Where do I start?

I'm just starting to discover the music of Iggy and The Stooges (I know Iggy's handful of hits of course), and was wondering what the best place to start is. Should I start with a greatest hits type album or start at the start? Are their any particular albums that anyone could recommend? I've got a lot of music to listen to, so any help would be awesome.

"The Stooges", "Fun House" and "Raw Power". I'd start with the latter as its the most "accesable" then the self-titled debut and finally "Fun House". That way its the easiest to get into them and you're leaving the best till last After that you can work your way through the demos.

Just go for the money shot - Metalic KO X 2. If you can dig that then you know you're a Stooges fan.

Looks like a trip to the local record store is in order. Thanks for the tips. Surely I'll be able to find one or two of those albums.

Welcome Spaceboy. Basically you can't go wrong with buying any of the first 3 "The Stooges", "Fun House" or "Raw Power". They are all different, you will find some fans have preferences, but best listen without prejudice and make your own mind up. From there on the Bowie Albums "idiot" & "lust for life" are the next essentail purchases but any of the other iggy albums can be pretty variable with a fair share of fillers and clunkers on them*
"Kill City" & "Metallic KO" are pretty cool but like alot of the Stooges bootleg material i.e stuff on bomp, easy action labels you need to be a fully addicted sttoge fan to appreciate them as sound quality generally is not that good.


* My personal Iggy solo fav after the Bowie stuff is New Values and that may well be worth considering next but I sure others will have different opinions

What Harmonia said

I would start at the beginning.
The Stooges
FunHouse
Raw Power.

TED wrote:

I would start at the beginning.
The Stooges
FunHouse
Raw Power.

I concur.

Raw Power just might scare you off if you haven't already warmed up to the Stooges. But once you've gotten into the band you'll love it.

Do like I did: Listen to nothing but shitty AM/FM radio for 15 years - the same 20 classic-rock tunes in endless rotation, weak-ass 80's songs by those same bands, wanky moustache-metal and a bit of the lamer new-wave stuff. THEN get wasted and listen to a used/stolen copy of Funhouse.

OK, I decided to go with whatever album I found first. Call me crazy, but Iended up getting The Stooges (Deluxe Edition). I've listened to it about four or five times already. I love it. Stand out tracks for me were 1969, I Wanna be Your Dog, No Fun (Full Version) , Ann (Full Version). I'm sure the other tracks will grow on me in time. I didn't enjoy the John Cale mixes.

Was the song Ann named after Ann Arbor where Iggy grew up?

Hi Spaceboy, the first album was the one I listened to first also (although not the deluxe edition) and it's always remained the best for me. When I first heard it, the songs you name were the ones that stood out for me as well.

I'm a massive Bowie fan, so when i get to Raw Power it will be interesting to see if i can up any Bowie-isms on it. I think it would be pretty cool if Bowie and Iggy worked together again. I wouldn't hold my breath though.

G, F#, E wrote:

"The Stooges", "Fun House" and "Raw Power". I'd start with the latter as its the most "accesable" then the self-titled debut and finally "Fun House". That way its the easiest to get into them and you're leaving the best till last After that you can work your way through the demos.

nice.

TED wrote:

I would start at the beginning.
The Stooges
FunHouse
Raw Power.

I would agree and then controversially I'd say – stop right there. Nothing that came after does anything to extend the brilliant body of work in those three LPs. All the post Raw Power outtakes, rehearsals and dodgy live recordings just dilute the vision.

And Iggy Pop as a solo artist is a different question.