role models?

its def cheatham i have more pics from that ungano show, cheatham wore that outfit that night

cheers

When exactly, and for how long, did Cheatham play in the band? Not very long, far as I know?

JESUS_LOVES_THE_STOOGES wrote:

its def cheatham i have more pics from that ungano show, cheatham wore that outfit that night

cheers

Could you post that pics in that or maybe another topic? Cheers

After Dave Alexander was fired on 8th August 1970 there was an urgent need to install a new bass player.

The reason was that the Stooges had a week long residency at Ungano's starting only ten days later on 18th August.

Six foot four roadie Tommy ‘Zeke’ Zettner stepped up - his bass playing was somewhat rudimentary but the band had little choice. At least Zeke knew all the songs. Ron argued that a more accomplished bass player was really required, but as the heroin was taking hold of the others they couldn’t really be bothered. They liked Zeke, he would do just fine.

At the same time another roadie, Bill Cheatham, was also promoted to second guitar player. He had been a friend of Ron's since school and had played with the Ashetons in their garage band The Dirty Shames.

So, on 18th August 1970, Ungano's saw the debut of the revamped Stooges.

All agreed that the six-piece line up expanded the sound impressively despite both Zeke and Bill’s relative inexperience.

But as the year wore on, all the band except Ron seem to have developed bad heroin habits and Ron and Iggy stopped talking.

As a result, new songs started drying up. Iggy began composing on his own, but in his junkie world the results were startlingly weird. Closer to free jazz than anything else, the Stooges would play a number of Iggy’s bizarre tunes during the autumn. None have so far surfaced.

By October 1970 Steve Mackay had come to the conclusion that leaving the band would be the only way to get off heroin. And he seriously thought that if he left it any longer he might never escape. Once out of the band he lost his connection and had to endure cold turkey which left him with terrible pains in his arms.

Around the same time Bill Cheatham backed out. Uncomfortable on stage and unsure of his ability he preferred the life of a roadie.

But Ron had become used to a second guitar player and began looking around for a replacement.

Since returning to Michigan James Williamson had followed the Stooges' progress and had attended many of the Detroit area gigs during the autumn. What he saw and heard of the Stooges unique style impressed him. James had of course played with Ron in the Chosen Few years before and was actually living with the roadies not far from Fun House. James was the obvious choice and he picked up the Stooges style of playing very quickly. As James later noted ‘Things were pretty screwed up by then. The drug scene had started taking its toll and the band was disintegrating... then one day Iggy asked me to join the band and take Bill’s place. So, I began playing with the Stooges. Danny Fields was managing the band and he liked the way I looked and played, or so he said. So I was now a Stooge.’

It was immediately apparent that James was a much better guitarist than Bill, and as he loved writing songs he also quickly teamed up with Iggy, effectively sidelining Ron. Iggy was enthused by James’ arrival and set about writing a new set of tunes which dispensed with the loose jazz/funk vibe in favour of a tighter more straight-ahead rock feel. ‘I knew from the first rehearsal with James that I had here something I could really use stylistically,’ said Iggy. But James had joined at a bad time. After a short set of gigs with James in November and December the Stooges decided to take a short break in order to escape from their drug problems.

But, as with most great ideas that the Stooges had, it didn’t go as planned. Due to drug related problems they wouldn't play live again for over four months.

Cheers,

Richard

Wow! Thanks for posting that

ok, so Cheatham didn't stay long, and Zettner died the following year (71), is that right?

another question - what was the exact line-up for the band's debut gig, Oct 67? I'm never very sure. I thought I read somewhere that Dave Alexander officially joined on bass only later, just a couple months later or something?

JamesWilliamson82 wrote:

JESUS_LOVES_THE_STOOGES wrote:

Billy Cheatham

I might be wrong, but actually that guy looks to me more like Ron. Those glasses for example. Especially his standing position as I recognized while watching early Stooges stuff clips. Well, dunno

THAT'S RON.

JLTS, go check out your Guitar World issue with the Stooges in it. There are several pics of Ron in there from the Ungano's show wearing that outfit. Definitely Ron.

That shot is Ron - he had a dark Strat, bill had a Les Paul. THey both wore glasses and looked pretty similar, centre parting, Bill had paler strawverry blonde hair.

Bill was booted out once James arrived. Steve was sacked, by Iggy, some time before, and for the reason Richard pointed out (heroin) "I was never so glad to be sacked from a job in my enture life."


BTW, Dave was roadie for the Halloween gig, he also bashed on percussion, and hit the top of ROn's Kustom amp, making thunderous clanking noises...

Zeke wasn't included in the live 1971 line-up - bass was handled by James Williamson's buddy Jimmy Recca.
Zeke became a drug casualty (off the top of my head I'm not sure exactly when) and is referenced on Iggy's "Dum Dum Boys".
Cheers,
Richard

Loose1969 wrote:

THAT'S RON.

Paul T wrote:

That shot is Ron

Ha! Thanks to both of you for confirmation

Zeke died on 10 NOvember 1973; I tracked down his death certificate for the book. Cause of death was heart failure brought on by a heroin overdose. He'd gone back to live wiht his mom and dad by that time, and had probably worked in the car industry in the meantime.

according to Billy Cheatham, who I interviewed around 95 and was more or less Zeke's best friend, Zeke's brother, Miles, died from a heroin overdose, too.

Iggy began composing on his own, but in his junkie world the results were startlingly weird. Closer to free jazz than anything else, the Stooges would play a number of Iggy’s bizarre tunes during the autumn

anyone know anyhting ablout these songs, like titles etc?

i have no idea

but what about this picture ?
who's who ?

from left to right, ron, james, jimmy recca, iggy and scotty, i love that pic, does anyone have a larger version?

who was the photographer for that photoshoot? does anyone know any details about it?

aaargh, I should remember who the photog is, but I can't. It was just about the last photoshoot w the Stooges Mark 1, and I believe was an official session for Elektra - just before they got kicked off the label.

Paul - Isn't Cheatham Passed Away too ? (R.I.P.) ?

if so when did he pass away ?

yeah, when?

Cheatham, Zettner, and of course my poor darling Dave. I'm starting to feel morbid now

Nadja wrote:

yeah, when?

Cheatham, Zettner, and of course my poor darling Dave. I'm starting to feel morbid now

Focus on the living. Ron, Scott, Iggy. You'l feel better.

Yes Bill is dead, sadly, I am not sure when.... I believe it was the late 90s. I'll be in Michigan again soon, I'll check then.

Loose1969 wrote:

Nadja wrote:

yeah, when?

Cheatham, Zettner, and of course my poor darling Dave. I'm starting to feel morbid now

Focus on the living. Ron, Scott, Iggy. You'l feel better.

and I've just remembered someone else who survived, even altho he was RUMOURED to have died ... Steve Mackay!
guess that does make me feel better

Nadja wrote:

Loose1969 wrote:

Nadja wrote:

yeah, when?

Cheatham, Zettner, and of course my poor darling Dave. I'm starting to feel morbid now

Focus on the living. Ron, Scott, Iggy. You'l feel better.

and I've just remembered someone else who survived, even altho he was RUMOURED to have died ... Steve Mackay!
guess that does make me feel better

Whoops...
I admit I'm guilty of forgetting about Steve sometimes. Shame on me.

Nice that the band managed to get him back too, all those years later!!

Quote :

and I've just remembered someone else who survived, even altho he was RUMOURED to have died ... Steve Mackay!

seriously?

Nadja wrote:

Nice that the band managed to get him back too, all those years later!!

Indeed. You can't play Fun House without him!

homesickjameswilliamson wrote:

Quote :

and I've just remembered someone else who survived, even altho he was RUMOURED to have died ... Steve Mackay!

seriously?

I read that somewhere, I mean about him supposedly having died and all. Of course I can't remember where, so that's not much use. It was online, if that's any help! - the only interview with him I ever came across.