Iggy Pop
Live In NYC
King Biscuit Flower Hour
Hard to believe Iggy Pop has been releasing records for over 30 years. Harder still to believe he’s still alive, actually. The godfather of punk has seen his ups and downs, to be sure, but in the final summation, he’s still THE Rock and Roll Badass, Numero Uno. (Piss off, Kid Rock). Don’t take it on faith, or on his hideous last release, Avenue B – take it live, on these tracks recorded at the Ritz in 1986. Backed by his best band (not counting the Stooges, of course), which featured Hanoi Rocks guitarist Andy McCoy, bassist Alvin Gibbs from UK Subs (who wrote a great book about this tour entitled Neighborhood Threat), Psychedelic Furs drummer Paul Garristo, and Madness keyboardist Seamus Beaghen. Together they laid waste to clubs and arenas around the world, and Iggy, clean, sober, but not mellow, rages with his demons on these 17 tracks, never letting the pressure lag for a moment. All the classic moments of a misspent youth (and adulthood, for that matter) are here – “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” “Down on the Street,” “Lust For Life,” “Gimme Danger” – all loud, edgy, and totally Iggy. There has never been anyone remotely like Iggy – those who attempt to walk in his footsteps seems to get mowed down (Sid, Johnny Thunders) or middle of the roaded (David Bowie). But Iggy shoulders on, all muscle and venom, carrying the darker dreams of the past into a new era. When he dies (if ever that could happen), somebody should erect a statue. For he is our history. And our history is loud, fast and takes no shit.
