Ready to Die – Iggy and the Stooges

iggy-and-the-stooges-ready-to-die

Well I have to say I was expecting a lot from Ready to Die. The first thing made available on line from the album was “Burn” and James Williamson’s guitar is a monster, and the song hangs together good, a catchy little blighter. I think the download version is possibly a different mix to the album version.
Williamson’s guitar on Raw Power is incredible http://terenceruffle.co.uk/20100701-raw-power-legacy-edition.

His style is so unique, almost disjointed and out of time, but so full and heavy, it really fucking rocks. And he plays brilliant rhythm guitar next to his own leads. Burn has some great neo Raw Power riffage.
And just like The Next Day I think Ready to Die is a grower, but sadly I don’t think the album sounds like a cohesive piece. The material simply doesn’t dovetail for the most part, unlike The Weirdness. Perhaps the Ig should’ve called up the Dame again and got some serious rock action! Maybe next time……

But when the album does pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat, it’s killer, Dready.
It’s a fabulous EP, in this order;-

1) Burn – A claustrophobic raunch, with the afore – mentioned riffage, Williamson hits those chords like a man possessed, great lyrics and the Ig sounds baritone cool

2) Gun – Another sing a long a Stooges, Iggy sticking lots of fucks into American society and shit, with some great Williamson licks, the guitar track could be a Raw Power outtake

3) Ready to Die – A strut rocking start, a bit like Joey’s Rock ‘n’ Roll is the Answer, but the chorus is heavenly: psychedelic suspended guitar chords, feedback, are you ready to die? Iggy sounds genuinely desperate. More wonderful guitar noise from the man who must be the dude now Ron has gone to the Big Wah Wah. This is the best thing Iggy has done in living memory. Melancholic and harrowing, aggressive and unpleasant, Iggy adopts his finest Punk sneer and it works totally, brilliantly.

God bless the Iggy and the Stooges
Ron Ashton we remember you

One Response to “Ready to Die – Iggy and the Stooges”

  1. And here we go, another great track I just discovered, “The Departed”, which is about as spooky as Iggy has been for quite a while.
    His neo-baritone over military drums and pedal steel guitar is very moodific and eerie……

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