album #31

the idiot (iggy pop)

This record sounds like a dark New York alley in the '70s and the warriors are marching towards you. Ominous, smoky, metric rhythm, a bit of a sneer. Bowie produced this for Iggy in Berlin, as a favor to a friend, and also as a chance to experiment with techniques and ideas that he'd bring to fruition on Low. It was interesting to learn that Bowie's new wave/disco "Little China Girl" was in fact a cover (and apparently as a favor, to get royalty checks headed Iggy's way), and that the original is here- a melodic number crafted by Bowie, with those iconic lyrics from Iggy. I've always especially loved the lyric, "I'll give you television; I'll give you eyes of blue." Iggy tended to improvise his lyrics at the mic- very impressive, compelling stuff he came up with. Also, my favorite track is "Dum Dum Boys"- the sneering, searing, heavy march of the guitar just wins me over completely. Reminds me of the ancestor, the superior ancestor, of Black Flag's "Life of Pain."