Now, here is an album that has changed the lives and ambitions of thousands since its’ original release in 1973. In just 10 years, America had gone from the Beach Boys and Paul Anka to the MC5 and the Stooges. Iggy himself has said that “Funhouse” helped kill the 1960’s. If so, then this album dug up the remains and then let them rot in the open.
When you listened to the music on “Raw Power”, you couldn’t help visualize the cuts and feel the pain. This album contained a cacophony of emotions – misery, anger, resentment, mistrust, glee, sexuality, sarcasm (just to name a few).
With The Stooges re-assembled by Iggy in London, sometime after their demise (implosion?) following 1971’s FunHouse LP, the music was produced by Iggy himself. There in itself, lies the demonic, revolutionary heart & soul of the album. The blinding and blistering riffs executed by James Williamson could peel the paint off a wall if the volume was up.
This was the album that worried mothers everywhere. Opening with “Search And Destroy”, James Williamson’s guitar led the way on the song and the album. It clearly sets the tone. The heartless, cold tongue lashing the female study gets in “Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell” may seem tame compared to the sexually demeaning & abusive lyrics of today, but it is that sneering look of Iggy’s eyes that made a line like that cut through concrete. “Penetration” is one of the most seductive and creepy songs ever recorded. The title track just makes you want to take on the world (or punch someone’s teeth out!) Then there is the snappy rock n’ roll number “Shake Appeal” just oozing with sexuality and cockiness. Then the most graphic song about suicide pacts, “Death Trip”, makes its’ mark in the final 6 minutes of the album.
“Raw Power” is NOT a nice album. It is mean. Real mean. A really GREAT mean record.