October 14, 2014 Playlist

"Zombie Birdhouse" by Iggy Pop (1982)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Iggy Pop  "Zombie Birdhouse"  1982 (USA)
Iggy Pop and his band The Stooges pretty much invented Punk Rock in Michigan at the end of the 1960's, at the same time that their transatlantic doppelgangers Black Sabbath were inventing Heavy Metal in Birmingham, England. But I don't mean "punk rock" as in mohawk haircuts and safety pin jewelry, that was a fashion thing that happened in Europe much later. The original American punk rock was a brutish heavy blues-derived rawkus expressing the angst, fear and loathing that lay beneath the surface of the so-called "love generation". By 1982, Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne was a millionaire superstar playing a fat blonde hooker on concert stages across the world, while Iggy Pop was a cult figure making weird "new wavish" records for indie labels, all while going topless (seriously, does this guy even own any shirts? Of course, Ozzy also went topless a lot in the early 80's.) Anyway, the point of this shaggy dog tale is that my favorite Iggy solo album is Zombie Birdhouse, because it is by far his weirdest album. It's mostly quasi-industrial pop songs punctuated by the occasional country & western tunes (!) and musique concrete collages, and only a song or two that comes close to what most people would think of as "punk rock" music. Yet the ranting profane lyrics that rage against society are the heart of what punk (and metal) is supposed to be all about. Which is to say, this album is about as far-out as the godfather of punk ever got, and is a truly one-of-a-kind record in his or anybody else's discography.
(N) = New Release
 
Artist Song Album Year Country
Dr. John, The Night TripperGris-Gris Gumbo Ya-YaGris-Gris1968
USA
The Budos Band Magus Mountain
Burnt Offering (N)2014 (Daptone)USA
Half Japanese The Time Is NowOverjoyed (N)2014 (Joyful Noise)USA
 
 
PondHobo Rocket Hobo Rocket2013
Australia
Meat PuppetsNever To Be Found
Too High To Die1994
USA
Meat PuppetsI Got A Right (Iggy & The Stooges)
studio outtake (bonus track on Meat Puppets reissue CD)rec. 1981
USA
The DamnedNeat Neat Neat
Damned Damned Damned1977
UK
James Williamson with Ariel Pink She Creatures Of The Hollywood Hills (Iggy & The Stooges)Re-Licked (N)2014 (Leopard Lady)USA
   
 
The Electronic Concept OrchestraRock Me (Steppenwolf)Moog Groove1969
USA
The Moog CookbookWhole Lotta Love (Led Zeppelin)Ye Olde Space Band Plays Classic Rock Hits1997
UK
Senor Coconut Y Su Conjunto (Uwe Schmidt)The Man-Machine (Kraftwerk)El Baile Aleman2000
Germany/Chile
   
 
Iggy PopRun Like A VillainZombie Birdhouse
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
1982
USA
Iggy PopThe VillagersZombie Birdhouse
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
1982
USA
Iggy PopRepo ManRepo Man (original soundtrack - various artists) 1984
USA
Iggy PopEat Or Be EatenZombie Birdhouse
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
1982
USA
Iggy Pop & James WilliamsonKill CityKill City1977
USA
The StoogesLittle DollThe Stooges1969
USA
James Williamson with Carolyn Wonderland Gimme Some Skin (Iggy & The Stooges)Re-Licked (N)2014 (Leopard Lady)USA
   
 
Sleater-Kinney JumpersThe Woods (N - reissue box set of all 7 Sleater Kinney albums)2005 (2014 Sub Pop)USA
The WipersPotential SuicideIs This Real1980
USA
Brian Eno & Karl Hyde Moulded LifeHigh Life (N)2014 (Warp)UK
EnoChina My China
Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)1974
UK
Tin HueyI Could Rule The World If I Could Only Get The Parts
Contents Dislodged During Shipment1979
USA
Slick RickKing
The Ruler's Back1991
USA
 
  
Digable PlanetsWhat Cool Breezes DoReachin' (A New Refutation Of Time And Space)1993
USA
Shabazz Palaces #CAKELese Majesty (N)2014 (Sub Pop)USA
Caribou Our LoveOur Love (N)2014 (Merge)Canada
Meshell Ndegeocello Modern TimeComet, Come To Me (N)2014 (Naive)USA
Wildest Dreams (DJ Harvey) Yes We Can CanWildest Dreams (N)2014 (Smalltown Supersound)UK
 
  
The Skull DefektsThe FableDances In Dreams Of The Known Unknown (N)2014 (Thrill Jockey)Sweden
Cymbals Eat Guitars LaramieLose (N)2014 (Tough Love)USA
Swans Kirsten SupineTo Be Kind (N)2014 (Mute)USA
Il Sogno Del Marinaio (Mike Watt)AuslanderCanto Secondo (N)2014 (Clenched Wrench)USA/Italy
 
  
The WhoI'm Free (live)
Live At The Isle Of Wight Festivalrec. 1970, rel. 1996
UK
      
   
   
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