Customer Reviews

Raw Power

5 star:		(114)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(19)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Raw Power! Whether Bowie's or Iggy's mix, this album deserves 5 stars and a place on any shelf that contains punk, rock, punk-rock, proto-punk, classic rock or any other kind of rock.

UNFORTUNATELY the "remastered" album in front of you is borderline unlistenable due to The Idiot and the incompetence of the mastering engineer. Judging by the liner notes, Iggy does not know the difference between analog distortion and digital clipping and treated the remaster as if on an analog medium, which is a huge %$&^ing shame given the greatness of the album.

Using analog distortion creatively is an art form, while clipping in the digital realm results in a total loss of acoustic information. If you record analog distortion onto a digital medium and master it correctly, it sounds pretty much identical to the original, but alas instead of pre-mastering 'in the red' on an analog console, some fool let Iggy into the digital mastering toolkit where 'in the red' means something a bit different. It means no dynamic range and heavily clipped peaks (in fact, almost no peaks at all, everything is uniformly loud), which defeats the purpose of using a compact disc entirely.

This album clips more than any album I have had the displeasure of hearing, which distorts several songs (Death Trip, Search& Destroy) into near inaudibility. It is Loud, but white noise or britney mastered to 99dB is also loud. Again, this is due entirely to the inept mastering.

While one cannot help but love Iggy's aggressive impulses, one imagines that he should have been left to master an analog record re-issue and the CD mastering should have been done by someone not under his influence.

There is a reason the volume knob exists, and that reason is so you can TURN IT UP. Sadly, turning it up is almost pointless here.

BUY THIS ALBUM.
But, buy a used copy of the record and record it onto disc, seriously.

Your only other recourse is to record this remastering onto a computer, put it through a software audio editing suite and run a declipping algorithm on it. While it's not a real solution since the information that is clipped is forever lost to you, it does make the album sound much better. A better sounding album sells more copies and will be listened to more often. It's also less likely to wind up in the bargain bin due to terrible mastering.

Try it again Columbia, and give us both mixes while you're at it!
If only the rhino people could get ahold of the tapes like with the first two Stooges albums.

As someone who clung to the original album of Raw Power like a life preserver at one point in my life, I was pleased to see that someone finally took it upon themselves to upgrade the album's sound. But: there are some changes on this album. Most of which I really like: the "1-2-3-4" count into "Shake Appeal"; the new "hey!"s on "Search and Destroy"; the extended ending of "Death Trip". However, the guitar solo on "Raw Power" is NOT the solo that appeared on the original album. Having spent more hours than I care to admit playing that spiraling-out-of-control James Williamson explosion over and over again, I was more than a little dismayed to hear a similar but still different solo on the song I loved so much. And the guitar solo at the end of "Search and Destroy" is mixed way down from the original release. Not like it matters - this is the way Raw Power will be forevermore, and that's alright. The sound is substantially better, especially in the lower frequencies, and the Iggy Pop interview in the liner notes is funny and informative. So: a slight letdown in some ways, but still snarling and alive and revelatory in ways that Limp Biskit won't ever be. Get it now.

I bought this when it first came out in 72, and I pity 14 year old kids today who don't have a record like this "to do all the things that kids aren't supposed to do" to (if that makes any sense). If my old vinyl copy could talk, I'd be in jail for the rest of my life. That is, if I could find the damn thing. And that's a BIG deal, because the remastering of this album completely ruins one of the wildest listening experiences ever created. On the original album, every tune sounded like it was recorded in different venue with a different producer. Every mix was completely different, and by objective standards, unbelievably horrible. By subjective standards, however, the uniquely ridiculous sound of each track made for one of the ten best rock and roll albums ever. "Search and Destroy" was all trebled-out, overdriven Stratocasters and virtually no bass, with an up-front metallic clanking throughout that really hurt the ears, even at low volumes (listen to any track on the Mary Chain's Psychocandy to hear roughly what it used to sound like). Raw Power growled away muddily, with lots more low-end sludge than on this version. Death Trip sounded just like the name implies, with the lead guitar sounding like it was recorded with the mike about an inch away from the amp, and turned up to 11 with an outrageous treble boost. Shake Appeal (which fares best on this CD) sounded like it was recorded in muddy mono, until the up-riff ended, and then the power chords exploded in a huge wall of stereo sound, and then shrank back to mono (the effect was mind-boggling at high volume). But the crown-jewel, the piece-de-resistance, was "Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell." If ever a dirtier, sludgier fast rocker was ever recorded (with Iggy's absurd growling-screeching buried behind the wall of unbelievably distorted guitars and bass)I've never heard it. Just thinking about the way it used to sound after a micro-dot is putting a big smile on my face. But it doesn't sound anything like that on this remaster, nor does any other track sound remotely as good as on the original (with the possible exception of Shake Appeal, which I preferred in the old mix but which has a lot of power in the new version). And unless you've ever heard the original release, you can't possibly imagine the roll that the right mix can play in turning an excellent album into something that changes your life (not always for the "better" in this case). I've been collecting records and CD's compulsively for over 30 years, much to the detriment of floor-space in my domicile, and I've never seen a re-mastering ruin an album the way Raw Power has been eviscerated. The re-mastering is really loud, but that's not the point. I've got a volume control to deal with the relatively low levels of the old masters. For the love of all that's Holy, somebody get ahold of the original masters that were used on the old albums and re-release this thing. Then, kiddies, you're in for some real fun.

As little as I know about the dynamics of digital audio, one thing is certain: If you crank your levels up to 11 and clip your waveforms, you will lose the dynamic range of the music. Yes, surprisingly enough to some of you, even The Stooges had dynamic range! When you clip, everything ends up sounding like bad teeny-bopper corporate punk on FM radio. So who can tell what the mix sounds like when it's impossible to hear it through the travesty of bad mastering?

Put this CD in your computer and view any of the songs in a waveform editor. There is digital clipping throughout. It's a mushy, noisy mess. And before you start thinking that the Stooges were all about "noise," understand that you won't be able to fully enjoy any of the musical "noise" -- all those wonderful human sounds are crammed together in a massive gooey hairball of clipped digital dreck. It sucks!

Here's my sad story. I had Raw Power on vinyl for a long time and, though I was never crazy about the Bowie mix, I still loved the songs and adored the album. When the remix came out in '97, I naturally picked it up. After all, I always wanted the album on CD and here was the opportunity to get it remixed. Big mistake! It ruined the album for me for over ten years. I recently found the original Columbia CD (cat. no. CK 32111, for those in search of it) with the Bowie mix and my love for the album has been restored. But it burns me up that it's been ten years without this album for me. I'm glad to have it back.

I give the album 5 stars, the remix 0. That averages 2.5 and I'm rounding it down to 2.

You can tell by the cover art and song list that this is not the original "Raw Power" albumn. In fact, all of this has been released before on cds like "Rough Power", "Rubber Legs", and "Head On", ie, alternate versions and demos recorded at the famous "Detroit Rehearsals". For me, the pleasure of finding something like this to collect still outweighs being annoyed at having to buy it, but for you it depends on how much you already have, and how much you want. The music of course is 5 stars, but i gave it 3 as a warning.

Raw Power is a great album, but this updated re-mix/ re-master does not do it justice. Sure, the original is a nightmare from any kind of technical viewpoint, but that was part of the original creation. and it's appeal. It was the result of clueless junkies who had no idea how to produce or mix a record properly, and it was art. I dock this release one star for the atrocity of altering a classic. To me this whole thing is nothing more than just louder and more distorted. It could have been remastered and retained it's integrity, but the re-mixing just stinks.

Another reviewer on Amazon, discussing a different album, stated that the album he was reviewing would be the one he would use to introduce an alien to Rock & Roll music for the first time. That is an interesting question, and to my own surprise, one I immediately had my own answer to.

Iggy & the Stooges' 'Raw Power' is not my all-time favorite album. However, I do believe that it is the very essence of everything that makes me love rock music. The bad attitude, the feeling that it will all explode into a violent mess at any second, the distorted, kick-to-the crotch mix, and the menacing lyrics all say, "this is rock."

I would not end an introduction to rock music with Raw Power, but I think the argument can be made that this is one of the best places to start.

Come to think of it, maybe Raw Power is my all-time favorite album...

You can love this album, you can hate this album, but don't even try to downplay it's importance. This is the album that single-cockedly kicked off the punk revolution. This is the album that solidified Iggy Pop as the world's forgotten boy. This is the album that can't be turned down, no matter how low you set your speakers.

And it's also something no one has ever caught up to. Everyone from the Ramones to The Riverboat Gamblers, and too many bands to count in between, have used this album as their template. And not one of them can touch it for sheer rock and roll bliss. Everything about this album is turned up to 10, juvenile and stoopid, abrasive and crude. No album before this grabbed you and raped your ears, and no album since then has done it as well since.

Now, to get down to the question every review of this album must have. Bowie's mix is better. There's a sinister subtlety to it, that makes the album darker. But, at the same time, the remix is fine, and no one could ever ruin this album. This is rock and roll.

Cheers to Sony Legacy for giving Iggy Pop the ultimatum, "Either you re-mix it or we will!" No matter what Iggy did with the Raw Power master tapes, it would have been inarguably legitimate. He's the man, and this is it -- the way it should have been. But first, let's be thankful for the way it was.

One day it appeared in all its magnificence...the elusive artifact, the holy grail, the Raw Power album. When Raw Power was mixed by David Bowie and released in 1973, it became history -- fast. Admittedly, the original mix was done on old equipment, which further distorted (or enhanced) an already chaotic, unconventional and rebellious sound. The vocals and guitar were so prominent that the low end was barely audible. This razor sharp edge secured the album's place in history. To me, (as a pre-teen) it sounded like a bunch of angry guys attacking some kind of machinery with razor blades. A fresh sonic abomination, re-defining music altogether. It was a dazzling mess, only because of the tight, powerful band behind the metallic wall of sound -- the Stooges. It highly repelled my parents and friends, so I knew I had discovered a real treasure. Then it became critically acclaimed, proving there were other people in the world with good taste.

Apparently, Iggy's original naïve attempt at mixing in 1974 had all the instruments on one channel and the vocals on the other, just as EMI had done to simulate stereo on the Beatles' back catalogue. Bowie, whose production Iggy does not discredit under the circumstances, was called upon to rectify the situation.

Iggy's violent 90's mix doesn't rattle and hiss. It thumps, roars and pounces like a wildcat. The venom may be diluted, but that cheetah's heart is still full of napalm. It's been transformed from Raw Power to Roar Power. You can't play this mix at low volume. It's already loud at volume level one, and distortion already sets in at level two. You actually can't crank it up without destroying your speakers. The cranking is already done for you. How considerate!

This may be the greatest archaeological project of the ages...polishing a huge rough diamond "using technology," defining and clarifying its shape and glory. We're hearing the bass and drums for the first time. Scott Asheton wasn't tapping on Tinker Toys after all, and brother Ron Asheton's bass comes alive, vibrating and pulsating, giving the music its heart. Now the guitar work of James Williamson actually has, dare I say it, warmth. Anarchy is revered, censorship is defied and the music remains wild and alive.

Iggy's production works especially well on the "ballads." On "Gimme Danger" and "Penetration" the acoustic guitar's hollow sound increases the aural intimacy tenfold. The mix of "I Need Somebody" blows the dust off the bluesy guitar and bass and lets them shine.

Iggy treated his own bitchin' vocals with utmost respect. The prehistoric transistor AM radio sound has been upgraded to FM stereo! An added treat is the extra fifteen-second endings on some tracks, instead of the original fade-outs. Check out the ending of "Death Trip!" Finally, Iggy's long-lost "burp" launches "Raw Power" as it well should. There's a long interview with Iggy in the CD booklet, and Mick Rock's original cover art is intact. This thing on the cover called Iggy was a charismatic monstrosity -- androgynous black-lipped, sinuous. A hieroglyphic etched in celluloid, eternal, historic. Raw. Power. Although the cover was grandiose, the music inside was something entirely deviant. Its aberrant sounds gashed the skin of reason.

I'm far from shelving the original mix. It will always be a part of my own personal history, having lived with it for over twenty years. Even today it out-sexes the Pistols, out nerves Nirvana and smashes the Pumpkins to bits. Iggy's new mix is for the musician's ear, and for kids who were reared on professional sounding recordings. Twenty years on, they'll be saying, "I hear there's an original mix that kicks ass!" Let's hope they'll be able to track it down as well.

The Raw Power album has impacted and permeated three decades and generations...so far. "Search & Destroy" was featured in a Nike commercial. What does this mean? A Stooges fan obtained a high position in Nike's ad department, and the Stooges music is now considered cool. Now I'd be really impressed if Revlon used "Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell" to sell their age-defying makeup!

For those not in the "know" there are TWO Raw Power's. The origional from 1973 produced by David Bowie which is a classic. Then around 1997 the record company forced Iggy to remix (not remaster BUT remix) the album. You don't alter the Mona Lisa, why alter Raw Power?
The result is a nearly unlistenable mess. Iggy cranked the recording levels so high some tones are lost from the origional recordings.
There are bootlegs and demo's out there with better quality than this thing...good luck finding the origional CD or vinyl that was available before this masterpiece was ruined.