The Idiot

Wonderful collab between Iggy Pop and David Bowie. Borrowing from some of the best artistic elements of the day to create a sum greater than its parts. Drum sounds borrowed from Joy Division, punk vocals and sensibilities through Iggy, Cold War imagery in the lyrics. This record is simultaneously structured and loose, wild and buttoned up, analog and digital. The sounds jump of the record. Incredibly vital.

This is the music that plays in those scungy record shops where the guy working there looks like he’s never heard of a bath and none of the albums in there were released after the 70s

I'm into it. It's basically just a David Bowie album I haven't heard.

Another album I’m not sure if I’ve ever listened through in full. But what a blinder! Track after track of cool as fuck raw rock. Loved it!

this is what happens when you mix Bowie, Iggy, Berlin and no heroin. Stay off drugs kids

One of my absolute favorite albums ever. Loose, cool and experimental is what Iggy Pop and David Bowie managed to make this album. Iggy's lines delivered with a punk-ish attitude surrounded by pulsating synths and distorted instruments make everything feel intense and wicked. Absolutely amazing

Bowie and Pop are a powerful duo.

Impressive to make an album that I like nothing about. Not the music. Not the vibe. Not the vocals. Nothing.

Debauched post punk with a nocturnal vibe and lyrics spilling from the artist's subconscious. Although David Bowie gives it both an accessibility and richness it likely wouldn't otherwise have had, Iggy Pop truly gives the record its raw punk energy.

Huge iggy pop fan in general. But I really enjoy The Idiot. The Bowie production is felt very deeply. And I think this album itself really shaped Post-Punk into what it became. Iggy is all over Rock. Proto-punk with the stooges and this one. Dude just makes some really solid music.

This album is a testament to the symbiotic relationship that Iggy Pop and David Bowie had in the mid-70s. Both were lost musically and mentally, the collaboration on this album had them bring out the best in each other while surviving the worst. It is argued that this is primarily a David Bowie album but I would disagree as Pop's influence over Bowie stands out in the rawness of much of this record. The dark keyboard and drum sequencing of Nightclubbing would have sounded cleaner without Iggys suggestions and wouldn't have had the impact on so many post punk and new wave artists that heard this album. It is a shame in some was that Iggy moved away from this type of sound later on

Spooky, which fits well for spooky season. I can hear Gothic and Industrial undertones that support and artsy direction from a punk background. I really liked this.

It's funny, the top review for this album as of May '25 says this sounds like the type of music playing in a scungy record shop. If I walk into a record store and this is playing I know I'm in the right place. Lol. Perspective. The Bowie influence is undeniably awesome. Solid album. I listened at least 4 times. Dig it.

How have I not heard this before? I loved Lust for Life, but this one had passed me by and it's great. Sister Midnight and Funtime ought to be mainstream rock classics. I guess Iggy just was too far out there to get the mainstream attention he deserves. Jane said 'you can hear Bowie all over this" and she was right, it's almost a Bowie album.

This just wasn't that compelling for me. Iggy Pop comes with a strong reputation, but it seems like vague experimentation. The single bright spot was hearing/discovering China Girl on this album. Looking into it, it was co-written with Bowie. In fact, Bowie recorded a version for Let's Dance to help Iggy Pop financially. I actually really like the version on this album. A bright spot, for sure.

This was ok, but not my favorite version of Iggy Pop.

I love Iggy and what he stands for, his style, attitude and growl. For me the music doesnt quite hit the same heights though. Some decent tunes and some straight forward guitar and music dont really elevate this much above average.

There's just something wild about David Bowie and Iggy Pop getting so fucked up on whatever that they had to move far, far away from the American scene in 1976 and then go on an all time tear of recording and releasing 4 outstanding albums in a year. 1977 was a special time, before my time though. This album is dark, moody, brooding as they weaned themselves off the addictions. It's hard to tell who was the catalyst, Bowie with the music or Pop with the lyrics.

Bad Bowie cover band

There was that one song I didn’t want to change halfway through.

In which Iggy and Bowie conjure post-punk from The Stooges' original while "punk" itself was barely starting. Utter genius, naturally. "The Dum Dum Boys" is my highlight but there's not a bad track on here.

I haven't listened to this in ages, it kinda sounds like crap haha, but it was proof of how we felt back when it came out, despondent, aimless, hopeless... I love it

My 19 year old son and I have shared spotify list that we both add songs to. We were talking about the song 'Nightclubbing', which I had added to the list. He said he really hadn't understood what the song was about until he was backpacking through Europe, having left a Berlin nightclub at 6am, swung by the youth hostel to pick up his luggage and jumped on a morning train to Prague. He was staring out the window at the snow-covered landscape, with no sleep and the buzz of the club still wearing off, when Nightclubbing came up on the playlist. And then it all made sense; it's a song about leaving the clubs (especially Berlin clubs), not going to the clubs. I would love Iggy if his proto-punk Stooges and early solo albums were all he ever released. But then there is this pivot; who knew that Iggy had a type of crooner in him, capable of surprisingly melodic and affecting songs? Iggy is a little weirder and slightly less pretentious than Bowie here, but there is a strong Bowie influence. While this album was not a hit record, the quality of the songwriting can be heard in the subsequent hit covers of Nightclubbing and China Girl. The sound of this record really anticipates and establishes Berlin-era Bowie production, which is, in my mind, a really good thing. The quick and dirty recording methods allowed new sounds to emerge. MVP award to Tony Visconti for managing a coherent and compelling mix out of the tracks. I like the shitty recording quality, which leads to a cool, spacious, noisy, rhythmic, and atmospheric (if unpolished) sound. Iggy described it as "James Brown fronting Kraftwerk", which is a pretty good description, and sounds pretty ace to me. Probably Iggy's best album, in my opinion, and certainly the one I play most. 4.5 stars, rounding up.

This still sounds as immediate as it did back in 1977. Not only is the album still a banger, but you have to give credit to the engineering crew for the crisp sound.

This one was another one that proved totally new for me - Never heard anything from this before. But it was very evident just from hearing it that Bowie produced it. It's a really neat, electronic and experimental post-punk record, and really does great things to that genre of which I'm still not sure where my opinion stands. This is definitely among one of the great post-punk albums though. There's enough variety in the tracks to keep them interesting, and plenty of interesting elements that prevent each track from going stale. It's awash with atmosphere, dissonance and distortion but it all feels like it adds more to the end product, something I think a lot of post-punk fails to achieve in my opinion. I think Iggy Pop described it perfectly when he described it as "a cross between James Brown and Kraftwerk". There's a funky and soulful element to it, but it's very cold, mechanical, robotic. I can totally see how this went on to inspire a lot of industrial and gothic acts. I admit I had to listen more than once to 'get' it, but now I've had an opportunity to give it my full attention, I'm fully sold on it, and I feel it's only getting better with every listen. An amazing record. Favourite: Funtime

I'm biased because a good friend of mine introduced this record to me a few years ago. According to the Wikipedia page, Iggy describes it as "Kraftwerk meets James Brown", and I think that's the most apt description there can be. There's a weird funk-ish, soul-ish undertone to all this, but it feels... sanitized and mechanical. Like it's mass produced (ba dum tish.) It also helps that I've been to Berlin, and I can feel the architecture of the city bleeding through this record. Again, it's biases all the way down. The songs feel somewhat like a session nightclubbing (I swear, I'll stop), maybe as the end of the night is starting to dawn on people, everyone's messed up and wanting another but probably not able to actually handle it. A lot of words, in a rambling order, to say I really enjoy this record. Maybe I should revisit "Low". Favorite tracks: "Sister Midnight", "Nightclubbing", "Mass Production", "Dum Dum Boys"

As a casual listener of Iggy Pop over the years, I really would not have guessed that Iggy had this kind of album in him. It's exceptional, probably the best he's ever done. I love it more each time I hear it. David Bowie's fingerprints are obviously all over this. It has a lot of the markers of a late 70s Bowie album, the disciplined use of repetition and dissonance, the little touches of soul. But what Iggy brings to the table is his punk sensibility, as well as his trademark authoritative, yet detached vocal style. He also wrote most of the lyrics, which were dark and surprisingly artful. It's a collaboration that really works, one I don't really want to stop listening to. Fave Songs (All songs from most to least favorite): China Girl, Mass Production, Baby, Nightclubbing, Funtime, Dum Dum Boys, Tiny Girls, Sister Midnight

BEST BOI

I really don’t know why I hadn’t listen to this before considering Bowie produced this during my favorite period of his. Loved it.

This is pretty solid. I always had Iggy in my head as sloppy punk, but his music is much more fleshed out and nuanced.

As producer and co-writer, David Bowie’s influence is pretty evident on this record: it feels a bit like a companion piece to “Heroes”. If you like Bowie’s Berlin era and Brian Eno, I suspect that, like me, you’ll find a lot to like on “The Idiot”.

Iggy makes a Bowie album. Fascinating.

Solid album. Absolutely love China Girl especially. It was surprisingly experimental in its use of synths and atmospheric style compositions. I can also see why Iggy Pop is clearly an important pre-cursor to punk music.

This is my last Iggy Pop solo album to review, but I'll still have The Stooges' self-titled album to review at some point. I really enjoyed Lust for Life, and Fun House and Raw Power were pretty good too, so I expect to enjoy this album quite a bit. Based on what I've read about it, it sounds pretty interesting. I didn't enjoy this album nearly as much as I enjoyed Lust for Life, but it was still fine. The first side of the album was really great, and "Sister Midnight" really hooked me in. Even with reading a little bit about this album before listening to it, I wasn't prepared for that sound. Iggy Pop's gravely vocals were awesome, and I loved hearing them utilized for something that wasn't his typical garage rock sound. The fuzzy guitars and keyboards and synthesizers were fantastic. "Nightclubbing" was really great too, with its pulsing synthesizers and bass sounds. "Funtime" and "Baby" were good too, but not really noteworthy to me. However, "China Girl" was great. I'd completely forgotten that Iggy Pop performed this song before Bowie did, and I was shocked by how much I liked his version. It fit really well with the darker sound of the album, and I loved the synthesizer and guitar playing on it. As much as I liked the first side of the album, I was pretty bored by the second side. The first and last songs on this side were long, and felt like they droned on for most of their runtimes. Still, it didn't manage to sink the whole album for me, and I enjoyed listening to something that was so influential on goth and post punk music. The early industrial rock sounds were great too, and I feel like being a few days removed from reviewing Marilyn Manson's Antichrist Superstar gave me a better appreciation for that influence. This isn't my favorite of Iggy Pop's work, but it was still worth a listen.

I didn't like this album. Something about the dissonance they used and the singing made this album hard for me to listen to. Not my cup of tea. Favorite song: Tiny Girls Worst song: Nightclubbing

fuuuuuuucking hell more wonky 70s shit, i think it's pretty safe to say this is the author's favourite era. fuck it off. 1/5.

Holy fucking shit this is good. Was not expecting to like this album as much as I did. Fave song: China Girl (oh my god this song in and of itself makes the album a 5 it's so good)

This might be one of the first albums in a while I genuinely felt on the edge of my seat listening to 5/5

I love this record. And then I hate the racism of China Girl. And then I sing China Girl in the shower and feel terrible. Iggy Pop (and Bowie) is a damn genius.

First pass I was shocked - this is not the Iggy Pop I know! What the hell is this? Why did he start reading Dostoevsky? Second pass I 'got it.' Bowie. Pop. Uhhh, kraftwerk at home? Three great tastes that taste great together. I suppose this came out around the same time as Low, an album I think I underrated, and it shows. Anyway, great album, with a great closer.

Detroit-rocker and art-pop star skip punk and make a jerky, electronic post-punk record that serves intoxicating cabaret, chorus, creepiness and disorientation. Another one I’ve had for a while, but had never really put mind and ears to.

Reviews on the site and in IRL publications indicate that this album is a love it or hate it piece. I loved it. Iggy Pop and Bowie? Yes please.

Damn…

## In-Depth Review of *The Idiot* by Iggy Pop Iggy Pop’s 1977 solo debut *The Idiot* stands as a landmark album, marking a radical departure from the raw proto-punk of The Stooges and ushering in a new era of sophisticated, brooding, and industrially tinged art rock. Crafted in close collaboration with David Bowie, the album is frequently cited as a foundational text for post-punk and new wave. This review examines its lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, concluding with a balanced assessment of its strengths and weaknesses. --- ## Lyrics **Introspection, Alienation, and Urban Decay** The lyrics of *The Idiot* are a sharp turn from Iggy Pop’s earlier, more primal work with The Stooges. Instead of the visceral, id-driven outbursts, Pop adopts a more cerebral and introspective approach, often reflecting on alienation, decadence, and the ruins of his past[3][5][8]. The album’s title, borrowed from Dostoyevsky, hints at existential themes and the sense of a man out of place in a decaying world[3]. - **Tormented Love and Lust:** Songs like “China Girl,” “Baby,” and “Tiny Girls” explore obsessive, dysfunctional relationships with a sense of longing and emotional detachment. “China Girl” in particular, later made famous by Bowie, is imbued with a dark, almost desperate eroticism[3][5]. - **Autobiographical Exorcisms:** “Dum Dum Boys” is a melancholic tribute to The Stooges, blending nostalgia with resignation. It’s one of the few moments where Pop allows genuine emotion to seep through his otherwise detached delivery[3]. - **Nocturnal and Urban Vignettes:** Tracks like “Nightclubbing” and “Funtime” celebrate Berlin’s nightlife, but with a sense of irony and alienation. The lyrics are circular, repetitive, and reveal a sense of emptiness beneath the surface hedonism: “We see people/Brand new people/They’re something to see”[3][8]. The overall lyrical tone is sardonic, world-weary, and poetic, representing a significant evolution in Pop’s songwriting. There is a sense of self-reflection and a search for meaning amid chaos and decay[3][8]. --- ## Music **Industrial, Electronic, and Minimalist Soundscapes** Musically, *The Idiot* is a dramatic shift from the guitar-driven ferocity of The Stooges. The album is characterized by: - **Heavy Use of Synthesizers:** Early analog synths create a cold, dystopian atmosphere, evoking the industrial landscapes of Detroit and Berlin[2][6][8]. - **Mechanical Rhythms:** Drum machines and repetitive, chugging rhythms dominate, especially on tracks like “Nightclubbing” and “Mass Production.” The influence of German Krautrock bands like Kraftwerk and NEU! is palpable[2][6][9]. - **Sparse, Angular Guitars:** Guitars are used sparingly, often as textural elements rather than the main driving force. The overall sound is minimalist but rich in atmosphere[5][6]. - **Baritone Vocals:** Pop’s delivery is subdued, often sinking into a baritone croon that contrasts sharply with his earlier, more aggressive style[3][5]. The result is a collection of songs that are hypnotic, brooding, and sometimes claustrophobic. The music is less about visceral impact and more about mood, texture, and psychological tension[5][9]. --- ## Production **Bowie’s Sonic Architecture and Visconti’s Polish** The production of *The Idiot* is as significant as the songwriting itself. David Bowie, who co-wrote and produced the album, brought a European sensibility and avant-garde approach to the sessions[2][4][7]. - **Layered, Experimental Arrangements:** The album was built up gradually, often through tape loops, ad-hoc sessions, and extensive studio experimentation. The closing track, “Mass Production,” for example, uses spliced tape sections to create an oppressive, droning backdrop reminiscent of factory machinery[1][7]. - **Urban, Industrial Sound Design:** The production emphasizes the bleakness and beauty of decaying industrial landscapes, with metallic percussion, echoing synths, and a generally “cold and robotic” feel[1][6][8]. - **Tony Visconti’s Mixing:** After initial tracking in France, the album was polished at Hansa Studios in Berlin, with Tony Visconti lending his expertise to the final mixes, ensuring a balance between accessibility and avant-garde experimentation[7]. The album’s sound is often described as “controlled” and “subdued,” with Bowie’s influence sometimes overshadowing Pop’s presence. Some critics have even argued that *The Idiot* feels as much like a Bowie album as a Pop one[3][4][9]. --- ## Themes **Dystopia, Decadence, and Rebirth** Thematically, *The Idiot* is steeped in the atmosphere of late-1970s Berlin—a city divided, haunted by its past, and teetering on the edge of transformation. - **Dystopian Urbanism:** The album conjures images of industrial decay, urban alienation, and the beauty found in ruins. This is most explicit on “Mass Production” and “Nightclubbing,” where the music and lyrics evoke a sense of mechanical repetition and emotional numbness[1][7][8]. - **Personal Redemption:** Beneath the bleakness lies a narrative of survival and rebirth. Pop, emerging from addiction and the collapse of The Stooges, uses the album as a vehicle for self-examination and reinvention[3][7][8]. - **Decadence and Irony:** There is a sardonic humor running through the album, particularly in its depictions of nightlife and excess. The celebration is always tinged with irony, suggesting that joy is fleeting and often hollow[3][8]. --- ## Influence **Inventing Post-Punk and Shaping Alternative Music** *The Idiot* is widely regarded as a blueprint for post-punk and new wave, influencing a generation of artists and bands[1][5][8]. - **Post-Punk Foundations:** The album’s use of synthesizers, mechanical rhythms, and dark, introspective lyrics directly influenced bands like Joy Division, whose singer Ian Curtis was reportedly listening to *The Idiot* on the night of his death[1][8]. - **New Wave and Beyond:** The album’s fusion of rock, electronic, and industrial elements paved the way for acts like Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, and The Smashing Pumpkins, among others[3][8]. - **Artistic Collaboration:** The symbiotic relationship between Pop and Bowie on this album set a template for future collaborations in alternative music, demonstrating the creative potential of cross-genre partnerships[9]. --- ## Pros and Cons | Pros | Cons | |---------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------| | Bold artistic reinvention for Iggy Pop | Some fans found the new direction alienating | | Groundbreaking fusion of rock, electronic, and industrial elements | Bowie’s influence sometimes overshadows Pop’s own identity | | Lyrically introspective and poetic | Lacks the raw energy of The Stooges | | Innovative production and sound design | Some tracks feel emotionally distant or cold | | Laid the groundwork for post-punk and new wave | Not all songs are equally strong; a few are considered filler | | Atmosphere and mood are immersive and cinematic | Initial reviews noted a lack of “emotion” in Pop’s vocal delivery | | Showcases Pop’s versatility as a songwriter and performer | The album’s bleakness can be off-putting to some listeners | --- ## Conclusion *The Idiot* is a flawed masterpiece—a record that trades the primal scream of punk for the cold embrace of industrial modernity. Its lyrics are introspective and poetic, its music innovative and atmospheric, and its production a testament to the creative partnership between Iggy Pop and David Bowie. While some longtime fans lamented the loss of Pop’s earlier ferocity, the album’s influence on post-punk and alternative music is undeniable. It is a work that rewards repeated listening, revealing new depths of meaning and emotion beneath its austere surface. For those willing to embrace its darkness, *The Idiot* remains one of the most important and visionary albums of the late 20th century.

I like this one Will I listen to again: 100%

Good alt rock album to make time fly by. Now I understand why dad liked Iggy Pop.

The guitars just rip through your soul on this one

Although my first impression was that this was simply a David Bowie album, as the album progressed I was happily proven wrong. In fact, I was surprised to find that the tracks I'd heard before weren't the high point, and the ones that were new to me were the ones that stood out. The last track in particular, all nine minutes (almost) of it, was so good I had to replay it three times.

Its a great album my favourite together with Lust for life, It’s also the last album Ian Curtis listened to before he comitted suicide

dope. the real first album of the berlin trilogy. when i think of this abstractly i think of the single-types - sister midnight, nightclubbing, obvs china girl is amazing. but the whole thing just fucking rips, this must have sounded mental in 1977.

Honestly yeah, 5 stars. This has more imprints of Bowie but the delivery from the legendary Iggy and his take on David’s experimentation is an experience.

One of the first Post Punk records. And still one of the finest.

I adore this record. As much Bowie as Iggy. Synonymous with Berlin in my brain.

Fantastic! I always loved the Lust for Life album but didn’t pay this much mind. And I confess my ignorance I didn’t even know that Iggy recorded China girl first. I only knew the Bowie 1983 version. But this was so good I was happy to play it a couple of times on the trot and then go on a David Bowie digression. Made me happy.

Great album and can clearly head the golden period of Bowie's influence. After a few listens you begin to hear the later bands that this was a big influence on, joy division, Depeche mode etc... no such bad thing. 5 stars all the way!

Wow I really loved it. Iggy has a beautiful voice and he is so talented

Слушал, слушаю и буду слушать. Игги Поп в руках Дэвида Боуи поёт как соловей! Альбом цельный, слушается как симфония.

The Idiot is so damn good it makes me regret giving so many lesser albums five stars. But oh well, I'm true to myself. Sister Midnight is a bop and a groove. I love this era of both Iggy and Bowie, you can really hear eachother's influence on eachother while they were up in Berlin coming down off their heroin in a town that sounds like it was named after heroin. Hey Iggy, we need to get away from the drugs. Ok David, where shall we stay? "Heroinville". Nightclubbing is obvs hella famous to a generation now from Trainspotting. But what a spooky banger. And so tonally discordant. Hey yeah let's go nightclubbing and have a good time! What...what's this music? I'm scared can I go home? Funtime I first heard as an REM cover on the b-side to Orange Crush, which sounded really fun, stripped of the menace absolutely dripping from this performance. Which was really quite jarring at first when I finally heard this, but of course I appreciate it now. Baby continues this mood and doesn't drop the ball. Iggy's China Girl is far superior to Bowie's weirdly anodyne version on Lets Dance. But that makes sense as 5 years later music had settled in far less risky directions than here, at the height of punk and post-punk experimentation. The two songs are like chalk and cheese. Doesn't feel like it gets going until about 2 minutes in but boy when it does... Great record from start to finish.

Hard to argue with how influential this album was for the future of punk and post punk bands. Listen to this album then chase it with Unknown Pleasures. May not be his “best” but is easily one of the most important albums to the genre.

The Idiot breathes an atrabilious, dark, gloomy atmosphere that has to grab you. With Nightclubbing and Mass Production you're being sucked into the pain and struggle with addiction. The album envelops you. I can understand why people despise this album. But I love it.

I'm giving this 5/5 already! I already knew Iggy pop, so I was very happy that one of his underrated albums was here! That is one of my favorite albums with songs like Tiny girl, Baby and Funtime is my all-time favorite songs from him. I really like this album because David bowie was with him and as well David bowie is my all-time favorite so yea. This album has a story for me as well. I was in ripe age of 11 when I found this and it was so perfect (during the pandemic) and I couldn't stop listening to it, it was my start of rock love, and this was my second after the smith so of course this album will always be in my heart! The songs are even great, the beat, the bass, and the lyrics were well made. It's very creative and well made. It also sometime reminds me of the Human league specifically "Don't you want me." The sound is almost near the vocalist of human league. At the end it's amazing and I always recommended it to anybody who loves rock!!

Such an amazing album. Super underrated as well .

This is his best album. Lust For Life has a couple 10/10 songs, but every single track on this one is incredible.

One of the most interesting albums from the 70s. It’s hard, rigid, unpleasant at times, but once it clicks, it’s hypnotic.

I have always loved this album, as a great harmony between Bowie and Pop. I love the raw rock of Iggy's other work, but this album is unique, fun, and a different way to absorb Bowie.

Iggy Pop + Bowie + Berlin = 5 stars of course

this shit was gas

Very nice! Bowie's China Girl is much better.

Glorious Iggy and Bowie collaboration.

I've got to apologize to Mr. Pop because I was unfamiliar with his game. Who is this artist and how could he possibly have come from The Stooges. This is weird, funky, rhythmic, metallic, and a ton of other adjectives that are many steps removed from his punk past life. There's still some of the droning and repetative riffs that I commented on in his other music, but it works quite well here. Mass Production sounds like it was made in a factory and is a great song. But several others like Nightclubbing, China Girl, and Dum Dum Boys are just strange and awesome songs. It's a good thing he and Bowie were friends, because I think it evolved Iggy's music by several levels. This was an amazing album.

Imagine not liking Iggy

5 out of 5. The Bowie influence really stands out this album.

One of the greatest achievements in punk rock ever

I haven't heard this album before, but many of the songs sounded familiar. Both tempoally and stylistically it's between rolling classic rock and brooding, synth-filled Wave. The tracks are all different, and there are only eight of them, so the album doesn't get repetitive. The lyrics are a similar flavor of nonsense to a weird '70s movie, except it actually works well in a song, because song lyrics are mostly for vibes, while a movie should have actual plot and dialogue. It's an essential Iggy Pop album, you don't need me to explain why it's good.

Iggy and the artist formerly known as Ziggy construct a brave new world of gothic industry and stark, robotic grooves that pulse with dystopian decadence.

An ultimate classic.

It's Iggy Pop. It's great. It's always great. It's even short and to the point.

mid morning music but peak post-12 hour shift music 10/10

tis a banger

Wow. This was awesome. Sounded as fresh today as I imagine it did in 1977 - the mark of a truly great record. Going to work my way through the rest of the Iggy Pop discography now.

This is probably Iggy’s best album outside the Stooges. Again, like Lust For Life, it has Bowie stamped all over it and it is probably some of his best work too. The whole thing has great sounding guitars and some stomping Krautrock beats going on. You can hear where Siouxsie and the Bamshees and similar got their inspiration. Love it.

Superclassic album, nothing to add.

Didn't realise China Girl was on this album. It was never my favourite Bowie song, but I now prefer the original

The start of so many things I like.

We can't talk about 'The Idiot' without talking about Bowie. The story is very familiar by now. By 1976, Bowie and Pop were struggling with addiction and desperate to escape their fame. So they moved to Europe to have freedom from their past lives. 'The Idiot' is both Iggy Pop's radical departure from the proto-punk of The Stooges and the beginning of Bowie's frantic Berlin Era. Bowie later admitted to using Pop as a guinea pig to experiment with new styles that he hadn't quite figured out get. For that reason, fans rightfully argue that this isn't a true representation of Iggy Pop. But seen as a collaboration, it's really brilliant. Pop's vocals fit the bleak, industrial soundscapes perfectly. Together, the two artists created a really inventive album, drawing heavily on influence from the German rock scene of the 70s, particularly Kraftwerk. The title and artwork further add to the feelings of discomfort, recalling Dostoevsky and displaying Pop in a twisted, unnatural pose. 'The Idiot' has been cited as a influence of a huge range of artists. Most notably, Joy Division, as it was famously the last album Ian Curtis chose to listen to. It also ushered in a heap of post-punk artists and would continue to be felt through industrial, goth, and synth pop acts for years to come.

I listened to this one after Lust for Life and didn’t like it but loved it this time. I can hear the echos of this album through a lot of the post punk and gothic rock of the 80s. China Girl even sounds like a precursor to Hong Kong Garden. All around great album. It is innovative and the entire album has a unique and consistent feel to it. Rating: 4.8

I'm a fan, and this is a great album. People will discredit it because it doesn't sound like The Stooges, or even later Iggy Pop solo records, but that's precisely what makes it great -- it's unique, it created musical ideas that resonated with many people for many many years.

Love it.

Berlin proto wave coolness. class

This record rules. You can hear Bowie all over it. Just a great post punk art record. It's weird and raw. A perfect little record.

This wasn't what I was expecting and I liked it much more because of that. Raw, unpolished, energetic and fun, but missing the angry I was expecting. Not angry, but Iggy seemed disappointed.

Absolutely awesome, went into thinking this would be self indulgent trash, could not be more wrong.

Inconsistent song structures but absolutely amazing. Just think that he sang I wanna be your dog just a few years later.

The second installment of the supposed Berlin Trilogy, yet very much its own machine and creation, Iggy Pop's The Idiot oozes with its sauntering, swaggering, no less heavy disposition. At best left for dead, and whether it is appreciated or not, Iggy powered through with the help of a change in scenery, a change in mindset and charitable help from a admirer turned collaborator who was also undergoing similar transformations. The result was one of the many documents that best exemplify the feeling of Year Zero that permeated the air in 1977; that, with the walls torn down (regardless of irony), anything and everything can be possible. Never has turning a new leaf looked and felt so electric.

I love Iggy Pop

"David Bowie produces krautrock with guest vocalist Iggy Pop." That's not a negative sentiment, it's badass. Bowie is the king of cool, always knowing how to capitalize on trends, and Iggy is genuine punk (though he hates the term) - their combined experiences meld fantastically and create a coarse, grimy soundscape bemoaning the world the pair wish to escape from. Favorites: "Nightclubbing", "China Girl", "Mass Production".

In college, I dated a guy who was Totally into Punk Rock, so I grew to love it in the late 70’s early 80’s. I think of Iggy Pop as the grandfather of Punk Rock… I attribute him being who launched the genre whether that’s true or not and so think his work is Genius!!

Great album, already listened to it before but glad to hear it again :)

China Girl is one of my favourite songs of all-time

I'm not familiar with Iggy Pop (except Lust for Life) but I enjoyed this album & would listen again.