Iggy & the Stooges - "Raw Power Live: In the Hands of the Fans" CD Review (MVD)

On Friday, Sept. 3rd last year, Iggy & the Stooges (featuring James Williamson on guitar) performed 1973's Raw Power in its entirety at All Tomorrow's Parties New York. A live document of this show, Raw Power Live: In the Hands of the Fans, is coming out next month as a limited edition 180 gram vinyl release for Record Store Day 2011.

"Getting this top-notch performance of the entire Raw Power album by The Stooges realized a life long dream," said Iggy Pop "This shit really sizzles and we are so obviously a crack band in a class of our own."



Billboard Magazine had the following to say about The Stooges' performance: "[a]s the pretty clear main attraction, Iggy and the Stooges granted a predictably explosive show." This nine track release captures the Raw Power portion of the set along with "I Got A Right" and the band sounds on fire. This disc is a good companion piece to the "Live at Richards" bonus disc that came out with the deluxe reissue of Raw Power. The original Raw Power lineup always sounded like an impending train wreck that somehow managed to avoid total collapse. Now almost 40 years later, the dirty talk and the sloppiness is gone, but Iggy and crew still play with the intensity of their youth.

I have about a dozen Iggy live discs (both solo and with The Stooges) and this one's a keeper. The disc runs just shy of 40 minutes and below is the track list. (Note: the band did not play the Raw Power album in its original sequence)
- Raw Power
- Search and Destroy
- Gimmie Danger
- Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell
- Shake Appeal
- I Need Somebody
- Penetration
- Death Trip
- I Got A Right

Links:
Iggy & the Stooges

BXI: Live Review, Photos and Video from Brooklyn Masonic Temple, 9/7/10

BXI released their debut 4-track EP last month (on Southern Lord) and Tuesday night marked the band's first concert performance. While the band played just a twenty minute, their set left me feeling fairly satisfied as the power of the collaboration between Boris and Ian Astbury was clearly in evidence.



The band started with "Teeth and Claws" from the new EP which is the most "Cult-ish" song from the new disc but the song is tempered by Wata's textured guitar leads. Following the order of the new EP, the band next went into the punky "We Are Witches". Regretfully, the band skipped over their psychedelic, swirling reinterpretations of The Cult's "Rain" (which features Wata's wispy vocals) but rather went into a hazy cover of The Doors' "The End". This came off quite well and was a perfect lead-in to the thundering, mystical ballad "Magickal Child".





The evening's challenges started though a little ways into "Magickal Child" when the power blew. After a short period of time, with Ian Astbury making cracks about Greg Anderson's hair dryer and a heckler in the audience yelling for "LA Woman", the power came back and the band finished their last song.

When I interviewed the band before the show, Ian and Atsuo mentioned that they would like to continue this collaboration. I'm looking forward to hearing both a full-length and a full set sometime in the not-too-distant future.

Links:
Boris
Southern Lord

BXI - Interview with Ian Astbury(The Cult) and Atsuo (from Boris), NYC 9-6-10

BXI is the collaboration between Boris and Ian Astbury (The Cult) and Southern Lord just released the debut recordings by this group. This finely-crafted four-song release, simply entitled BXI, was tracked and mixed in Tokyo in late April. Astbury’s iconic vocals are a perfect match for Boris' raw and emotive songwriting style.

Tomorrow night, BXI is making its first full-length performance at Brooklyn Masonic Temple as part of show with Jesse Sykes, Sunn O))) and Boris. I had the opportunity to talk with Ian Astbury and Atsuo earlier today about tomorrow night's show, the new EP, the first BXI live performance (which took place in Sydney earlier this year) and more.



Tickets for tomorrow night's show are $30 and are going quickly.

First BXI Performance - Sydney, Australia May '10


Links:
Boris
Southern Lord

Iggy and The Stooges: Win an Opportunity to Film The Stooges at All Tomorrow's Parties on Sept. 3rd

On Friday, September 3rd 2010, Iggy and the Stooges are putting themselves IN THE HANDS OF THE FANS...

MVD Entertainment Group has launched the site www.InTheHandsOfTheFans.com to offer fans a once in a lifetime opportunity to film and interview Iggy and the Stooges performing the seminal punk rock masterpiece Raw Power at the All Tomorrow's Parties Festival on September 3, 2010. Six lucky fans will be chosen by way of a video submission contest to join director Joey Carey on location at the Stardust Theater at Kutchers' Country Club in Monticello, NY. This marks the reunion between Iggy Pop and powerhouse guitarist James Williamson as well as original Stooges drummer Scott "Rock Action" Asheton. Also featuring Mike Watt on bass and Steve Mackay on saxophone.



The contest is based on fans submitting short high definition video segments asking Iggy and the Stooges interview questions, or demonstrating why they should win the contest. Winners of the contest will film and interview Iggy and the Stooges at All Tomorrow's Parties. This fan shot footage, along with the contestant video submissions, will be crafted into a high definition longform program, which will be part concert film and part reality TV show about the journey of the fans.

"Raw Power is one of the greatest, most dangerous albums in the history of rock and roll" says Ed Seaman, C.O.O. of MVD Entertainment Group. "We are honored to enable the fans this connection with the band; this will be a dream come true for the winners."

IN THE HANDS OF THE FANS will be sustainable as a series; MVD is already deep in discussions with a number of other artists and expects to have five more programs shot within the next six months with new announcements expected any day.

The final program for Iggy and the Stooges IN THE HANDS OF THE FANS is expected to release on DVD, BluRay, digital download and broadcast by early 2011. All contestants will receive a special offer to purchase the film early along with some exclusive value added content.



Links:
Iggy Pop
All Tomorrow's Parties