's best friend. 

       "Dog-less" is  "sell-god" spelled backwards...sorta...
"...a Toff or a Bum..."

K-NEIN

    (8-31-12) PET SHOP BOY...Check out VH 1's  "Hard Rock Calling 2012" for a performance by the STOOGES of "I Wanna Be Your Dog" at a festival in London. IGGY comes on at about the 48 minute mark. The best part is when the STOOGES 'bring it down'  and IGGY tells the world:  "If I was a dog, everybody would love me...even YOU would love me...if I was a dog..."

       PS...Watch for former YARDBIRD Jimmy Page checking out the action from the sidelines.

THEM YET AGAIN

 (8-30-12 #2)   IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO STOP NOW...A happy B-Day  ( 8/31/'45) to Irish singer, songwriter, and curmudgeon George Ivan "VAN" MORRISON.  In June of '66  ( pray tell, when else?) Van's band THEM and The Doors jammed on Them's "GLORIA" at the World Famous Whisky Au Go Go in Hollywood USA. We've already established IGGY's and the MC 5's connection to "GLORIA" and other Them classics ( see archives for 1/3/12 and 4/4/12 ).  Add to those the IG's live version of Them's "Little Girl", which was part of a medley with "No Fun" and "Waiting For My Man" which IGGY performed on his '83 tour of Australia. Check it out on the ( you guessed it ) "Nuggets" CD of rare live IGGY performances.

     PS.  If you're interested in an easy way to collect all of Van's best work just buy everything up to his 1968 LP "Astral Weeks",  then STOP.  Hey, I've just saved you hundreds of bucks!

DIRT

   (8-30-12)  SUCK WITH THIS...On this day in 1901 British engineer Hubert Cecil Booth patented the first motorized VACUUM CLEANER. Household appliances were an important part of the PSYCHEDELIC STOOGES first shows back in '67.  Along with playing the vacuum IGGY used a modified blender (renamed "The Osterizer") to create waterfall like sound effects. When chillin' out in the mid '80's from the wild ROCK N'ROLL lifestyle IGGY found great comfort in everyday domestic activities like vacuuming.

   FUN QUOTE:  John Sinclair on trying to promote the STOOGES:  " The Stooges weren't something you could send a promo kit on; sending out a demo tape would be like sending them a vacuum cleaner."