The Stooges

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riginally billed as the Psychedelic Stooges, The Stooges, also known as Iggy and the Stooges, were an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, in 1967 by Iggy Pop (Real Name: James Newell Osterberg Jr.; April 21, 1947; vocals), Ron Asheton (guitars), Scott Asheton (drums) and Dave Alexander (bass). Initially playing a raw, primitive style of rock, specifically 'rock n' 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.

Iggy Pop got his name from his past when he 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 Iguanas. 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.

The Stooges soon gained a reputation for their wild, primitive live performances. Pop, especially, became known for his outrageous onstage behavior: smearing his bare chest with hamburger meat and peanut butter, cutting himself with shards of glass, and flashing his genitalia to the audience. Pop is sometimes credited with the invention or popularization of stage diving.

In 1968, 'Elektra Records' sent DJ/publicist Danny Fields to scout the MC5, resulting in contracts for both that band and The Stooges. The contracts were at different pay rates: MC5 $20,000, The Stooges $5,000, as revealed in the 2016 Jim Jarmusch film, Gimme Danger. In 1969, the band released their self-titled debut album; sales were low and it was not well received by critics at the time.

Pop's antics hit the national audience over their second album. In 1970, their second album, Fun House, was released, featuring the addition of saxophonist Steve Mackay. On June 13 of that year, television recorded the band at the Cincinnati Pop Festival. While performing the songs T.V. Eye and 1970, Pop leaped into the crowd, where he was hoisted up on people's hands, and proceeded to smear peanut butter all over his chest. In a broadcast interview at WNUR Northwestern University radio station in Evanston, Illinois, in 1984, Stiv Bators of the Lords of the New Church and the Dead Boys confirmed the long-standing rumor that it was he who had provided the peanut butter, having carried a large tub from his home in Youngstown, Ohio, and handing it up to Iggy from the audience. The album itself was poorly received by critics and the general public.

Alexander was dismissed in August 1970 after arriving at the Goose Lake International Music Festival too drunk to play. He was replaced by a succession of bass players, including former roadie Zeke Zettner and James Recca. Around this time, the band expanded their lineup by adding a second guitar player, roadie Bill Cheatham, who was eventually replaced by James Williamson, a childhood friend of the Ashetons and Alexander.

By this time, The Stooges, with the notable exception of Ron Asheton, had all become serious heroin users. The drug was introduced to the band by new manager John Adams. The drug abuse led to performances becoming even more unpredictable, and Pop often had trouble standing up on stage due to his extreme drug abuse. 'Elektra' soon eliminated The Stooges from its roster, and the band had a hiatus for several months starting July 9, 1971 under the final lineup of Pop, The Asheton brothers, Recca and Williamson.

With the band having broken up, Pop met David Bowie on September 7, 1971, at Max's Kansas City, and the pair quickly became good friends. The next day, on the advice of Bowie, Pop signed a recording contract with pop music manager Tony DeFries' company, 'MainMan'. A few months later, Tony DeFries and Pop met Clive Davis from 'CBS/Columbia Records' and got a two-album recording deal. In March 1972, DeFries brought Pop and Williamson to the UK, attempting to restart The Stooges with British musicians, but after finding no suitable additions, they brought the Asheton brothers back into the band. This lineup, billed as Iggy & the Stooges, recorded their third album, Raw Power (1973). On release, the album faced the criticism that Bowie had mixed it poorly. Later, various unofficial fan recordings were assembled and released as the album Rough Power (1997), the album was later officially re-mixed by Iggy Pop in 1999 and re-released. Although the album sold poorly and regarded as a commercial failure at the time of its release, it would go on to gain recognition from early punk rockers.

With the addition of a piano players Bob Sheff then Scott Thurston, The Stooges toured for several months, starting in February 1973. Around this time they also made a set of recordings that became known as the Detroit Rehearsal Tapes, including a number of new songs that might have been included on a fourth studio album, had the band not been dropped by 'Columbia' soon after the release of Raw Power. In 1973, James Williamson was briefly dismissed due to criticism from the band's management company likely pertaining to his tempestuous relationship with Cyrinda Foxe, a close friend of road manager Leee Black Childers; guitarist Tornado Turner replaced him for a single gig on June 15, 1973, at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, but Williamson soon returned to the group.

The Stooges disbanded again in February 1974 as a result of dwindling professional opportunities, compounded by Pop's heroin addiction and erratic off-stage behavior. The last half of the band's last performance of this era on February 9, 1974, in Detroit, Michigan, was captured and was released as the live album Metallic K.O. (1976), along with the first half of an earlier show on October 6, 1973, at the same venue. A 1988 expanded release of the album with the title Metallic 2X K.O. included the two halves of each show. In 1998, the album was re-released under the original title with the order of the shows partly reversed, expanded tracks, and more complete set lists.

After his first attempt at drug rehabilitation, Pop began a volatile yet ultimately successful solo career in 1977, commencing with two Bowie-produced albums.

In 2000, indie rock music veterans J Mascis (of Dinosaur Jr) and Mike Watt (of the Minutemen and Firehose) teamed up with Ron Asheton and drummer George Berz to perform, among others, The Stooges covers live as J. Mascis and the Fog. This band carried on until Pop put as stop to it in 2003. Soon after, Pop and the Ashetons first reunited that year, sharing four songs on the Skull Ring album with Pop on vocals, Scott Asheton on drums, and Ron Asheton on both guitar and bass. Soon afterward, the Stooges reunited officially.

On August 16, 2005, 'Elektra Records' and 'Rhino Records' issued newly remastered two-CD editions of the first two The Stooges albums, featuring the original album on disc one and outtakes on disc two; these remasters are faithful to the originals.

An album of all-new material, The Weirdness (2007), followed with Steve Albini recording, and mastering at Abbey Road Studios in London, England. The album received mixed to negative reviews from the press.

On January 6, 2009, Ron Asheton was found dead in his home, having reportedly suffered a heart attack several days earlier. He was 60 years old.

On October 1, 2009, The Stooges: The Authorized and Illustrated Story by Robert Matheu and Jeffrey Morgan was released.

In a May 2009 interview, Pop announced the band's plans to continue performing with James Williamson returning as guitarist.

After seven attempts, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame finally inducted the band in its Class of 2010.

The coincidentally titled album Ready to Die (2013) proved to be just that, the band's last. Add to this, on March 15, 2014, Scott Asheton died of a heart attack, aged 64. Saxophonist Steve Mackay died in October 2015 at the age of 66. On June 22, 2016, Williamson made an official statement for the band saying that The Stooges were no more. The last chapter for the band would be the aforementioned 2016 documentary film on the band by director Jim Jarmusch name Gimme Danger.