James Williamson "Re-Licked" tracklist & artwork

http://www.i94bar.com/news/james-williamson-album-tracklist-revealed

Also includes a stream of "I'm Sick Of You".

All tracks that have been made available so far sound fantastic. Still it's so sad not to have Iggy singing on the album. With Iggy on board this would be up there with "The Stooges", "Funhouse" and "Raw Power". On the same level. It's that good.
All the singers on "Re-Licked" are great, but you cannot replace Iggy. If this had been done in an entirely different style, musically, you would not miss Iggy. But musically it's so close to what you would expect Iggy & The Stooges to have sounded like in 1972–1974 that Iggy's absence is painfully obvious. It feels like Picasso refusing to finish Guernica.
Great as it is this will become a footnote in Stooges history, while it could have been an American Classic, an important work of artistic majesty, the work of men who walked through fire to bring you these songs.

I'll be interested to hear the lyrics for She Creatures clearly, shame Johanna's not on there.

Luzern, you've exactly summed up my feelings about this project too.
I'm excited to hear it, I've liked the tracks that I've heard already - a cracking sound from James and the band, but, as you say, these songs sound pretty much like they would have sounded 40 years ago (only better produced), so why all these other singers?
Why not Iggy?
Maybe he felt, or James felt, that Iggy's voice simply isn't up to belting out these songs anymore...
I get the impression that there has been something of a cooling off between James and Iggy. Anyone know if this is actually the case?
Cheers,
Richard

Re-Licked Track List:
01. Head On The Curve (w/ Jello Biafra)
02. Open Up And Bleed (w/ Carolyn Wonderland)
03. Scene Of The Crime (w/ Bobby Gillespie from Primal Scream)
04. She Creatures Of The Hollywood Hills (w/ Ariel Pink)
05. Til The End Of The Night (w/ Alison Mosshart from The Kills, Dead Weather)
06. I Gotta Right (w/ Lisa Kekaula from The BellRays)
07. Pinpoint Eyes (w/ Joe Cardamone from The Icarus Line)
08. Wild Love (w/ Mark Lanegan & Alison Mosshart)
09. Rubber Leg (w/ Ron Young from Little Caesar)
10. I'm Sick Of You (w/ Mario Cuomo from The Orwells)
Bonus Tracks:
11. Gimme Some Skin (w/ Caroline Wonderland)
12. Cock In My Pocket (w/ Nicke Andersson from The Hellacopters)
13. Heavy Liquid (w/ Lisa Kekaula)
14. Wet My Bed (w/ The Richmond Sluts)
15. Cock In My Pocket (w/ Gary Floyd from The Dicks)
16. Rubber Leg (w/ J.G. Thirlwell aka Clint Ruin, Foetus)




Now where can I order this sucker?!

Why no "You Don't Want My Name"? Or "Fresh Rag"? Two of the best Stooges tunes! Or "Big Time Bum"! I really miss those 1971 tunes.
Per

adams66 wrote:

Luzern, you've exactly summed up my feelings about this project too.
I'm excited to hear it, I've liked the tracks that I've heard already - a cracking sound from James and the band, but, as you say, these songs sound pretty much like they would have sounded 40 years ago (only better produced), so why all these other singers?
Why not Iggy?
Maybe he felt, or James felt, that Iggy's voice simply isn't up to belting out these songs anymore...  
I get the impression that there has been something of a cooling off between James and Iggy. Anyone know if this is actually the case?
Cheers,
Richard

Well, James says he informed Iggy about his plan to do Re-Licked and Iggy was cool with it, but did not want to participate. Then when James went public and announced the record, Iggy made a statement to the press that he had not been given the chance to participate. So who knows.
Scott is gone, but Iggy could still deliver. I think Iggy is a better singer now than he was in 1973/74, so the new tracks should have Iggy's vocals and Iggy's vocals only. His presence and his personality would lift the whole project to the level it deserves. I do not want to put down the singers James has worked with, they are all great. But they cannot fill the songs with the life that Iggy has lived. He has lived the life, he has walked the walk and he could fill the songs with that experience. He simply deserves to be the singer on Re-Licked. As it stands I cannot bring myself to listen to the new recordings again, not because they are bad, but because they are so good. The music, the playing and the arrangements are out of this world. And it's that rare quality that makes me miss Iggy so much on those songs. Of course, in theory, Iggy could still record vocals for all those new tracks (and they could also do the 1971 songs). But with James' version of Re-Licked out there it's not gonna happen. It would be like making Iggy jumb through a hoop that somebody else is holding for him. He is not gonna do it, which means a potentially great work of art is lost forever.

I fell same thing. Probably iggy was involved into it too late into this which cause mess.
And only as a singer with no voice about arrangment and production of this album.
Its a shame becuase some chapter of stooges history would be incomplete.
Even if the songs will be great (and vocals are really way better than iggy could do now) it still will be more like cover versions of actual proper stooge stuff.

I respectfully disagree with Luzern's projections. These are pro musicians who find a way to do or not do whatever they wish to accomplish or not accomplish. And with all the myriad bootlegs, tributes, compilations and solo albums afloat both great or complete crap, why would you not want additional Stooge product with Stooge participation?

Additionally, you haven't heard it. Initial skeptics universally seem to be bowled over by it when they actually hear it. It's a worthy addition to the canon and a great deal of dangerous Stooge fun when actually heard. It really showcases the Pop-Williamson songwriting collaboration that narrowminded music biz cretins didn't want us to have. Who the hell knew what the real lyrics to "Wild Love" were anyhoo?

Perdu wrote:

Additionally, you haven't heard it. Initial skeptics universally seem to be bowled over by it when they actually hear it. It's a worthy addition to the canon and a great deal of dangerous Stooge fun when actually heard.

I have heard most of the tracks on the album. Not all of them, but most of them. As stated above I think the music, instrumentation, arrangements, playing, production and the overall sound on "Re-Licked" are fantastic. As good as the best work the Stooges have done. Much better than anything on "Ready To Die". Much better. That is why I find Iggy's absence from the record so sad. The record is so great that with Iggy singing, it would be complete. It would be an important work of art, an American classic, up there with "The Stooges", "Fun House" and "Raw Power". Iggy deserves to be the singer on "Re-Licked", he went through hell to create those songs. No matter how great the singers on "Re-Licked" are (and they all do a great job), they have not lived the life that Iggy has lived. The life that made those songs possible. They cannot fill the songs with the author's voice, with Iggy's experiences. I cannot bring myself to listen to the album again, because its greatness is only a reminder of what could have been.

That's a bit dramatic, don't you think? If it's a great record, why not celebrate it and enjoy it?

I haven't heard it but I think I'll agree with Luzern. No matter how good the album is (and it might be terrific from an entirely objective perspective) for Stooges followers it's always going to be the sound of what could've and should've been. It's not a Stooges album, and it'd have been so much better if it had been, regardless of how enjoyable it is as a stand-alone work. All art is seen and appreciated in its context and in this case the absence of all but one of the original creators of the music is indeed sad, especially when one of them is still alive and working. We can celebrate and enjoy the new record for what it is, given its limitations, whilst still being very disappointed that it's not what we hoped for.

I think if Iggy was on it then I'd be forever comparing it to the live and demo recordings of these tracks from 1971-73, which for me it'd never beat as Iggy just doesn't sing with that angst anymore. The subpar sound quality of the early tracks doesn't bother me in the slightest, in fact quite a few of the tracks are probably all the better for not having been cleanly produced.

It's true that having Iggy on it would be no guarantee of success! But better to try and fail than not to try at all. Or not to have the chance to try, or whatever the truth is.

James has created a fantastic album tribute. Some of this songs have not reached the treatment they deserved in the recording studio. Some ...
I am one who regrets the absence of Iggy on this project, things are as they are, but the argument that if the current voice of Iggy is not what was at that time ... please!
I'm going to enjoy some Open Up And Bleed of the last tour of Iggy & The Stooges in youtube ...

Nightclubbing wrote:

James has created a fantastic album tribute. Some of this songs have not reached the treatment they deserved in the recording studio. Some ...
I am one who regrets the absence of Iggy on this project, things are as they are, but the argument that if the current voice of Iggy is not what was at that time ... please!
I'm going to enjoy some  Open Up And Bleed of the last tour of Iggy & The Stooges in youtube ...

I'll stick with Open Up and Bleed from Whisky a Go Go, September 16th 1973.

Tyronehell wrote:

Re-Licked Track List:
01. Head On The Curve (w/ Jello Biafra)
02. Open Up And Bleed (w/ Carolyn Wonderland)
03. Scene Of The Crime (w/ Bobby Gillespie from Primal Scream)
04. She Creatures Of The Hollywood Hills (w/ Ariel Pink)
05. Til The End Of The Night (w/ Alison Mosshart from The Kills, Dead Weather)
06. I Gotta Right (w/ Lisa Kekaula from The BellRays)
07. Pinpoint Eyes (w/ Joe Cardamone from The Icarus Line)
08. Wild Love (w/ Mark Lanegan & Alison Mosshart)
09. Rubber Leg (w/ Ron Young from Little Caesar)
10. I'm Sick Of You (w/ Mario Cuomo from The Orwells)
Bonus Tracks:
11. Gimme Some Skin (w/ Caroline Wonderland)
12. Cock In My Pocket (w/ Nicke Andersson from The Hellacopters)
13. Heavy Liquid (w/ Lisa Kekaula)
14. Wet My Bed (w/ The Richmond Sluts)

15. Cock In My Pocket (w/ Gary Floyd from The Dicks)
16. Rubber Leg (w/ J.G. Thirlwell aka Clint Ruin, Foetus)




Now where can I order this sucker?!

I had always thought that open up and bleed was THE SONG. But with Iggy's voice . I will buy this one but with regrets

mc wrote:

I think if Iggy was on it then I'd be forever comparing it to the live and demo recordings of these tracks from 1971-73, which for me it'd never beat as Iggy just doesn't sing with that angst anymore. The subpar sound quality of the early tracks doesn't bother me in the slightest, in fact quite a few of the tracks are probably all the better for not having been cleanly produced.

I prefer Iggy's mature vocals, so I would love to hear him on Re-Licked. The 1972–1974 songs that they did play live in 2009–2013 all sounded fantastic.

Uh, um, I was there Sept. 17, 1973 at the Whisky, at least for the second set, all 22 minutes of it (Bleed and She Creatures. The end.) The band cooked, Iggy was a little...shall we say...not there...

I think what you're reaching for is Iggy's not-thereness being better than other singers' best ever efforts, upon which we agree. That said, the world is a better place for having Carolyn Wonderland's singing and recording Open Up And Bleed with James Williamson producing and playing his co-creation out there in it, since even more of the world will love it beyond Stooge diehards. This is what we all want, Stoogely vindication, yes???

Here's a preview of the Re-Licked front cover art
http://fastfilm1.blogspot.com/2014/10/preview-of-re-licked-by-james-williamson.html

Perdu wrote:

Here's a preview of the Re-Licked front cover art
http://fastfilm1.blogspot.com/2014/10/preview-of-re-licked-by-james-williamson.html

Cool that James is using the Neve Mixing Console, I really recommend that Sound City documentary, even though there is nothing Stooges in it.

With or without Iggy, this is a worthwhile addition to the Stooges legacy. If Iggy didn't want to do it, then this is the best we are going to get. We already have the Iggy versions of these songs (although in much lesser quality - and even the so-called 'master tapes' of these tracks will not offer much in the way of improvement). So unless Iggy changes his mind at some future point and adds his own vocals to this project (which is unlikely), we should just enjoy what we have.

The version of 'Cock in my Pocket' with Gary Floyd from The Dicks can be heard here:

http://www.out.com/entertainment/popnography/2014/10/01/stooges-james-williamson-cock-my-pocket-dicks-gary-floyd

Nice to hear. Gary F does a really great job. Credit to Watt!

Re-Licked streaming:  http://rollingstoneaus.com/music/post/premiere-james-williamson-re-licked-album-stream/773

Thanks PS!