13. The StoogesFun House
I suppose there are a lot of people doing this series that have named this record. I haven’t dared to look through the series for fear of repeating a cliche, but still, what a record! Me and a couple of mates back in our home town used to listen to this all the time when we were kids and it has never lost its vitality for me. It is all about the droning riffs, those pounding tribal drums, the blues, the groove but most of all it is about the energy, about feeling alive. That howl of “Lord” at the start of ‘T.V. Eye’ just sounds like the voice from the top of a mountain range, tearing down cities in its power or something. Totally timeless spirit of rock & roll but with proper groove and swagger and the basslines are sick too. I first heard this probably a couple of decades after it actually came out but it felt like I could totally relate to the feeling. I was working as an apprentice toolmaker back then and the whole record just spoke to me and my desire to have a different existence from the one I had. Especially that track, ‘Dirt’, with its lyric saying “Do you feel it when you touch me? There’s a fire” which could sound a bit melodramatic or hammy but together with that music and Iggy’s delivery was just hitting my feelings and frustrations exactly somehow. I think Iggy is a proper legend. He is a great example for me how to get older with dignity, humility and a bit of humour as well. I listen to his radio show with my girlfriend quite regularly. I don’t generally like a lot of the music he plays but it is worth it just to hear him speaking between songs.
