Customer Reviews

Metallic K.O. 2xCD

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

To some, like the critic above, this album can only be considered a document, because of the less than desirable sound quality. To Stooges fans, especially those who never got their hands on the "Skydog" release, this is a godsend. This live album actually takes the rage of Raw Power to the next level. Although the above critic questions whether one could call the album's material "music", I found it to be highly musical; they even add piano to nearly all tracks, and harmonica to a couple. The sound quality is different on both shows; Disc 1, the last Iggy and the Stooges show, has crisp vocals for the most part, and sludgy music, disc 2 just the opposite. Jungle made a mistake, though: During the second minute of "Raw Power", there is an annoying skipping noise that lasts for about 30 seconds. A minor flaw, yet worth mention. Iggy's sarcastic commentary is certainly one of the high points of this album. He even has the nerve to make a racial comment toward some guy, after which you can clearly hear the audience's disgust. Nearly all of the "unreleased" songs are great, particularly Heavy Liquid (I favor the disc 1 version), Head On, and (I'm not kidding) Louie Louie. The low points are the two versions of Gimme Danger: they drag on too long, and Iggy gets over-dramatic twords the end of them. To sum up my directionless review, Metallic KO is just as brutal as you've heard, but it is so much more. Please stay away from it if you are easily offended! Stooges fans, place your order.

While this might not be the best live recording, it does capture one of the most furious shows ever. I personally don't think the sound quality is all that bad, but I admit it's not top notch. Besides, how good is a live punk album supposed to sound? To me, the Stooges are the epitome of punk. What other band had a singer that went on a radio show the day of their last gig and challenged the local Hell's Angels to "come down to the gig and do your worst"? The best part was that they DID show up and were probably responsible for the majority of the objects hurled at the band during the show (some of which you can hear on this album.) Iggy practically makes this into a comedy album with all his put downs of the audience. The version of "Rich Bitch" on this disc has made me laugh every time I've heard it. The Stooges really went out as punk as they could. I don't think this last show could have been topped. I'm only sorry that there isn't a film of this concert.

This two disc set includes both the original Metallic K.O. (the stooges last show) and the popular recording that James Williamson did of a 1973 Michigan concert. I have the vinyl version of this, and i suppose it sounds similar to the c.d. I also have the original Metallic K.O. pressing, and for some reason or other it sounds better than the version available on this. The Metallic K.O. show is a classic, even though the sound is a bit rough (it's a bad 4-track recording). The second disc, the Williamson recording, has better sound quality. A lot of listeners bash this and other Stooges' records due to the sound quality, but it must be understood that recordings such as these are intended for die-hard Stooges fans. The Williamson show is, to my knowledge, the finest sound quality available of any of the Stooges' live shows. If you love the Stooges, you should own this. If not, don't buy it and don't bash it. It's a piece of history, and like an obscure fourteenth-century latin text on medieval monasticism, it's only meant for specialists.

Call it a historical document if you want, but this is an essential album for punk disciples everywhere. Comic and dramatic, and often incendiary musically. The Stooges packed it in after the songs on disc one, but they went down swinging.Highlights, apart from Iggy sparring with the crowd, are the bitter "I Got Nothing", a scrappy "Cock In My Pocket", and the final, nasty, end-of-the-road "Louie Louie", with lyrics worthy of the song's myth. James Williamson rocks up a storm throughout.

Sure, the fidelity is poor throughout, however, not bad enough to make it unlistenable. The band blasts through the songs with ferocity, if not subtlety. Don't buy this unless you've got all three Stooges studio albums, but this is a good addition to that set, and a historically important recording as well. As someone reviewing this earlier noted, the audience in the second cd is, if not overwhelmingly positive, at least they don't seem to be as violently opposed to Iggy and Co as their counterparts on the first disc.

This is not better than the original "Metallic KO" that was only half as long, it just has extra stuff. Iggy is as wild as you'll ever hear him, and some of his best moments are banter with the audience between songs. The sound is not as murky as some of these other reviews suggest, but I guess that depends on what you're used to!
Anyway, the sound-Scott Thurston, a studio hack (I would say) plays a keyboard, and occasionally blows harp and sings a little. The keyboard is too strong in the mix for what you expect from the Stooges. Scott and Ron Asheton (Drums and Bass) are playing well, but sound like studio musicians at this point-and they were worth MUCH more than that. The guitar, played by James Williamson, who also played on "Raw Power", is more interested in solo than riff. The band jams, but they have at this point lost most of the jazzy, psychedelic experimentation. Ron Asheton does some really cool things on bass (but different from what Dave Alexander used to do). Iggy sings, screams, and baits the audience, and basically carries the show. There's a strange reading of "I Wanna Be Your Dog", basically Iggy speaks a different version of the first verse, then screams "Well Come ON!", then Thurston kicks in with the one-note keyboard thing-and then they just stop. All the rest of the material is latter day stooges stuff, unless you count Iggy's 15 second solo goof on "Where did Our Love Go?" by the Supremes, and of course, the KILLER remake of "Louie, Louie". That alone is worth the price. The intereaction with the audience confirms so many of the old legends, it is beautiful. The last song, "Open Up and Blled" lags behind the rest a little. Otherwise, Iggy & the Stooges live has got to be special, and The original punk front man lives up to everything you've heard.

After all I'd read, I was disappointed by this legendary album. The sound quality is just not that great. The performances are good, but the recording only hints at the clarity and ferocity of "Raw Power."

Iggy's stage patter on Disc 1 is funny, but I feel like the fabled face-off with the audience doesn't really come through. You hear a glass breaking every now and then, but mostly, due to the bootleg-quality recording, it sounds like Iggy is just mouthing off into a void. (You don't hear much from the crowd; it hardly sounds like there's anyone out there, let alone a bloodthirsty biker gang.) There's more audible interaction on Disc 2 -- but, at that (earlier) show, Iggy is getting positive feedback from the audience, and his banter is kind of boorish and egotistical (whereas, when backed into a corner on Disc 1, he lets loose brilliantly pithy brush-offs).

No Stooges fan should probably be without this; but don't miss out on the much better-sounding studio outtakes and stuff on other CDs.

This is basically a legitimized bootleg album so the sound quality isn't the best. It is however, a landmark in Rock 'n' Roll/Punk history. The Ig did in fact issue a public challenge to a local M/C club, but it was the Scorpions and not the Angels. Turns out that one of the Scorpions jumped on stage at the Rock 'n' Roll Farm the week before and punched Iggy in the face, but enough of that. This is history, if you're a collector and a punk, get this 'cause you'll dig it. Cut it a little slack and remember the times (and the old Michigan Palace...what a great place to see a show that was). This isn't a listen to all the time type of recording, it's a historical document that needs to be appreciated for what it is. If you are the type that can't do this, this one's not for you. If you're from Detroit and you don't have it...I think it may be a felony. All others check local laws before ordering.

I have only been listening to the Stooges for maybe 4 or 5 months. I first purchased Raw Power and then The Stooges and Funhouse. This band is great and I was looking for more to listen to so I turned to this. When I first heard this yesterday, I was blown away. Though the mix is God awful, the energy and power that made the studio albums so great is definatly present in this. If you LOVE the Stooges and Iggy Pop and you are looking for more, I recommend this, but only if you REALLY want more. If your not that into the Stooges than this is NOT for you. O and if you only like The Stooges and Funhouse and don't like Raw Power (because the music is a little different), then you probably won't like this.

And Iggy's comments are funny.

All these bad reviewers of KO must not have been around and listening to this stuff when KO came out, otherwise they, as most do would really appreciate the recordings. That's all I can say. Is the sound poor yes, but it's Metallic KO! What do you expect?

I have the original vinyl bought way back when and it's great!