Raw Power

This will always be a great listen it hits u right in the dick

Great Album. I think the Iggy Pop mix is superior to the David Bowie mix. It's much more raw and dirty.

Really, really fucking good! Dirty, scuzzy, filthy rock n roll! Love it! Short, sharp and at times brutal! Like being given a high five. But in the face. And with a brick. Iggy’s vocals are brilliant, the riffs are great! What’s not to like! TURN IT UP!!!!

Me and my friends couldn't find jobs one summer and so instead we'd get together each day and drink Miller High Life. We'd usually start the day around noon seeking sustenance, either cooking a big batch a scrambled eggs, or going to Burger King because they had a special on Whoppers: two for $2.22. Most nights we'd get to the point where we'd throw Iggy's mix of this album on a boombox and beat the shit out of each other Fight Club style. "Search and Destroy" was a particular favorite. This is rock and roll in its most potent form. For all it's snarling menace and brutality, it doesn't lack subtlety though, which is probably due to Bowie's careful production. He was able to refine their energy without overcooking it. Raw Power indeed.

Quite simply, one the best things ever committed to tape. I don't care that the production supposedly fucked how this sounded, I think it's cool and adds to the grime and aggro. This is one of the most evil sounding albums, and makes much of everything that preceded - and followed - it sound limp and fey. How chunky do those guitars sound! And the drums sound like a pile of bricks falling down a staircase. Incredible.

My first real exposure to Iggy Pop & the Stooges was circa 2007, when a cover of Search and Destroy appeared on Guitar Hero 2. I really liked that song, but I never looked more into the band. I first listened to this record about 5-6 years ago when I rented it from a library on CD and listened to it in my car. I didn’t care for it back then. Listening to it today was a much improved experience. It’s a little hard to believe that this album was produced in 1972. We look back at many albums from that time and call them proto-this or proto-that, but several of the songs on this album just sound like full blown punk rock to me. Bowie produced this album, but I am not not familiar enough with either his music or his production credits to be able to perceive any of his fingerprints on the record. My only quibble actually has to do with the song with which I am most familiar: Search and Destroy. That song is so high energy, and I will never understand why Iggy chose to sing the verses and pre- choruses in such a meek voice. He spends so much of the record, including parts of that same song, with much more aggressive vocals, so I don’t know why he used the soft ones there, where it feels like it really clashes with the music and takes some of the energy out of it. Since I was given Tom Waits and Iggy Pop so close together on this list, I am including a bonus link of a wonderfully awkward movie scene between the two of them. My personal enjoyment: 3.5/5 Did it belong on this list: 5/5

Contains some of the worst lyrics commited to vinyl and is in desperate need of a re-mastering but I do not give af. This is a thrilling, exciting masterpiece. Raw Power indeed

In my opinion one of the top 10 albums of all times. With Ron and Scott destroying the rhythm section. James Williamson playing leads that have yet to be defined, and Iggy meaning every lyric he sings. Who cares about the mix, the concept comes through loud and clear on every cut.

Pure raw punk

I wonder what all those stuffed shirts with their panties in a bunch over Elvis’ hip gyrations would think of this sleazy, visceral, menacing record. Proudly deformed, crude, violent, or should I say raw? More musically sophisticated than their previous efforts, but no less forceful as a result. Play it fucking loud. Standout Tracks: Search and Destroy, Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell, Raw Power

This album is so much more focused than some of the Stooges previous work largely thanks to David Bowie's production. Iggy Pop's vocals are acidic and pointed, and the guitar work is much more interesting, punchy, and tight while still retaining that messy garage/proto-punk feel that define the Stooges. This album is dark, raw, and it can be easily seen why it is considered one of the most influential albums in rock.

Half proto-punk and half Jamie Vardy, by which I mean straggly, keyed up, a little dirty, a little naughty, and ugly as hell. Bowie mixing it into brittle thinness is a virtue. The full and bassy Iggy mix feels wrong. But like many Bowie albums, it's fun for the ideas most of the time and the execution only half the time. Better Iggy/Stooges albums exist.

So good. I loved every rough-voiced note of the thing. Iggy's just so much fun. Most fun for me, an admitted audio nerd, is that there are two mixes available for this album: one mixed by Iggy and one by Bowie. What a fun experience to listen to the two back-to-back!

This has never been the Stooges record I’ve reached for, so fierce is my love for the debut and Funhouse, yet all of these tunes present themselves in my deep memory. I’ve underrated this, a sublime version of an Aerosmith album.

I loved this one. Hard to describe, but felt both familiar and unique at the same time.

I like how this thing makes me listen to albums I love but have taken for granted for a while.

Holy shit what an absolutely beast of an album. Cult success proto punk rock album, genre defining, and musical norm defying. Iggy Pop absolutely smashed the vocal performance on this album and the music is just so groovy and HEAVY. I wanna put on record that I listened to the whole 4 disc legacy edition instead of the standard 1973 release, thats how dedicated I am to the fanfare of this powerhouse.

One of my favorite rock albums, period. This is why Iggy is called the Godfather of Punk.

Absolutely legendary album. Crazy to think this came out in 1973. Iggy’s growling vocals and James Williamson’s hard rock riffs come together like a punch in the face!!

One of my all-time favorites. The Stooges and Raw Power are incredible.

In the rock n roll history there is very few album that carry a name that repsrent so perfetcly what the album is. Raw Power is what the Stooges are, sound like and look like, with this 3rd and final album (they are all in the 1001 albums list) they struke even harder than the previous. This magnetic piece of rock and dirt was produced by no other than David Bowie, a very good friend of Stooge's frontman Iggy Pop. Bowie save Iggy's life as he was in a downfall due to his crippling heroin addiction, by 1972 he was nearly homeless. After FunHouse (wich is more experimental and brutal) they fired their bass player (ironicly) because of his alcool consumtion (he will die because of it coupple years later). The rest of the band (exept Ron the guitarist) have troubles with substances and the band more or less disbanded in 1971. Its thank to Bowie that they regroupe with the addition of James Williamson to take the guitar part and Ron will be in charge of the bass (wich was kind of a downgrade). So that's the context chaos, drugs and Bowie, now what the album look like. The cover is a shirtless Iggy pop (classic), with some makeup and a glimmy underware. The album is definitly proto-punk, probably the first real 100% punk album before it was called punk, jsut the brutal riffs, the raw lyrics, the on stage antics and the global nihilistic attidute. The album is also way more hard rock oriented that the previous wich were more garage rock like. The album, especially with the look of of the banmd at that point, the guitar playing of Williamson and the fact that it was procuded by Bowie himself make it sound a bit Glam Rock. For me the album have 3 very songs they are: The tittle track Raw Power, an goo choice for the album name because it represent so much what the Stooges and this album is. The song have a persitent, loud and roaring riff, a cow bell that remind uis of I wanna be your dog, and direct lyrics. This song is the definition of proto-punk so doubt. Search and destroy, this one is probably the most interesting, a wonderfull riff suposed to sound a bit like a machine gun, and this time more inspireing about the vietnam war with illusion and images of violence. This song is a masterpiece proably of the best 70's song wich was cover and have inspired many many artists and real anthem of protestation. Gimme Danger, an accoustic song, also of the best in their carrer, with a slower and more backgroung electric riff, with brutal lyrics. Shake Appeal, with a more hard rock kinda sound and more simple lyrics this look like a glam rock version of their first album, i very like this song. The rest of the album is composed of: Your pretty face is going to hell, i like the riff on this one and Iggy hoarse voice and the tittle is cool and dirty lyrics that we are used to by now. Penetration have probably the simplest lyrics in the album, the song have a simple piano patern that strangely remind me of like Riders on the storms by the Doors or a text messasge alarm but with agressive riff and straight foward lyrics I need Somebody also contain accousitc guitar and Iggy's magnetic voice is really amplified by this. the song is pretty simple but still good Death Trip is the final song on the album nothing so particular about this one, straight forward lyrics, agressive riff its good but not as impactfull as other songs. Songs from this album have been coverd so many time my favorite are: Raw Power by Guns N'Roses and Search and destroy by RHCP. And countelss other artist have been inspired by this album, like Steve Jones (Sex Pistols), Johnny Marr (Smiths), RHCP, Kurt Cobain, Nikki Sixx, Def Leppard, Dead Boys, the New York Dolls, the Ramones ect ect. Is safe to say that without the Stooges and this particular album, punk rock would be as great and rock n roll would have never been the same, for its huge influence and incredible tracks this album earn better than a lot of other reccord its place here.

Still holds up. A nasty-sounding punk album with plenty of bite. Damn near perfect.

Great

Never heard anything by The Stooges before, but this album rocks.

C’est vra8ment du raw power. J’adore ca. 5

Absolute banger of an album and really showed me some of the origins of bands I’ve liked throughout the years. The influence of the stooges is wider than I had thought. It also helped I listened to this album while driving around Southern California in a truck with the windows down. Felt like I was in Lords of Dogtown :))))

this is one of the greatest albums of all time. top 20

"Raw Power" is the third studio album from American rock band The Stooges. The album was a change from their two previous albums going into more hard rock with new guitarist James Williamson who co-wrote the songs with vocalist Iggy Pop. The Stooges had previously disbanded due to lack of commercial success and drug and alcohol issues. Iggy wentbto London to record a solo album with Williamson, they added former Stooges Ron and Scott Asheton as the rhythm section and reformed as Iggy and The Stooges. There's a lot on the mixing and remastering of this album with Iggy mixing the first and later versions and David Bowie mixing the second version. I listened to the remastered Iggy mix. This album was very influential and is known as a fore-runner for punk rock. "I'm a street walkin' cheetah with a heart full of napalm" and we rocket off with "Search and Destroy." It's fast. It's got a 60's guitar sound played with a controlled chaos. The title taken from articles written on the Vietnam War. "Gimme Danger" is more melodic with an acoustic guitar. Actually evil sounding. Iggy screaming. He wants a dangerous girl. "Penetration" has classic heavy metal guitar. Hello Black Sabbath. It's got a groove. It's pyschedelic; you can hear Iggy playing the celesta. No need to go deeper into the meaning...OK, didn't need to say it that way. The Stooges didn't forget their garage rock roots in "Raw Power." A piano added. Iggy doing his thing. The album ends with an appropriate loud song in "Death Trip." This is essentially a song-long searing guitar solo with the underlying rhythm guitar and rhythm section. Iggy is howling. "Baby, come along on my death trip." This album is dirty and bad-ass. I'm being totally cliche here but Iggy and the band sound like they were unleashed from a cage. Relentless at time. Williamson 's guitar is absolutely fantastic. A sound that you would here over the next few decades. This album influences are far and wide: Sex Pistols, Johnny Marr, Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Black Flag and many more. An album everyone needs to listen to.

Got this one! Iggy is the king of New York punk! He also has a show on BBC 6 Music.

I have a soft spot for artists from my home state of Michigan (not including Kid Rock or Ted Nugent haha), and especially those from Ann Arbor, which I've called home for the last 30 years. I also have a soft spot for early punk/proto-punk innovators, so how could I not love James Osterberg, aka Iggy Pop? As the title says, this album is raw and powerful. If I were to just base my rating on my enjoyment of this album I would probably give it 4 stars - I love it but I'm a bigger fan of acts like The Replacements, who were able to duplicate the raw/rough-around-the-edges approach but also added some more hooks and more insightful lyrics. However, when I also consider how influential the Stooges and this album were on all the great punk/alternative music that followed I have to go with 5 stars.

Search and Destroy is one of my favorite songs of all time. It’s a perfect composition of genius lyrics (I’m a street walking cheetah with a heart full of napalm!), manic paced punk rock with some actual guitar chops, and the greatest Iggy delivery ever recorded - all growl and howl. Also, there are the other songs which are good.

I don't even really need to relisten to this one, But I've done it because it's fucking worth listening to. Man I love this album. And they linked to the Iggy pop version. Which I like the most, they fucked the recording of this shit up. They recorded everything at one time so it's so hard to balance. So on one end you have the David Bowie mix, which he tries to make something pretty decent without but it really does lose that gross raw and gritty sound that Iggy pops. Which Iggy just slid everything to the top and called it a day. Which is why I think this albums needs to be listened to loud. So for the big speakers it's always the Iggy pop, if I'm using some nice headphones then the Bowie mix. Albums good, The stooges slap. It's always worth the time. Highly recommend.

This album is a full-on assault on the listener. Those who have seen Iggy live can confirm that the energy in his concerts is even higher than this assault. I guess giving 100%+ at all times is the only way you can be confident that someone will break your fall when you leap off the stage. I quite like the guitar. It sounds like the same guitar Keith Richards played then. When "I Need Somebody" started I laughed my head off. I couldn't believe these guys would have a ballad in their repertoire. I guess Iggy needs one or two ballads to get let his heart rate recover to 170  during his live shows. Yeah it's noise, yeah it's loud, yeah I have no clue what the lyrics are and yeah I love it!

Best tracks: Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell, Shake Appeal, Raw Power

Lots of loud instrumentals and vocals in a good way! This immediately reminded me of my husband, who would probably think I'm pretty cool for listening to this album. Liking it a lot and I find Iggy's androgynous style very sexy. I love the subtle use of keyboard and xylophone type instruments.

Testosterone is a hell of a drug. This is a bad boy manifesto: sweaty, shirtless, wild, inebriated, dangerous. Sex, drugs, and rock and roll. “Don't you try, don't you try to tell me what to do.” The music matches the brash, dirty, explosive energy of the braggadocios lyrics. The production is unrefined, uncontained, and immediate. Prowling, howling, growling. Raw and powerful. I never listened much to The Stooges, but it's immediately clear that many other artists did; their influence is obvious and wide. Some LOL’s: The title “Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell” …It just makes me laugh. In the official lyrics listed for “Penetration”: “[gibberish]” Was that a burp opening the titular “Raw Power”? Kind of sums up the vibe.

Was surprised never listened to iggy before. Very good for the time. Great lyrics

It’s incredible that this album was released over 50 years ago because it still holds up as classic example of the early punk sound.

I preferred the Iggy mix version of the ones available

I think it's easy to take Iggy and The Stooges at face value, but that would be a mistake. This is a band that deserves the praise and near reverence it receives. Iggy Pop really understands what it means to use his voice in service of a song and his vocal versitility isn't so much in his range as it is in his impeccable ability to change his sound to fit the story of the song. Ron Asheton, Scott Asheton and James Williamson are in equal turns dynamic and grounded on an album that, while not a perfect album, still feels vital at 50.

I feel like this album might be the best example of how rock music moved from the psychedelic to punk eras. Search and Destroy” is a furious and thrilling opening track and “I need somebody” had jammy and spacey guitar parts, but these don’t seem to be in conflict with each other. Not sure how much I would truly want to re-listen, which is keeping this from being a 5 for me.

Energy and ability. Definitely the spirit of punk.

This is the birth of punk

Iggys mix is the definitive way to hear it. Made me realize how inspired music has been by the stooges. Good fucken album.

This is kind of a weird album because people are highly split on what the definitive version of the album is. It's a real testament to the genius of this album that it could be so influential and fully deserving of its place on this list despite the fact that it...doesn't sound very good. I listened to the 1997 Iggy remix of this album, since the original version of the album sounds too thin for me. The Iggy version also has its problems, but I feel like it's closer to what they were going for than the original. It's also a great reminder of why you probably shouldn't put a spiraling heroine addict in charge of recording your album. Regardless, this is a titanic album in the history of rock. The Stooges represent this incredibly clear bridge between 70s rock and punk rock as well as having an influence on heavy metal. I prefer the two earlier Stooges albums to this one, but this album had an incalculable influence on so many pioneering rock musicians from the 70s, 80s, and 90s that it needed to be on this list. The podcast No Dogs in Space has a 5 part series on The Stooges that I would highly recommend if you find this album interesting 4/5

- First time listening to a Stooges album - Thought I would like it, lived up to expectations - Massively influential album - Fav songs: Gimme Danger, Raw Power, Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell

Raw Power is an apt name for this. Great stuff. The guitarist has some fantastic licks. It's unfortunate he never really did anything else on guitar.

Raw and dirty, like pissing in an open wound.

There's some good here, and there's some bad here. Iggy's vocals aren't always the best and can get a bit annoying but there are some pretty fun different melodies and rhythms. 5.5/10 (2.75/5)

Does exactly what it says on the tin

In the context of the time period this album and sound transformed music.

Nr. 113/1001 Search And Destroy 4/5 Gimme Danger 4/5 Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell 3/5 Penetration 3/5 Raw Power 3/5 I Need Somebody 4/5 Shake Appeal 3/5 Death Trip 3/5 Average: 3,38 Good, straightforward rock album.

I really like this album in theory – I love so many things about the Stooges, and it's a cool, progressive sound. However, I just don't enjoy listening to it so much. Maybe it will change overtime

Pre-punk punk for sure. Good stuff, but didn't connect a ton.

First 2 songs were my favourites. The rest of the album is alright, got through it without wanting to turn it up or turn it off... solid 5/10

Wasn't super familiar with the Stooges beforehand but holy crap it was like listening to the forerunner of so many 90s and 00s successful alt / indie rock albums. Tracks felt so modern despite being 50 years old. Pretty good stuff.

Listening with the proper historical context, it’s easy to understand why this record deserves attention. I’m sure it was one of the heaviest, ball-busting albums of its era. To these millennial ears, however, it sounds like the proto-punk record it is — big on sound and energy, less so on songs.

I liked this more than I was expecting to.

Listen to the Bowie Mix - got halfway through the Iggy Mix and stopped because I was getting a headache lol. Not a terrible album, but definitely not one I’d ever come back too.

Gosh, I've had my first genuine "dad" reaction to one of these 1001 albums: You call this music? You can't seriously want to listen to this rubbish! Play something with a tune! And stop hanging out with those long haired louts you call friends, wasting your time when you could be doing something constructive with your life! I'm warning you, if you don't shape up pretty smartly I'm marching you down to the army recruiting office. They'll make a man of you! The Stooges: pissing off the older generation for 50 years.

The sound is like decomposing Chuck Berry. It's raw Punk. And a song like I Need Somebody is a compost heap version of the blues. It's cigarette butts in skunky beer. It's fine, but not for me.

Music is ass, sound quality is worse. This is dreadful. Nick right as always. If I was disenfranchised and pushed to the outer rim of society this would go HARD. I don't blame 'em I'm just sayin' :speak: Iggy Pop more like Iggy Stop!!!

Aggressively obnoxious, loud, and annoying. 2/10

I didn’t do enough cocaine in my past to enjoy this album. It’s too frantic

This album kicks insane amounts of ass.

Così avanti da non credereh

Easiest 5 of all time

Fuck Yes.

Iggy at his best.

really fucking good i need to listen more

Proto punk yes let's gooooo. James Williamson's guitar, oh that sheer power and aggression, and Iggy's voice, that rawness, wow. I'm quite speechless in face of this album, such a fresh breath of air, so lively yet so painful. A perfect creation. Tis is punk. I love punk. I'm giving it a 5/5, for personal bias, you know, personal bias.

yes

I love The Stooges and this is one of my favorite albums. It's over 50 years old and still sounds ground breaking.

Perfect album! Many tracks are very cool!

Lyrically wild With matching sonic aura Punk influencer

The original punk. Such a great album

Fuggin’ gud stuf

Ths Stooges banda esencial y Raw power disco fundamental: Rock, garaje, punk, lo que quieras. Otros discos de 1973: Dark side of the moon, Catch a fire, Aladdin Sane, Band on the run, New York Dolls, Aladdin Sane, Berlin, Let´s get it on, For Your Pleasure, Call me, A wizzard/a true star, Innervisions, GP, Tubullar Bells, Houses of the holy, Quadrophenia, Selling England by the Pound, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (y Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only the Piano Player), Killing Me Softly, For Your Pleasure...

How good is punk rock!! That was an incredible album. Iggy Pop is at the peak of his game here. If you haven't listened to this album before then you're missing out, it's that simple! There's something about punk that I just love. The in-your face, upbeat energy, the distorted and guitar riffs and the unconventional vocal delivery mixed with the raw and confrontational lyrical content create a listening experience that in my opinion is simply unmatched in any other genre. Brilliant stuff!

I really enjoyed it, beefy Proto punk

a lot better than i remember holy cow

Such a sick album. Feel like it really lives up to the title with this bunch of sharp, snarly, and incredibly high energy tracks. It's sexy, filthy, lurid, and such a good time. Best Track: I Need Somebody Worst Track: Death Trip

Hell yeah!!! Raw punk!

You know what, maybe I am a streetwalking cheetah with a heart full of napalm. I love this album. I love The Stooges. I’m 20% certain Iggy is not from this planet. Although it feels like I need to wash my hands after listening to this album. The 2023 mix of this album I listened to is…interesting. Sometimes I loved this new mix, sometimes I really disliked it.

Pretty much perfect, loud rock music played loudly by loud people. Yup!!

Hell yeah. I’ve never heard this but I can see why it’s on the list and why this band and Iggy are so well regarded.

Flawed and somehow perfect. Bowie’s production/mix/recording is batshit, but Iggy’s fix is somehow worse. Great songs, amazing energy, groundbreaking.

Fuck yeah. The Stooges and Iggy. This album makes me want to uproot and unplug, searching for other lost and curious souls to spend the rest of my heartbeats moving through an unsolvable mystery. Even now, this album overflows with a raw energy that is frightening to a lot of people...it leans away from logics into desires that so many of us repress and exhales them in songs of such energy and transgression....it's punk, it's rock and roll. It's Jerry Lee Lewis unhinged on amphetamines and exploring his queer side...

In my top 5 albums of all time. Straight ahead rock and roll. I get a chuckle out of Iggy’s mix with everything in the red and clipping. Adds to the awesomeness.

a really great, aggressive hard rock album. i haven't had much exposure to the stooges, but know they are held in very high regard in terms of being the bridge between 1960s garage rock and 1970s punk. lots of attitude, lots of fun. my only gripe here is the production, which is extremely flat and it looses some of the frenetic energy (although doing some reading it seems like remixes have been controversial). despite that, i had a really great time listening to this one.

Superclassic - not much to say except that I prefer the original Bowie mix above the Iggy mix.

RAW F U C K I N G POWER!

Iggy Pop? You mean that guy who wrote that song ("Lust For Life") from the cruise ship commercial? Well, this album, Iggy and the Stooge's third, sounds dangerous - and yes, raw - half a century after it's release. Iggy does his best glam rock singer from hell impression (growling the song's title on "Penetration") over a sharp and grinding guitar. Knowing the legends of the man, he's not making it all up - you believe him when he asks for danger, little stranger. Somewhat surprisingly, the songs are tightly written. Iggy has said that in the past his group played loud since they hadn't mastered their instruments. But this is a case where their unpolished sound is intentional; it takes real talent to sound like you're not trying. It's powerful. Iggy and the Stooges get labeled as proto-punk for a reason: driving drums, acidic guitars, and lessened focus on solos and instrumentation. But there's more than a bit of cock rock / stadium rock here, and you can hear where Van Halen et al. got a lot of inspiration. This is another essential album. It's way smarter than I guessed it would be thanks to its impassioned lyrics and strong, intentional songwriting. It sounds like a "classic" without being dated. if it sounds dangerous now, I can only imagine how many midwest minds it blew when it was released in the early 70s.

Yeah yeah yeah it's punk and it's Iggy. Take your stars.

Probably the greatest balls to the walls American rock and roll record of the 1970s. If not this then Fun House is the way to go. Mind you I am in no way impartial...I have a cat named Iggy.

"Uffff". Esa fue mi primera expresión al ver que hoy toca éste discazo. ¿Qué puede decirse de distinto de éste álbum, de The Stooges, de Iggy Pop? Que me juego que cada persona que escucha "Raw Power" tiene una única vivencia visceral, que lo conecta con sus partes oscuras, con su sexualidad y sensualidad. Con ganas de romperse y de bailar frenéticamente. Con un ansia irrefrenable de vivir.

“I dunno, I thought this would hit harder.” *turns volume up* “Holy shit, this is amazing!”

YES!!

Don't expect objectivity from me here. One of my Desert island discs

What can I say? Just listen to it.