The Weirdness
Encyclopedia
The Weirdness is the fourth studio album by influential American hard rock
band The Stooges
.
The album features founding members Iggy Pop
(vocals), Ron Asheton
(guitar), and Scott Asheton
(drums) along with new band member Mike Watt
(bass guitar, formerly of Minutemen
) and returning guest musician Steve Mackay
(saxophone, who appeared on the Stooges' 1970 album, Fun House.) It is the first studio album of new material the Stooges have released since Raw Power
(1973), and is also the final album to feature Ron Asheton, who died in early 2009.
at his Electrical Audio
studio in Chicago, Illinois during October 2006, and was mastered at Abbey Road Studios
in London, England in December of that same year. Watt posted a day-by-day diary of the recording sessions on his website, but this was deleted without explanation. Watt referred to the album's title as Secret Plan in his diary entries.
According to Watt's online diary, the songs recorded during the sessions included a finalized version of "My Idea of Fun" (first heard on the live CD Telluric Chaos
) and a cover of The Beatles
' "I Wanna Be Your Man
" (more faithful to the Rolling Stones
version), while a November 20 article on the album, derived mainly from an interview with Pop, also gives the following song titles as appearing on the album: "Trollin'", "ATM", "You Can't Have Friends,", "The Weirdness" and "Greedy Awful People." Further titles were announced in December after the album was mastered, and the final track listing was announced by Virgin Records on January 30, 2007.
Two singles for "My Idea of Fun" and "Free & Freaky
" were released on the iTunes Music Store on February 20, 2007.
The album was also released as a vinyl LP
with four bonus tracks.
"My Idea of Fun" was performed on the reality show Bam's Unholy Union
when Bam Margera married girlfriend Missy Rothstein in the final episode at their wedding party in 2007.
Bonus tracks
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band The Stooges
The Stooges
The Stooges are an American rock band from Ann Arbor, Michigan first active from 1967 to 1974, and later reformed in 2003...
.
The album features founding members Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
(vocals), Ron Asheton
Ron Asheton
Ronald Frank Asheton was an American guitarist and co-songwriter with Iggy Pop for the rock band The Stooges.Asheton is ranked as number 29 on Rolling Stones list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time....
(guitar), and Scott Asheton
Scott Asheton
Scott "Rock Action" Asheton is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the rock band The Stooges...
(drums) along with new band member Mike Watt
Mike Watt
Michael David Watt is an American bassist, singer and songwriter.He is best known for co-founding the rock bands Minutemen, dos, and Firehose; , he is also the bassist for the reunited Stooges and a member of the art rock/jazz/punk/improv group Banyan as well as many other post-Minutemen...
(bass guitar, formerly of Minutemen
Minutemen (band)
Minutemen were an American hardcore punk band formed in San Pedro, California in 1980. Composed of guitarist D. Boon, bassist Mike Watt and drummer George Hurley, Minutemen recorded four albums and eight EPs before Boon's death in an automobile accident in December 1985...
) and returning guest musician Steve Mackay
Steve MacKay
Steve Mackay is an American tenor saxophone player, best known for his participation on The Stooges' second album Fun House.-The Stooges:Mackay was familiar to The Stooges from his work in Detroit's avant-rock pioneers, Carnal Kitchen...
(saxophone, who appeared on the Stooges' 1970 album, Fun House.) It is the first studio album of new material the Stooges have released since Raw Power
Raw Power
Raw Power is the third studio album by American rock band The Stooges. Though not initially commercially successful, Raw Power gained a cult fanbase in the years following its release and, like its predecessor , is generally considered an influential forerunner of punk rock.-Recording history:After...
(1973), and is also the final album to feature Ron Asheton, who died in early 2009.
Recording
The album was recorded by Steve AlbiniSteve Albini
Steven Frank Albini is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, audio engineer and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman, and Flour, and is currently a member of Shellac...
at his Electrical Audio
Electrical Audio
Electrical Audio is a recording facility founded in Chicago, Illinois by musician and recording engineer Steve Albini in 1997. Hundreds of independent music projects have been recorded there....
studio in Chicago, Illinois during October 2006, and was mastered at Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
in London, England in December of that same year. Watt posted a day-by-day diary of the recording sessions on his website, but this was deleted without explanation. Watt referred to the album's title as Secret Plan in his diary entries.
According to Watt's online diary, the songs recorded during the sessions included a finalized version of "My Idea of Fun" (first heard on the live CD Telluric Chaos
Telluric Chaos
Telluric Chaos is a live album by the reunited Iggy Pop & The Stooges. The album chronicles the closing date of the band's first ever Japanese tour, which took place on March 22, 2004 at the Shibuya AX in Tokyo, Japan...
) and a cover of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' "I Wanna Be Your Man
I Wanna Be Your Man
"I Wanna Be Your Man" is a Lennon–McCartney-penned song that was recorded separately by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. The Rolling Stones' version was released a few weeks earlier...
" (more faithful to the Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
version), while a November 20 article on the album, derived mainly from an interview with Pop, also gives the following song titles as appearing on the album: "Trollin'", "ATM", "You Can't Have Friends,", "The Weirdness" and "Greedy Awful People." Further titles were announced in December after the album was mastered, and the final track listing was announced by Virgin Records on January 30, 2007.
Two singles for "My Idea of Fun" and "Free & Freaky
Free & Freaky
"Free & Freaky" is a download only single by American punk rock group The Stooges. It was the first single from their new studio album The Weirdness....
" were released on the iTunes Music Store on February 20, 2007.
The album was also released as a vinyl LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
with four bonus tracks.
"My Idea of Fun" was performed on the reality show Bam's Unholy Union
Bam's Unholy Union
Bam's Unholy Union is an American reality series that aired on MTV and MTV Canada. It follows Bam Margera and his fiancee Missy Rothstein as they plan their wedding...
when Bam Margera married girlfriend Missy Rothstein in the final episode at their wedding party in 2007.
Track listing
All songs by Iggy Pop/Ron Asheton/Scott Asheton, except where noted.- "Trollin'" (3:05)
- "You Can't Have Friends" (2:22)
- "ATM" (3:15)
- "My Idea of Fun" (3:17)
- "The Weirdness" (3:45)
- "Free & FreakyFree & Freaky"Free & Freaky" is a download only single by American punk rock group The Stooges. It was the first single from their new studio album The Weirdness....
" (2:39) - "Greedy Awful People" (2:07)
- "She Took My Money" (3:48)
- "The End of Christianity" (4:19)
- "Mexican Guy" (3:29)
- "Passing Cloud" (4:04)
- "I'm Fried" (3:44)
Bonus tracks
- "O Solo Mio" (Japanese edition and Vinyl edition-only Bonus Track)
- "Claustrophobia" (Vinyl edition-only Bonus Track)
- "I Wanna Be Your ManI Wanna Be Your Man"I Wanna Be Your Man" is a Lennon–McCartney-penned song that was recorded separately by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. The Rolling Stones' version was released a few weeks earlier...
" - Lennon/McCartneyLennon/McCartneyThe Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership is one of the best-known and most successful musical collaborations in history...
(iTunes and Vinyl edition-only Bonus Track) - "Sounds of Leather" (Vinyl edition-only Bonus Track)
Personnel
- Iggy PopIggy PopIggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
- Vocals - Ron AshetonRon AshetonRonald Frank Asheton was an American guitarist and co-songwriter with Iggy Pop for the rock band The Stooges.Asheton is ranked as number 29 on Rolling Stones list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time....
- Guitar - Scott AshetonScott AshetonScott "Rock Action" Asheton is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the rock band The Stooges...
- Drums - Mike WattMike WattMichael David Watt is an American bassist, singer and songwriter.He is best known for co-founding the rock bands Minutemen, dos, and Firehose; , he is also the bassist for the reunited Stooges and a member of the art rock/jazz/punk/improv group Banyan as well as many other post-Minutemen...
- Bass - Steve MackaySteve MacKaySteve Mackay is an American tenor saxophone player, best known for his participation on The Stooges' second album Fun House.-The Stooges:Mackay was familiar to The Stooges from his work in Detroit's avant-rock pioneers, Carnal Kitchen...
- Saxophone - Brendan BensonBrendan BensonBrendan Benson is an American musician and songwriter. He sings and plays guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, and drums. He has released four solo albums and is a member of the band The Raconteurs....
- Harmony vocals on "Free & Freaky" - Steve AlbiniSteve AlbiniSteven Frank Albini is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, audio engineer and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman, and Flour, and is currently a member of Shellac...
- Recording engineer - Nick Webb - Mastering
- Chris Wujek - Technical assistance
- Rob Vester - Assistant engineer
- Henry McGroggan, Eric Fischer - Production coordination
- Sean Mosher-Smith - Art direction and design
- Chapman BaehlerChapman BaehlerChapman Baehler is a photographer and director primarily working with musicians.His photographs have been featured on more than 160 albums since the mid-1990s, covering artists including Brooks & Dunn , Iggy Pop , Nine Inch Nails, Kelly Clarkson, Stone Temple Pilots, John Mayer, Fishbone,...
- Photography - Robert Matheu - Photography of The Stooges live at the Hammersmith ApolloHammersmith ApolloHammersmith Apollo is a major entertainment venue located in Hammersmith, London. Designed by Robert Cromie in Art Deco style, it opened in 1932 as the Gaumont Palace cinema, being re-named the Hammersmith Odeon in 1962...
, London
External links
- Secret Plan - Iggy & The Stooges record an album at Mike Watt's Hoot Page, accessed October 12, 2006
- Stooges Sounding Like Themselves On Reunion Album - Billboard.com, posted November 20, 2006
- Iggy Talks About New Stooges Record - PunkNews.org, posted November 21, 2006
- Iggy and the Stooges Return! - IGN.com, posted December 11, 2006; accessed December 12, 2006
- The Stooges Detail "The Weirdness" - PunkNews.org, posted January 30, 2007