Raw Power!

Today in rock history, on this date in 1968, the Stooges release their self-titled debut. It peaks at #106. Also, in 1977, Iggy Pop releases 'The Idiot' and it hits #30 in the UK and #32 in the US. The album is produced by David Bowie. Yes, today’s post is an Iggy and the Stooge’s two-fer. Iggy Pop (aka James Newell Osterberg, Jr.) exploded out of Detroit in 1968 with the Stooges, a garage-band combo composed of Pop on vocals, Ron (guitar) and Scott Asheton (drums), along with their friend Dave Alexander (bass guitar. They were together from 1968 to 1974, and reformed in 2003, and are still touring today with various personnel. Iggy (who usually – and still does – perform shirtless) was known to self-mutilate, verbally abuse the audience, expose himself and leap off the stage (thus being the first or among the first to stage dive). Countless subsequent performers have imitated Pop's antics, though much of Pop's own stage antics mirror those of Mick Jagger and Jim Morrison. Let’s hear it for the ageless and seemingly eternal Mr. Pop, and enjoy a vid of one of his live performances. Thanks to http://www.rockhall.com/notes/today-in-rock/ and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iggy_Pop, and keep on rockin’!