Trivial Early Stooges Questions > answered by Natalie

Nadja,

They were all very slim in the early days of the band. Ron was a chunky kid. He lost quite a bit of weight when he returned from England in 1965. Once we decided to show each other our passport pictures. I think the discussion started because I did not believe him when he said he used to be fat. My passport was from 1968 and I looked very much like the photo on this thread. Ron looked very similar to the way he looked when the Stooges reunion happened in 2003.

I never saw Dave's passport even though they travelled together. I knew you would be curious about that!

Natalie

Lolakelly,

I like to think of it as "pride" rather than vanity. However with the ego dynamic of that group of guys vanity was needed to survive.

LOL, Natalie

Natalie, I was just being sarcastic.... Ron wasn't really vain per se, but he was certainly concerned enough about his looks to qualify. Ya gotta give the boy an "A" for sartorial excellence, especially in the days when he had the German military look together.

Nadja wrote:

Natalie, that info about Ron at official photo shoots is indeed surprising.
I was just after thinking that all of them, including Ron, generally looked very slim back in the early days.

There's that pic of the band in 71 by Peter Hujar where Ron looks so thin it's scary.

Lolakelly,
I'd give the boy an AAA+++ for just about everything!!!! Most of all for being an all around great guy.

Natalie

Mc,

I think it was all that brown rice he was eating. By '73 he was eating regular food again. Not red meat but chicken, fish and shrimp. I thought he looked much better 10 pounds heavier than in those as you say "scary " days.

Natalie

Natalie wrote:

I'd give the boy an AAA+++ for just about everything!!!! Most of all for being an all around great guy.

great to hear that, and without ever having personally known him, I agree wholeheartedly!
interesting info about the passports and stuff...(& yes I would love to have known what Dave's photo looked like!)

Thanks for the information about Ron, that thing about him not eating before photoshoots is very suprising but explains the 1971 photos. I remember Ron saying he was teased at high school, a real shame. I miss him so much so it's great to hear stuff about him from someone who knew him personally.

GFE,

I know just what you mean. I miss him too. I so wish I would have been able to see him on that last tour. We have to cherish the memories and keep listening to his music.


He won't be forgotten if I have anything to say about it.


Natalie

Natalie wrote:

GFE,

I know just what you mean. I miss him too. I so wish I would have been able to see him on that last tour. We have to cherish the memories and keep listening to his music.


He won't be forgotten if I have anything to say about it.


Natalie

Ron will never be forgotten. I make it a point to turn people on to the music of the Ron-era Stooges. He was the best, and will be sorely missed here.

Its impossible for Ron to be forgotten, even despite our efforts. Its all there on the CDs and vinyls and tapes and whatever else, youtube etc etc

and for everyone who listens to it and says its just noise or 'he cant play' theyre still always be someone who goes 'holy shit this is the best thing ive ever heard!" i know i was lol

i know i will never ever forget Ron, personally i dont think im over it, I still feel sad listening to the records, esp the recent live stuff, but more so pictures of him, it just reminds me of when i looked up at him three yars ago, for the first time, and saw his hands move so fast it was almost a blur, it was the best experience in my life, and he also taught me that you dont have to be the 'best' player as long as you feel it when you're playing, thats a key thing i notice thats different in my playing from my friends playing, its heartless but technically 'better' or more accomplished, they still go how do you do that, or it sounds good and bad at the same time lol, they cant replicate that sound, and thats what Ron taught me

he was an amazing player, better than most, but never for how many notes he could hit in a short space of time, even though he probably could do that, and did, i've never wanted to play like Ron, i hold him up too high, he's like Hendrix, that style of playing, someone who looks like they were born with a guitar only comes around every so often, i cant do that, i'll stick to trying to replicate keith's style or crafting my own

anyway its turning into a memorial, we should get a thread going for our Ron experiences and outpourings if we dont already have one

to get back to the point, Ron will never be forgotten, the records say more than all the words we've ever typed while on this forum

Loose1969,

I am glad to see you feel the same way. I know many of us are still grieving which is why I probably started to tell some Ron stories.

Thanks so much, Natalie

Wow HJW,

While I was typing you came on with your beautiful tribute. You brought me to tears and I so agree with you.

Since this thread is suppose to be trivia I think it is a great idea to start a new thread. Why don't you start it? I always seem to have problems with starting threads. If you do start a Ron thread, might I suggest the we keep it on the happier side by telling Ron stories but focusing on the positive things and not the tragedy of losing him too soon.

Natalie

at your suggestion, up and running Natalie

https://stoogesforum.forumotion.com/down-on-the-street-f9/remembering-ron-t1653.htm#26069

Natalie, somehow I've ended up with a few more Dave questions, altho these are probably the last.
I'm always struck by that Fun House-era photo where he's holding up a crucifix, did he often wear one?
I know his nickname was supposed to be 'Zander', did people use this a lot or not so often, did he encourage it?
Finally, I'm asking this although I'm sure you would have mentioned it already if you knew, but did he continue to play music in any shape or form after leaving the band, did he not mention it at all that time at Max's, or did Ron or Scott or anyone else who knew him fairly well, ever tell you?
Thanks, as always.

Nadja,

Dave's nick name was "Dude Arnet". I only found out about the "Zander" one on this board. If memory serves me, it was a nick name from earlier childhood years. Remember Ron and Dave were in the same grade in high school. Scott was one year behind them. I think it had to do with a TV show but don't quote me on that.

I never saw Dave with the cross other than the photo you reference. If he wore one under his shirt, it was never visible to me.

I do not think he was involved with any other bands after his departure from the band.

You are quite welcome. I bet you will come up with a few more questions. After all, inquiring minds need to know.

Natalie

'After all, inquiring minds need to know.'

Natalie you're such a breath of fresh air ..... I'm waiting to learn more with each post.

I'm a bit of a Stooges fan .

Hey Natalie,

What about the Funhouse. I know its address was 2666 Packard and a bank currently resides there. But was it close to a lot of other homes or was it kind off remote and if so how remote was it, how far away was the nearest neighbor. Also I had heard there was a second band house close by where some of the roadies lived for a short time. Thanks again.

Jim

Scott Morgan has mentioned Jim Osterberg's campy pre-Iggy stage persona 'Hyacinth'. This was in late high-school, I think. See Trynka's book for details - it's too funny.

Question for Natalie, did the other Stooges ever discuss/mock the 'Hyacinth' thing? Or the perm? I've been in a few bands - they must have!

In broader terms, any amusing nicknames, running jokes, random chuckles etc. that only an insider would've heard?

Thanks.

Jim,

The Funhouse was an old white house. There was a lot of grass and ground around it. Sorry but I don''t remember how far neighboring houses were located. It was not located in a real populated section of Ann Arbor.

I also don't know where the road crew lived.

Natalie

Trailorborn,

One of these days I will get Paul's book and read it. I was interviewed for the book and I can say the Paul is a very thorough and kind interviewer. Paul has said he will send me a book when his deadline is met. I am sure when I do read it I will find out many things about the guys I never knew. This forum has been a revealation for info I never knew.

Getting to your questions, I used to visit Creem magazine when I was in town and that is where I saw the picture of Iggy with the perm for the first time. I asked him about it and he said yes he had a perm a few years ago. He laughed and I laughed and that was all that was ever discussed.

Nicknames , Scott gave himself the name "Rock Action" some time in late 70. I discussed "Dude Arnet" above and the band used to just call Iggy "Pop" or Jim. Matter of fact I always called him Jim. I never called him Iggy when speaking to him. When I started to post on this forum I had force myself to type "Iggy" because I always think of him as Jim.

There was lots of good natured ribbing going on and lots of rolling of eyes but I can not recall specifics There were some comments made when the costumes were introduced in 1973 but nothing specific comes to mind.

Natalie

thanks Natalie, I'm actually being quite restrained, for me

I'm kind of surprised to hear that about the Zander nickname.
Although I'd heard about 'Dude Arnet' too, it always sounds weird.
and Ron and Dave were in the same school year..Dave was a year older, though, right?
although from what I've heard neither the Ashetons nor Dave troubled school much anyway. Do you know if they officially completed?

if we're talking about nicknames, did Ron not have one Natalie?

Nadja,

Iggy was the only original Stooge to complete high school. Don't let that throw you. All the guys were smart.

Dave was older than Ron but I forget if it was months or a whole year. Iggy was the oldest by at least a year.


Dorianmode,

I never knew Ron to be called anything but Ron or Ronnie.


He probably did have a nickname but I don't know. If anybody does know, please jump right in.

Natalie

did you ever see/hear Ron play the accordion Natalie? that's what he played as a child?