Iggy Pop and James Williamson on a record again was one of the ultimate rock’n’roll dreams. The Stooges ever playing again was another one. Then dreams came true. The fourth Stooges studio album, “The Weirdness” was recorded and released 34 years after its killer predecessor “Raw Power” and features founding members Iggy Pop (vocals), Ron Asheton (guitar), and Scott Asheton (drums) along with new band member Mike Watt (bass guitar), but also guest musician Steve Mackay (saxophone), who also appeared on the Stooges’ 1970 album, “Fun House”. And the album was engineered by Steve Albini.
Unfortunately, Ron Asheton was found dead in his home on January 6, 2009 and any further The Stooges performance became – once again – improbable. Iggy released a smooth incursion into a jazzy world with his 2009 effort “Préliminaires”, then last year released a covers album entitled “Après”, which featured renditions of songs by Serge Gainsbourg, Henri Salvador, Harry Nilsson, Georges Brassens, Edith Piaf, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles and Yoko Ono.
But Iggy Pop stated that “although ‘the Stooges’ died with Ron Asheton, there is still ‘Iggy and the Stooges’ and somehow managed to convince James Williamson to return as guitarist. Williamson, who was responsible for the seminal guitar sound on 1973’s “Raw Power”, gave up the guitar and worked as an electrical engineer before becoming Vice President of Technology Standards at Sony. Read more Iggy and The Stooges – Ready to Die (2013)
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop – Apres (2012)
I was afraid of this and eventually I’m right. On the other hand, this is almost like a trip back to my childhood and back to some of the songs my mom and dad danced on. So, the brand new link between Joe Dassin, Serge Gainsbourg, Harry Nilsson, Yoko Ono, Edith Piaf, Georges Brassens, Henri Salvador, Cole Porter, The Beatles and Frank Sinatra is Iggy Pop. Since January 6, 2009, when original Stooges guitarist, and Iggy’s self-described best friend Ron Asheton was found dead, Iggy acts…. different. Meantime – on March 15, 2010 – The Stooges were included into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Iggy released “Préliminaires”, his less rock-oriented and deeply sad album, flirting with Blues and Jazz, inspired by a novel by French author Michel Houellebecq. And Iggy keep on hanging to this… French connection. “Après” (After) definitively would delight my parents and bring me back some memories, but honestly, I’m not a nostalgic at all and can’t really feel this. 10 sad songs are a little bit too depressing for me right now when the whole world seems to sinking… Read more Iggy Pop – Apres (2012)
