Ron Asheton takes aim, 1995 (photo by Gillian McCain)
Iggy Pop-- "We Won!"
Stooges: Alive & Dead: Scott Asheton, Iggy Pop, Ron Asheton, Zeke Zettner, Bill Cheetam, 1971. (Photo by Peter Hujar). We went over to Danny Fields' apartment to watch the Stooges get inducted into the Rock'n'Roll Hall Of Blowhards, a few thoughts on the subject:
* It was nice that Iggy gave a shout out to Danny Fields (the cheap pricks who run the thing wouldn't give Danny a free invite). Danny had to tell Iggy before hand not to mention his last name as whenever he gets mentioned in full, his name gets beeped out. I guess somebody up there doesn't like him.
Proof positive he's the coolest guy in the world.
*It was great to see Kathy Asheton in the audience, I hope she got a free ticket!
* It was very cool that all four dead Stooges were mentioned-- Ron Asheton, Dave Alexander, Tommy "Zeke" Zettner and Bill Cheetam.
* It was also nice to that the little twerp doing the inducting gave a shout out to Please Kill Me (Gillian McCain & Legs McNeil, Grove Press, 1996), still the book with the best Stooges stories.
* They sounded fantastic! It was a first for that particular line-up-- Scott Thurston was back in the piano slot for the night, I don't think he's ever been onstage with Steve McKay and Mike Watt before. I've never heard Williamson play I Wanna Be Your Dog before, and he did a fantastic job, a real tribute to Ron Asheton's style.
* There was one short piece of film footage in the introductory montage I don't think I've ever seen before. I hope it's included in its entirety on the "Making Of Raw Power" DVD that comes with the Raw Power Deluxe box (release date: April 15th). You can read my thoughts on the Raw Power box from last months entry here.
* More Stooges rarities on the way. Rhino Handmade has the first Stooges LP with more alternate takes and the never heard before tune Asthma Attack on its release schedule. Twenty six tracks in all! Can't wait!
* Write to Rhino Handmade and demand they release the Stooges Live at Ugano's tape that they purchased last year!
* I loved Iggy's comments to the audience! What a dead assed, lame crowd that was.
* The first half hour of the show was taken up by a band called Phish, whom I've never heard before. They are without a doubt the worst and ugliest excuse for a rock band I've ever seen.
I wanted Rock Action to push that singer's smarmy, chinless, face through a glass door!
* If you've been hiding under a rock, the 4 CD set You Want My Action, which consists of four live sets of the late '71 Stooges line up (Iggy, the Asheton brothers, James Williamson and Jimmy Recca) is a must have, even though the sound quality isn't so great. It's still a great package done by a class label, and the music is fantastic, including many tunes never heard before in any form. My posting on the subject from last October can be found here.
* Iggy should run for president.
ADDENDUM: More death. Here's Richard Williams obit for Charlie Gillett from today's Guardian, author of The Sound Of The City (The Rise Of Rock'n'Roll) the first really great book on the subject and host of many BBC radio shows. He will be missed. As will Alex Chilton about whom I don't have much to say, I didn't know him really well but we always got along, and had some fun together, until small town politics forced us into opposing corners of New Orleans small social world. I've always loved Big Star's Sister Lovers and parts of Flies On Sherbert. The last conversation I had with him he was raving about how great Avril Levine is.
I think he enjoyed being perverse.
Just watched it as a video download...
ReplyDeleteI couldn't give a rat's ass about the Hall Of Lame, but the band seemed happy for the belated acknowledgment, and the speeches were as non-embarassing as possible, so kudos to them.
I think my head might have exploded a little bit watching all the tuxes and furs frugging onstage during Dog.
In related news: Stooge inducted into Hall Of Fame
That organization is kind of weak; they waited until after Ron Asheton passed away to get The Stooges in, just like Sterling Morrison died before The VU got in, and their plaque lists him as their bassist...
ReplyDeleteBy the way, it's Steve Mackay, not Scott.
"That organization is kind of weak; "
ReplyDeleteThat's a polite way of putting it, more like it's an organization of weak minded cretins....
"By the way, it's Steve Mackay, not Scott."
dough! that was a real bone head error, I mixed him up w/ the Texas rocker Scotty Mckay! thanks for spotting it, I'll fix it now....
They wouldn't give Danny an invite? Are you fucking kidding? Actually, I know you're not fucking kidding, and you know I know. I was glad to hear Gillian and Legs get the kudos they deserve.
ReplyDeleteFuck yeah Iggy should run for President!
The advance copy of the making of Raw Power dvd has live performance footage of the 1973 Stooges that is not the Ivan Kral "Blank Generation" stuff seen on the R&R Hall of Fame. It is likewise in color, soundless and the lesser quality (it's converted Betamax tv news footage) is more than made up for by the arty editing and the VERY active performance of the singer...
ReplyDeleteHave you seen my 1973 live shots of the Stooges? Here's one:
http:/.fastfilm1.blogspot.com
Shit...it was on tv already? I thought the event itself had just happened this past week and had been taped for future airing. Was it shown live or did it happen some time previously and this was the delayed broadcast?
ReplyDelete"Have you seen my 1973 live shots of the Stooges? Here's one:"
ReplyDeleteI've never seen that one before (is it from Frisco?), I'd love to see more.
Perhaps even purchase a print or two? Conact me via this site....
Bravo Hound
ReplyDeleteOh, Jeez. The suits who get up on stage during IWBYD are a little freaky, but the ones just sitting on their pampered asses with bemused expressions are downright excruciating. Has there ever been a crowd that looked like it had less to do with rock & roll?
ReplyDeleteI would say they looked like they were there hoping to see Engelbert Humperdinck, but I'm almost afraid that might be unfair to Engelbert Humperdinck's audience.
"I would say they looked like they were there hoping to see Engelbert Humperdinck, but I'm almost afraid that might be unfair to Engelbert Humperdinck's audience."
ReplyDeleteYou're right, and compared to Phish, Engelbert is Esquerita....
Yeah, Charlie Gillett! SOUND OF THE CITY is one of the best rock n roll books ever. That section that goes into every 'Latin-chord changes' song is amazing.
ReplyDeletePJL
I thought my eyes were deceiving me, but it really was that little worm Paul Schaeffer inappropriately hammering away on a very loud piano during ‘Search And Destroy’ (How does he always get into the act?). It was so WRONG, but I refused to let him ruin this moment for me. He should be banned from anything to do with rock n’ roll, since he wrote the song “It’s Raining Men”.
ReplyDeleteI loved it when Iggy entered the tuxedoed audience - nobody recognizable up front. Bruce Springsteen was probably hiding under a table. It was disappointing, because this is my favourite situation; when Iggy is unleashed to terrorize bewildered celebrities. Iggy recently said, “I'm at the time of life where people sort of pick me up by the collar and exhibit me on various occasions.”
Very few RSVP'd to Iggy's invited stage invasion(“Let’s see some rich people up here…let’s see some jewelry up here! Come on, you're not too rich to be cool!"). A pathetic showing - only about 10 guys (where was Meryl Streep?!) Not like the hordes who rushed the stage at Glastonbury in 2007 – where the crowd was so big that it created a nice subterfuge for the person who skillfully absconded with Ron Asheton’s guitar!
Iggy then did his infamous chicken dance, and it was all over.
www. madelinex.com
A replay of the HOF induction is on Fuse network at 3pm on 3/23/10,Time Warner channel 132 in Manhattan
ReplyDeleteWait. Shouldn't Danny Fields be a lifetime member -or at least on the on the board, or committee, or panel, or whatever the hell those clueless fucktards call it- just as a matter of respect for all the combat duty he's done?
ReplyDeletetoke!
"Shouldn't Danny Fields be a lifetime member -or at least on the on the board, or committee, or panel, or whatever the hell those clueless fucktards call it- just as a matter of respect for all the combat duty he's done? "
ReplyDeleteHe was thrown out, it seems they didn't appreciate his attempts to nominate certain acts who certainly deserve to be in there....hell, they won't even give him a free ticket, and when the Ramones were inducted his name was beeped out of the tv broadcast (which is why he had to tell Iggy to not use his last name).
To my mind everyone may read it.
ReplyDeleteThis is all erroneous what you're writing.
ReplyDelete