Iggy On Stooges’ Raw Power Reunion

Mending fences with guitarist James Williamson and making plans to get their cocks outta their pockets.

By Fred Mills

As we Twittered yesterday, Iggy Pop has disclosed to an Australian newspaper that he's had a meeting with guitarist James Williamson about putting together a version of The Stooges that would perform the 1973 album Raw Power. This in the aftermath of original guitarist Ron Asheton's death in January.

"There is always Iggy and the Stooges, the second growth of the band," said Iggy, referring to the Stooges Mk. II lineup that included Williamson. "I had a meeting in LA last week with James. It was the first time we had seen each other in 30 years. So we talked about doing something together. Raw Power would be the repertoire.''

Iggy indicated that the band would also include drummer Scott Asheton and bassist Mike Watt. He also added that there were a number of "hard driving rhythm tracks" in the can that Asheton recorded before his death, and they might wind up on future recordings.

As the Detroit Metro Times pointed out, Iggy and Williamson have been estranged for some time, so this marks an unusual twist in the always-interesting Stooges saga. (Asheton, for his part, refused to perform Raw Power material during the latterday reunion, although he was the bassist on the album.)

Opined the Metro Times, "Let's hope the repertoire might be kind enough to include a little Kill City and some of those non- Bowie singles and Metallica K.O. outtakes like "I Got A Right," "Rich Bitch" and "Cock In My Pocket" as well."

Indeed!

[Photo Credit: Robert Matheu]