'Kill City' = 'Exile On Main Street'

I still think "Kill City" is a pretty depressing, desperate album. Unlike "Raw Power" where you've got songs where Iggy seems ready to take on the world (i.e. "Search And Destroy") in "Kill City" Iggy seems far more fragile (i.e. "I Got Nothin'").

"Kill City" really sounds like Iggy's last plea before he fell into complete depression. The only song which has that "fuck you" swagger that appears in "Raw Power" is "Beyond The Law".

And when you put "Beyond The Law" in the context of the rest of "Kill City" its less of a small glimmer of hope and more blind optimism. Which is also in the title track which seems out of context along side lyrics like:

"I live here in Kill City,
Where the debris meets the sea.
It's a playground to the rich,
But it's a loaded gun to me."

G, F#, E wrote:

I still think "Kill City" is a pretty depressing, desperate album. Unlike "Raw Power" where you've got songs where Iggy seems ready to take on the world (i.e. "Search And Destroy") /i]

taking on the world? he's screaming for somebody to save his soul

exactly Nadja! thats what i took from it, well sort of both of what you are saying

also, i think we think the same thing, G, about kill city, when you said depressing i thought you meant it made you depressed, but if you mean its disparate or an album full of depression, i agree totally

Nadja wrote:

G, F#, E wrote:

I still think "Kill City" is a pretty depressing, desperate album. Unlike "Raw Power" where you've got songs where Iggy seems ready to take on the world (i.e. "Search And Destroy") /i]

taking on the world? he's screaming for somebody to save his soul

When I listen to it, it doesn't sound like he means it, he's happy in his decadent lifestyle. The opening line, "I'm a street-walking cheetah with a heart full of napalm" is so full of attitude and thats continued throughout the song its sort of "I'm an evil son of a bitch and I like it".

homesickjameswilliamson wrote:

also, i think we think the same thing, G, about kill city, when you said depressing i thought you meant it made you depressed, but if you mean its disparate or an album full of depression, i agree totally

I "Kill City" as an album pretty much reflects Iggy's depression and desperation. When ever I listen to it I come away feeling pretty down unlike when I listen to "Raw Power" when I come away feeling charged with energy.

In "Raw Power" it seems Iggy is pissed off at the state of things while in "Kill City" he's depressed about the state of things. Before he didn't care, now they're getting to him.

G, F#, E wrote:

[When I listen to it, it doesn't sound like he means it, he's happy in his decadent lifestyle. The opening line, "I'm a street-walking cheetah with a heart full of napalm" is so full of attitude and thats continued throughout the song its sort of "I'm an evil son of a bitch and I like it".

.

don't feel that at all, comes across as pure desperation. to have a heart full of napalm doesn't sound at all comfortable! it sounds lethal to the singer

"Street walking cheetah with a heart full of napalm" sounds like Iggy's trying to convey how dangerous he is. More "stay away from me" than "help me".

i get both of your feelings on it, Nadja and G, i get the desperation from it, death trip exemplfies that lyrically, and i get, because of the music, the fuck oyu attitude from it

- interesting note, this discussion has made me go back and listen to kill city, and i remember us discussing on another thread the difference between kill city the song on the album, and the one on a million in prizes which is remarkably cleaner and louder and rocks like a motherfucker, which lead some of us to believe it couldve been the legendary lost kill city master tapes or better quality recordings of it or something also the million in prizes one is 10secs longer than the album version


edit;
just listened to the million in prizes version, and theres no comparison, this has gotta be the lost tape, i wonder who put this out and if they know, we have to get easyaction on the case Kill City is screaming out for a 2CD or at least the original tapes, this thing rocks like a motherfucker indeed!

G, F#, E wrote:

"Street walking cheetah with a heart full of napalm" sounds like Iggy's trying to convey how dangerous he is. More "stay away from me" than "help me".

maybe but making people stay away from him makes him even more desperate and alone.

Interesting point, but I think it isn't really a desperate song in any way. Sort of glad he's a social outcast and likes the decadent way he lives. And he's just trying to scare away anybody who doesn't accept him.

we\'ll just have to agree to disagree - I sure don\'t hear any kind of gladness in this song. It\'s pretty much insanity...and cathartic too

its just how each of you interpret it, theres no need to agree or disagree, its like poetry, everyone gets something different from it, no ones right or wrong

I wasn't suggesting that there was any right or wrong interpretation, just different

Nadja wrote:

we\'ll just have to agree to disagree - I sure don\'t hear any kind of gladness in this song. It\'s pretty much insanity...and cathartic too

Guess we'll have to, I hear the insanity but no regret for it just the enjoyment of destruction.

think ive found the rocks like a motherfucker stuff

kill city off a million in prizes CD
consolation prizes off original punks CD
johanna off original punks CD
no sense of crime off im sick of you CD
i got nothin off pure lust CD

i think these could be the original ones, or at least far superior, cleaner up ones, i got nothin isnt as hard hitting as the others, but is cleaner i think than the one on the original album from bomp

I don't have time to listen right now but how do the versions of "Kill City", "Sell You Love", "I Got Nothin", "No Sense Of Crime", "Beyond The Law" and "Night Theme" off of "Original Punks" compare to the "Kill City" versions.

And what version of "Consolation Prizes" off of "Original Punks" do you mean? The first or second one?

you can hear it evidently, the first ones unbeliavble clarity and volume really, when i first heard it i thought it rocked like a motherfucker, thats how you can tell! lol

the ones ive mentioned arent the ones on other compilations or the album, theyre cleaner and in the first threes cases, louder, better versions

Nadja wrote:

Peter Amsterdam wrote:

Strange.....people here who doesn't know Exile.
!

I guess most people do know it, I just don't listen to the Stones much, and I know it's ridiculous but there's something I don't get about them. I mean, I've finally listened to 'Exile' and I'd call it good, but nothing more than that.

It's a grower. I was pretty underwhelmed the first time I heard it but I love it now.

Someone once told me Bridges to Babylon was better than Exile. Can you believe that?

haven't heard 'Bridges to Babylon'... maybe that ought to be next on my list

Nadja wrote:

haven't heard 'Bridges to Babylon'... maybe that ought to be next on my list

Nope. That would be a bad call. Oh, it's OK. But nothing great. Voodoo Lounge is much better, and the only Wood-era Stones album I really like.

Better options would be to get Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed or Sticky Fingers if you don't have 'em already. That's the best the Stones would ever get, aside from Exile.

Oh...and give Exile a chance. It does grow on you, trust me!

Donald wrote:

Someone once told me Bridges to Babylon was better than Exile. Can you believe that?

Like Loose said....beggars Banquet,let it bleed,sticky fingers and exile are the ones!
And yes Exile does grow on you

Donald wrote:

Someone once told me Bridges to Babylon was better than Exile. Can you believe that?

That's the funniest shit I've ever heard, by the way.

Say, someone tells you "The Weirdness" is way better than "Fun House". Then multiply that by 10...

And the guy said it in all seriousness. Bizarre.

Those are the 4 Stones albums that you have to hear.
Best live album: Get Yer Ya-Yas Out
Best boot: Brussels Affair from 1973 although it goes under a variety of names.

I second the '73 Brussels boot. The version of 'Midnight Rambler' on there is fantastic.

Dunno, if I'd recommend 'Exile on Main Street' as an introduction to the Stones. 'Exile..' is one of all-time faves, but 'Beggars Banguet' might be a better intro. as it features 'Stray Cat Blues' - perhaps the 'Stoogiest 'Stones tune ever.

trailerborn wrote:

I second the '73 Brussels boot. The version of 'Midnight Rambler' on there is fantastic.

Dunno, if I'd recommend 'Exile on Main Street' as an introduction to the Stones. 'Exile..' is one of all-time faves, but 'Beggars Banguet' might be a better intro. as it features 'Stray Cat Blues' - perhaps the 'Stoogiest 'Stones tune ever.

Good call on all the above.

And "Brussels Affair-Definitive Edition" is the best damn Stones recording ever. Midnight Rambler is SCARY it's so good. Mick Taylor rips the fucking joint apart!

ooh never heard of definitive edition, ill have a look around!