Iggy Pop - California Hitch-Hike

Blistering 1979 gig with Ig joined by punk supergroup

This San Francisco show was shortlisted for the first volume of Easy Action’s Where the Faces Shine series but deferred to another recording to beat bootleggers: another indication of the respect given Iggy by a label which has become a kind of official outlet for all things Stooges. Typically, the packaging is exemplary: a DVD-shaped case containing booklet, photo and historically-significant music.

After its tortuous creation, Pop’s 1980 Soldier LP received mixed reactions, but the previous Autumn’s tour saw amazing performances from Iggy fronting a stellar, onceonly lineup, including former Damned guitarist Brian James, ex-Pistols bassist Glen Matlock and Patti Smith Group keyboards-man Ivan Kral. The Stooges’ Real Cool Time sets the mood before a slew of tracks from Soldier and New Values, a filthy cover of The Kinks’ You Really Got Me, a couple of Idiots and further Stooges outings, including a gloriously malevolent Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell. James sounds like he was born to play with Iggy and the singer responds accordingly, while Kral throws unusual synth shapes into the freeform title track; a provocative detour before I Wanna Be Your Dog‘s primitive hump and Iggy’s time-stopping vocal tour de force on after-hours ballad One For My Baby.

4 stars 4 stars 4 stars 4 stars

Easy Action | CSSPCD 004

Reviewed by Kris Needs
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