Purveyors, with the MC5, of classic, high-energy American rock, the Stooges' influence on successive generations is considerable. They were led by the enigmatic James Jewel Osterberg aka Iggy Stooge and Iggy Pop (b. James Newell Osterberg, 21 April 1947, Muskegon, Michigan, USA) who assumed his unusual sobriquet in deference to the Iguanas, a high-school band in which he drummed. Iggy formed the Psychedelic Stooges with guitarist Ron Asheton (b. 17 July 1948, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA) of the Chosen Few (the two had previously played together in the blues-styled Prime Movers). Scott Asheton (b. USA; drums) completed the line-up, which made its debut on Halloween night 1967, in Ann Arbor. The Stooges (the band having quickly dropped the adjectival prefix) became a fixture of Detroit's thriving underground circuit, achieving a notoriety through the onstage behaviour of their uninhibited frontman. They added bass player Dave Alexander (b. 3 June 1947, Michigan, USA, d. 10 February 1975, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA) to the line-up in December 1967.
The Stooges' 1969 debut was produced by John Cale although the band's initial choice was veteran soul svengali Jerry Ragovoy. This exciting debut matched its malevolent, garage-band sneer with the air of nihilism prevalent in the immediate post-summer of love era. Iggy's exaggerated, Mick Jagger-influenced swagger swept over the band's three-chord maelstrom to create an enthralling and compulsive sound. The band was augmented by saxophonist Steven Mackay and second guitarist Bill Cheatham for 1970's Funhouse. This exceptional release documented a contemporary live set, opening with the forthright "Down On The Street" and closing with the anarchic, almost free-form "LA Blues". This uncompromising collection proved uncommercial and the Stooges were dropped by Elektra Records.
Over the next few months two bass players, Zeke Zettner and Jimmy Recca, passed through the ranks as replacements for Dave Alexander. Cheatham was also ousted in favour of James Williamson (b. Castroville, Texas, USA), who made a significant contribution to the ensuing Stooges period by taking over lead guitar from Ron Asheton (who moved to bass). Long-time Iggy fan David Bowie brought the band to the MainMan management stable and the singer was also responsible for mixing 1973's Raw Power. Although it lacked the purpose of its predecessors, the set became the Stooges' most successful release and contained two of their best-known performances, "Gimme Danger" and "Search And Destroy'. However, the quartet - Iggy, Williamson and the Asheton brothers - were dropped from MainMan for alleged drug dependence. In 1973, Scott Thurston (b. 10 January 1952, Oregon, USA; keyboards) was added to the line-up, but the Stooges" impetus was waning. The band made their final live appearance on 9 February 1974 at Detroit's Michigan Palace. This tawdry performance ended with a battle between the band and a local biker gang, the results of which were memorably captured on Metallic KO. Within days a drained Iggy Pop announced the formal end of the Stooges.
After taking time out to overcome his drug dependency, Iggy Pop teamed up with Bowie to launch an erratic solo career. He was joined in the 80s by former colleague James Williamson. The Ashetons worked together in the short-lived New Order before Ron teamed up with former MC5 bass player Michael Davis in Destroy All Monsters. Numerous collections of Stooges rough mixes and live recordings, for collectors and serious fans only, surfaced during the 80s and 90s, reflecting the band's growing stature among the US alternative rock community. In 2003, the Stooges' cult following was sent into raptures when Iggy Pop worked with the Asheton brothers on his studio album of that year, Skull Ring. The brothers joined him on a subsequent tour devoted to Stooges material, with Mike Watt brought in as replacement for the late Dave Alexander. A storming show from the band's home-town in August 2003 was captured for posterity on the Live In Detroit video. The reunited band played numerous international shows over the next two years and recorded a new studio album.
