The Stooges
The Stooges, originally billed as the Psychedelic Stooges, and also known as Iggy and the Stooges, were an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967 by singer Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Asheton, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave Alexander. Initially playing a raw, primitive style of rock and roll, the band sold few records in their original incarnation and gained a reputation for their confrontational performances, which often involved acts of self-mutilation by Iggy Pop.[5]
Not to be confused with Stooges Brass Band or The Three Stooges.
The Stooges
Iggy and the Stooges, Iggy Pop and the Stooges, the Psychedelic Stooges
- 1967–1971
- 1972–1974
- 2003–2016[4]
After releasing two albums – The Stooges (1969) and Fun House (1970) – the group disbanded briefly, and reformed with an altered lineup (with Ron Asheton replacing Dave Alexander on bass and James Williamson taking up guitar) to release a third album, Raw Power (1973), before breaking up again in 1974. The band reunited in 2003 with Ron Asheton moving back to guitar and Mike Watt on bass, and the addition of saxophonist Steve Mackay, who had played briefly with the 1973–1974 lineup. Ron Asheton died in 2009 and was replaced by James Williamson, and the band continued to play shows until 2013, when they also released their last album, Ready to Die. The Stooges formally announced their breakup in 2016 due to the deaths of Scott Asheton and saxophonist Steve Mackay.
The Stooges are widely regarded as a seminal proto-punk act.[5][6][7] The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.[8] In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked them 78th on their list of the 100 greatest artists of all time. In 2007, they were awarded the Mojo Lifetime Achievement Award at the Mojo Awards.[9]
History[edit]
Formation (1967–1968)[edit]
Iggy Pop (born James Newell Osterberg) played drums in several Ann Arbor–area bands as a teenager, including the Iguanas and, later, the Prime Movers. The Prime Movers nicknamed Osterberg "Iggy" in reference to his earlier band.[10]
Osterberg was first inspired to form the Stooges after meeting blues drummer Sam Lay during a visit to Chicago. Upon returning to Detroit, Osterberg sought to create a new form of blues music that was not derivative of historical precedents, with influence from garage rock bands The Sonics and The Kinks. Ron Asheton (guitar) and Scott Asheton (drums), and Dave Alexander (bass guitar) comprised the rest of the band, with Osterberg as the main singer. Osterberg became interested in Ron Asheton after seeing him perform in a cover band called the Chosen Few, believing, "I've never met a convincing musician that didn't look kind of ill and kind of dirty, and Ron had those two things covered!"[11] The three nicknamed Osterberg "Pop" after a local character whom he resembled.[12] Shortly after witnessing an MC5 concert in Ann Arbor, Osterberg began using the stage name Iggy Pop, a name that he has used ever since.
Though the Stooges had formed, Iggy Pop attributes two key motivating influences to move the band forward. The first was seeing the Doors perform at a homecoming dance for the University of Michigan. The second was seeing an all-girls rock band from Princeton, New Jersey, called the Untouchable perform.[13] In a 1995 interview with Bust Magazine, he relates:
Musical style[edit]
The Stooges are widely regarded as a seminal proto-punk act[5][6][7] and as instrumental in the development of punk rock, alternative rock, heavy metal and rock music at large.[45][46] In the years before noise rock was named as a musical genre, the Stooges were combining noise with punk rock in the same vein.[47]
