By "semi-request", unquestionably the best Stooges post EVER (part 1)

See, it's like this.....I have an old friend, one of "drifter" types.....we go back about 35 years or so, and

he's one of those guys you'd write a "most unforgettable character" essay about.....I mean, for real.....the guy has probably the highest IQ of anyone I've ever known, but chose to be a burnout/junkie/bum.....a kind of drugged out "Good Will Hunting" in a sort of a way. Anyway, the last few years, he's been drifting into our lives every couple years or so, living all over the country, scrounging for dope/beer money. It's a sad story, really, if you knew the guy back in his 20's you'd have been amazed at the mind he had, and now as he approaches 60.......well, he is pathetic, his mind is basically gone.....

He showed up at our house the other day, pretty much right on schedule (I think it had been a couple years since his last appearance)......the guy IS an old friend, despite his shortcomings, we drank some beers and listened to some music (he's always been awed by my music collection, a lot of my vinyl in fact I obtained from him years ago when he sold his turntable for....well, whatever).....anyway, his favorite band was ALWAYS the Stooges, a perfect fit. I broke out some Stooges, maybe "Raw Power" and "Metallic KO" or something, and I was amazed by JUST HOW MUCH Stooges shit I have.....and I have never done a "Best Ever" post on them. But I get ahead of myself.....

My friend is a complete computer illiterate, I was
trying to show him this blog, I guess he was semi-impressed, as much as he can be...... we were looking at some of my OLD posts, Dictators, MC5, Velvet Underground, Pink Fairies, stuff like that, and he says, "Lemme see the STOOGES!".....I had really thought I had done one, but upon checking, nope. He will never see this, as he has never been on a computer in his life (also has never used a cell phone, an IPod, you get the idea), but there is one thing......

He's in poor health, with all the drugs and alcohol he has ingested it is amazing he is walking the earth still.....we are ALL getting older, MANY of my old friends are gone now, and I think (he alluded to it as well) that this is probably the last time I will see him. I think that is probably accurate.

I don't want to mention his name, as it would be of no meaning.....but as long time friends, I think I owe it at least to the memories we share to do the absolute best post on the legendary Stooges that a person could possibly do......

Dedicated to "my friend", perhaps you have seen
such a sad case in your life as well.......I wish you well, my friend, and PERHAPS we will see each other again......if not in this life, then, well......

OK. The great Stooges. Had I not physically checked I would never have guessed how much shit I have by them, rarites, boots, LOTS of stuff......today, for part 1, let us get the "legit" stuff out of the way, and I'll throw on some rarities too, then tomorrow, ALL rare stuff OK?

The Stooges did not make "great" albums, necessarily.....they had to be experienced live (I SO wish I could have seen them, videos and etc are at times incredible!)....the problem with their albums was that SOMETIMES the "rockers" didn't really "blast off" as they did live, and sometimes the "dirges" could be, honestly, flat out boring......however, when it worked......the first, self titled album opens with a pair of drop dead classics, "1969" (some of the most lethal wah-wah ever recorded) and "I Wanna Be Your Dog", other stuff is worth a listen, but those two tunes are the fucking shit. Second album "Fun House" has but ONE classic, the knock-you-over "Down on the Street" (maybe "TV Eye" also I guess). The third, and final studio LP gives us two MORE classic rockers, "Search and Destroy" and the title track "Raw Power".....

So, that is the Stooges "Official" output...but there is so much more. They released a legendary live
LP "Metallic KO" that sounds like absolute sludge, BUT does encapsulate the Stooges killer live shows pretty well.....the classic ending of "Louie Louie" : "Thank very much to the person who threw this glass bottle at my head, ya nearly killed me but ya missed again, so ya gotta keep trying".....and you hear more bottles breaking. Awesome. Now, later on, a 2 disc CD version of "Metallic KO" was issued, with a different track sequence and some added material ("Search and Destroy" and some others). I do not like it. I MUCH prefer the vinyl version, the sequencing is all wrong on the CD set (for me) but I will include BOTH versions and let you decide for yourself (and I want to know what you think, too, please)

OK for today's rare stuff.....let's go with the four disc "You Don't Want My Name, You Want My Action", a series of four 1971 concert recordings....sometimes the sound can be almost unbearable, but this i some fiercely intense music, as well as a chance to hear some Stooges concert staples that didn't make the three vinyl discs ("Who Do You Love", "Fresh Rag", "Big Time Bum", more!)....for fans ONLY, of which (obviously) I am one. For today, I will also give ya a couple more, "The 1972 Studio Sessions", again, some material not available on any of the other albums, and "Wild Love-The Detroit Rehearsals and More"), even MORE rare tracks and otherwise unheard tunes.....

We will leave it at that for today, that is a bunch of stuff, and I got just as much for tomorrow.....so
for my friend, I know you won't see this, but know that I am thinking about you.....

SELF TITLED-01 1969/02 I Wanna Be Your Dog/03 We Will Fall/04 No Fun/05 Real Cool Time/06 Ann/07 Not Right/08 Little Doll

FUN HOUSE-01 Down on the Street/02 Loose/03 TV Eye/04 Dirt/05 1970/06 Fun House/07 LA Blues

RAW POWER-01 Search and Destroy/02 Gimme Danger/03 Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell/04 Penetration/05 Raw Power/06 I Need Somebody/07 Shake Appeal/08 Death Trip

METALLIC KO (VINYL VERSION)-01 Raw Power/02 Head On/03 Gimme Danger/04 Rich Bitch/05 Cock In My Pocket/06 Louie Louie

METALLIC KO (CD VERSION DISC 1) 01 Cock in My Pocket/02 Gimme Danger/03 Heavy Liquid/04 I Got Nothin/05 Louie Louie/06 Rich Bitch

METALLIC KO (CD VERSION DISC 2) 01 Gimme Danger/02 Head On/03 Heavy Liquid/04 Open Up and Bleed/05 Raw Power/06 Search and Destroy

YOU DONT WANT MY NAME DISC 1-(THE
ELECTRIC CIRCUS 5/14/71)-01 I Got a Right (False Start)/02 You Don't Want My Name/03 The Shadow of Your Smile/04 Fresh Rag/05 Dead Body-Who Do You Love/06 Big Time Bum/07 Do You Want My Love?/08 The Children of the Night

YOU DONT WANT MY NAME DISC 2-(THE ELECTRIC CIRCUS 5//15/71)-01 I Got a Right/02 You Don't Want My Name/03 Fresh Rag/04 Dead Body-Who Do You Love/05 Big Time Bum (Or Over My Dead Cock)/06 Do You Want Love

YOU DONT WANT MY NAME 3-(THE FACTORY ST LOUIS 5/27/71)-01 I Gor a Right/02 You Dont Want My Name/03 Fresh Rag/04 Dead Body-Who Do You Love/05 Big Time Bum/06 Do You Want My Love?

YOU DONT WANT MY NAME DISC 4 (VANITY BALLROOM DETROIT 4/13/71)-01 I Got a Right/02 You Don't Want My Name/03 Fresh Rag/04 Deay-Who Do You Love/05 Big Time Bum/06 Do You Want My Love/07 Ron, Scott, and Jimmy Recca play Instrumental/08 Band Talk with Audience (Scott and Jimmy)/09 What You Gonna Do

1972 STUDIO SESSIONS-01 Head On/02 Death Trip/03 I Got a Right/04 Hard To Beat/05 Cock In My Pocket/06 Rubber Legs/07 Johanna/08 Pin Point Eyes/09 Open Up and Bleed/10 Raw Power/11 Rock Action

WILD LOVE THE DETROIT REHEARSALS AND MORE-01 Wild Love/02 Pin Point Eyes/03 Hey Baby/04 I Come From Nowhere/05 Im So Glad/06 Ballad of Hollis Brown/07 Delta Blues Shuffle/08 Old King LIve Forever/09 Look So Sweet/10 Mellow Down Easy/11 I'm a Man/12 Move Ass Baby/13 Til the End of the Night

Remember tomorrow a WHOLE LOT more of this stuff, if you're a longtime Stooges fan, rejoice!

Perhaps you have anold friend, mind, for whom life, for whatever the reason, didn't quite go the way it should have, regardless of who was at fault (in this case he himself was, not my point)......I dedicate this and tomorrow's post to all such people, if nothing else they certainly make the boring lives of we "adults" more interesting.

Be a bit patient if you would, please....gonna take a while to get ALL THESE links up!