News of the Weird

I love the stooges. They were and are one of the three to five most powerful rock bands to every take to the planks or commit their noise to tape. There are numerous artifacts of varying sonic quality available both legally and on the sly to testify to this. This is not an opinion; the stooges are a force, an elemental blast from the magma, spewing brimstone into the face of falsehood and fakery. Their legacy is in place everywhere except the unhallowed ground of the rock and roll hall of fame. I'm sorry, why is that again? the stooges, Fun House, and Raw Power are the three generally recognized reasons for that legacy. I don't think I need to tell you why that is so. But, the stooges refused to live in or on the past. They are back after a thirty-four year absence with The Weirdness(Virgin). "Critics won't like this at all" Mr. Osterberg quips. And he's right. Hell, critics didn't like the stooges, ever. Now, what do the fans think of The Weirdness? Some fans won't like this either but that's because their heads are so far up their bung that it's choking off the oxygen to their brains. They project their pitiful expectations as a goal for the band to reach. What about the BAND, don't they count? I LOVE the stooges but they don't work for me. I don't OWN them. They are under no obligation to strive t'ward MY expectations.
Had it not been for Lester Bangs you probably wouldn't have heard of the stooges and there are minions who still haven't. but, no matter, top five all time, hands down, case closed. Let's get this out of the way so you don't think I am blind or deaf. While Mr. I Pop was never a literary bard his lyrics have never been quite so wince-worthy as several couplets that appear on the weirdness. He CAN do wrong and that is entirely OK. Iggy Pop is both the strength, the weakness and the soul of this band and those are the very reasons we care. Those are the reasons Ronald Asheton cares. Those are the reasons Scott Rock Action cares. Those are the very reasons Steve Mackay cares.
the stooges ragged glory was their art. They were a bare wire, exposed and possibly lethal. Now some want them to be "musicians" or worse, dead heros. As Iggy might say; "fuck all that". James Newell Osterberg is a self confessed elderly gentleman of means. He likes his Bordeaux. He swims. He's back with the stooges because he WANTS to be and that is the best reason of all. And, the truth of it is, this album rocks. "Fuck you if you can't take a joke" seems an appropriate response to anyone whos hopes and dreams have been crushed by this release. Lester Bangs is dead. Long live the psychedelic stooges.