Customer Reviews

Heavy Liquid

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this mainly for the outrageous packaging. As someone lucky enough to have acquired the Funhouse box several years back, this was a must-have companion to that set for me. I groaned when I saw the track listing for Disc 1: 13 takes of "I Got a Right?" Who in their right mind could sift through this stuff?

Here's the deal: If you love the "Raw Power" album, then you need to get this. It's a true sign of Iggy and co.'s genius that those 13 "I Got a Right" takes are not only listenable, but intriguing. Hardcore fans will marvel at the painstaking process the band goes through to get the song down, each increasing try with more fury and intensity than the last.

Once you get through the song duplication of the first disc, the rest of the box showcases show rehearsals and incredible (but lo-fi) live recordings. If anything, these discs present a band as disciplined as any other, and are a real treat for James Williamson fans. For me, he, as much as Iggy, is the real heart of the "Raw Power" album.

Two beautiful booklets, jammed with unseen photos, essays, and vintage article repritnts, plus two stickers make this box a delight for true Stooges freaks. As the previous reviewer said, buy it now before it's gone. You know you need it!

If you missed out on Rhino's Fun House sessions box set, get this one, which chronicles the Stooges final years. Some of the live stuff is less than hi fi (but not awful sounding I should note), but that is no matter the performances are incendiary. Sure, it's expensive, but if you really like the Stooges, it's a must have, and you'll only be kicking yourself when it goes out-of-print. It also has tons of photos of Ig in action by Mick Rock that I've never seen anywhere else. Those guys must have put on a heck of a show. Nobody makes music like this any more. -- Hank

I feel bad doing this becuase I love Iggy and the stooges but the quality on this set is pretty bad. All the live recordings are worth listening to and probably owning but the quality is very rough and can get frustrating. It's like the first Beatles Anthology set: the material is amazing but the quality is bad. On the plus side the studio outtakes are decent quality wise and amazing content wise. The packaging is also very nice. I just though I'd share this information before you drop all the money on the set. If you are a Stooges fan don't hesitate purchase now but if this is your introduction you should probably wait.

DISC 1
The Olympic Studio Tapes London 1972
All Unheard & Unreleased Taken from recently discovered Multi Track Master Tapes!

1. I got a right {no gtr solo} (3:39)
2. I got a right {Take#2 false start no gtr solo} (0:41)
3. I got a right (3:11)
4. Gimme some skin {Instrumental} (2:42)
5. Gimme some skin (2:50)
6. I got a right {Instrumental} (3:46)
7. I got a right {incl. Gtr Solo} (2:50)
8. I got a right {Retake #2 Inst., Leslied gtr, no solo, drums check} (4:14)
9. Louie Louie (2:56)
10. I got a right {..Too Slow} (1:01)
11. I got a right {two false starts} (4:14)
12. I got a right {not leslied, no solo} (3.40)
13. Money (2:38)
14. I got a right {false starts} (1:26)
15. I got a right {diff lyrics outro} (2:52)
16. I got a right {incl. Solo} (3:08)
17. I got a right {diff drums, incl. solo} (2:55)
18. I'm sick of you {Bonus tracks Recorded London '72} (6:54)
19. Tight Pants {Bonus tracks Recorded London '72} (2:12)
20. Scene of the crime {Bonus tracks Recorded London '72} (2:54)


DISC 2

Morgan Sound Studios Ypsilanti Michigan 1973
Unreleased rehearsal taken from recently discovered ¼ inch tape

1. Raw Power (Take 1)
2. Raw Power (Take 2)
3. Head On Curve (Take 1)
4. Head On Curve (Take 2)
5. I Need Somebody-Sweet Child-I like the way you walk 17:00
6. Search & destroy
7. Can't turn you loose 1.20
8. I Need Somebody (Version 2) 6:43
9. Head On Curve (Version 2) 6:50
10. Gimme Danger 7:50


DISC 3

Los Angeles & Detroit Rehearsals Spring 1973

1. Cock in my Pocket
2. Open Up & Bleed
3. How it Hurts (Rubber Legs)
4. Johanna
5. She Creatures of the Hollywood Hills
6. Head On
7. Born in a trailer
8. Till the end of the night / I got a problem
9. My girl hates my heroin/ Wild Love
10. Hey Baby ?
11. Jesus loves the Stooges


DISC 4

The Return To New York July 1973
CBS Studios New York. Rehearsals for the upcoming shows at Max's Kansas City

1. Rubber Legs
2. Johanna
3. Cock in my pocket
4. Head on Curve
5. Cry for me/pinpoint eyes
6. Open up & Bleed
7. Rubber Legs #2

Live at Max's Kansas City 30th July 1973 * with Scott Thurston on piano

8. Raw Power
9. Head On
10. Gimme Danger
11. Cock in my Pocket
12. Search & Destroy
13. I need Somebody
14. Heavy Liquid


DISC 5

Whisky a go go 17th September 1973 (first set)
Totally unreleased tape

1. Raw Power 5.25
2. Head On 7.50
3. Gimme Danger 7.20
4. Search & Destroy 4.20
5. I Need somebody 5.05
6. Heavy Liquid 5.45
7. Cock in my pocket 3.15
8. Open up & bleed 11.40


DISC 6

Bimbos 365, club San Francisco January 11th or 12th 1974

1. Wet my bed 4.50
2. I got nothing 4.30
3. Head On 11.00
4. Open up & bleed 12.55

On the face of it this collection should merit at least five stars. Studio outtakes from the Raw Power sessions coupled with live Stooges shows, should be an incredible collection right? Well... no. The studio stuff while fairly well recorded compared to the live stuff anyway, contains an inordinate amount of filler including 13 takes of "I Got A Right". Come on, I don't give a stooges back side for that many alternate recordings, instumental versions, false starts and mistakes of any song no matter how good it is. That level of geekdom is just ridiculous. So, a little repetitive in the studio department, well the live stuff should save it right? Er... no. The live material is below average 1970's era bootleg quality, and while the performances are decent, the recording is so AWFUL the experience is ruined for me. In fact it's so bad that I couldn't listen to any of the shows all the way through even once. Thank god I borrowed this CD from a friend before plunking down my money. If you're an Iggy completist you may find value in Heavy Liquid, as for myself I found the experience severely lacking and very frustrating. Ah... what might have been.

Yes, this box set does start off with an entire disc devoted to the complete recording sessions of "I've Got A Right" and "Gimme Some Skin" along with a couple of one-offs. Boring? Depends on your point of view. Many regard Rhino's complete Fun House recording sessions to be an invaluable document of the development of that album despite the fact that a whopping 24 versions of "TV Eye" are included there. Even though "I've Got A Right" was never officially released on an album, the same interest should apply here. For those who routinely collect The Stooges, this disc is essential. For the rest, it is a valuable historical document of the band at work... a documentary.

The rest of the material in this box features material that has been released before, but generally as (semi) bootlegs. Excepting the second disc, which also features high quality studio rehearsal sessions, the remainder of live recordings are indeed lower than hoped for. However, any true fan of Iggy and The Stooges should have been aware of this fact before spending the big money.

With that in mind, the inclusion of this material in a cohesive boxed set should not be considered a minus. Instead, this set is representative of what The Stooges sounded like shortly before (disc one) and after (the remainder) the release of Raw Power... again, a documentary from the early 1970s. Regarding this package as such, one should be able to overlook the sound quality and consider the historical value instead.

Hey! These live recordings were the best available... none of the live recordings of Iggy and The Stooges from that time period were magnificent, sound quality wise. Still, complete shows are provided here and if one can get used to the less than desirable sound (as should be the case for any true fan of this band who collected the bootlegs), there is plenty of material here to keep those of us who cannot get enough of the original Stooges quite happy (especially considering the fact that the bootlegs are now difficult to find). This slick packaging is also a plus.

Would I recommend this as a starting point to those just coming to Iggy and The Stooges? No! Certainly, beginners need to start with the official releases. But for those who are beyond this point, this set is essential.

This is really some great stuff. This box set is basically all the Raw Power bootlegs complied into one place. The 1973 rehearsals are really something to listen to, especially the tracks that never made onto Raw Power. If only "I Got A Right", "Gimme Some Skin" and "I'm Sick Of You" would have made it onto Raw Power, then what an album it would have made! But beware of the quality of the CDs. My new laptop has a really hard time reading them, which never happens with any other CDs. There is this also this weird bit in "I'm Sick Of You" on disc 1 where it immediately switches to some random opera song for a couple of seconds, which must be from a manufacturing error. The box and CDs sleeves aren't that high quality either, but the material more than makes up for it. It'd be nice if Columbia/ Legacy would remaster and release this in a nice box set, like the Complete Fun House sessions.

The multi-CD highlights the studio sessions that produced the classic album Raw Power and - as with such releases - the listener is essentially is seated next to the production team.

It is fascinating to hear the evolution of the songs and is the main reason why such issues are interesting, but may be a niche purchase for those who appreciate the work that goes into the making of an album.

The only drawback is the 1973 and 1974 concert recordings, which are slightly above "bootleg" quality. It is amazing that a band that has been chronicled in so many unauthorized releases seemingly doesn't have much in the archives that was professionally recorded.

The six CDs and 79 tracks are bolstered by numerous photographs, a fascinating booklet and liner notes. This is part of an ongoing collaboration between Iggy Pop and Easy Action to release material - in limited edition form - from The Stooges and Pop's solo projects.

Chances are you already have a lot of this stuff, but now you don't need to buy any of the crappy re-issues of the lost Stooges material that comes out on an almost weekly basis. This is more than you need but who cares, it's the Stooges. You get all the stuff from the I Got A Right era and all the stuff they were working on after Raw Power (some of the best stuff with Williamson, in my opinion). Funhouse fans always make a big deal about Ron being demoted to bass, but his bass playing is incredible.

If you like Stooges, MC5, Union Carbide stuff check out Mighty High...In Drug City.