walking upstream…
The Stooges
The Stooges were an Ann Arbor, Michigan band fronted by Iggy Pop whose primal, blues-mangled noise on their 1969 debut and 1970's Fun House is now treated as punk rock's ignition point. Loud, confrontational, and commercially ignored in their time, they're now recognized as one of the most influential rock bands of the era, cited by generations of punk and noise musicians.
the sound in question
1969
I Wanna Be Your DogThe Stooges
walk the tributaries ↓
Chuck Berry1950s · Rock and roll / Rhythm and blues
Iggy Pop has said directly that the Stooges "took Chuck Berry and Little Richard and filtered it through who we were," and it shows up as simple, riff-driven songs stripped to their rawest components.
listen: upstream & heresource: Clash Magazine — Iggy Pop ↗
1958
Johnny B. GoodeChuck Berry
1969
No FunThe Stooges
listen forThe insistent, single-riff drive of Chuck Berry's 'Johnny B. Goode' is recognizable, slowed and thickened into sludge, on the Stooges' 'No Fun.'
Little Richard1950s · Rock and roll / R&B
Iggy Pop named Little Richard alongside Chuck Berry as source material the Stooges "filtered through who we were," and it surfaces as unhinged, physical vocal performance pushed past politeness.
listen: upstream & heresource: Clash Magazine — Iggy Pop ↗
1956
Tutti FruttiLittle Richard
1969
1969The Stooges
listen forThe shrieking, abandon-everything vocal energy of Little Richard's 'Tutti Frutti' finds a sludgier, more menacing echo in the Stooges' '1969.'
The Doors1960s · Psychedelic rock / Rock
Iggy Pop has described seeing the Doors perform live as a turning point that convinced him there was "no excuse" not to push the band's own confrontational, audience-baiting performance style further.
listen: upstream & heresource: Red Bull Music Academy Daily — Iggy Pop on seeing The Doors perform live as a catalyst for the Stooges ↗
1967
Light My FireThe Doors
1970
T.V. EyeThe Stooges
listen forThe building, theatrical tension of the Doors' 'Light My Fire' is stripped of its organ-driven elegance and turned into something more feral on the Stooges' 'T.V. Eye.'