The Most Exciting News Ever in the History of Man

It’s time to wake up Grandpa dear readers, the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame has selected its inductees for the class of 2010. In a list that would flummox even the most ardent mix-tape maker The Stooges, ABBA, Jimmy Cliff, Genesis, and the Hollies were chosen to make it to the shrine. Perhaps even more interesting though are the nominees that didn't make the cut. The list included: Kiss, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Donna Summer, and Darlene Love. (Now that would have made a performance! ed.)

Music impressario David Geffen and songwriters Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, Jesse Stone, Mort Shuman and Otis Blackwell were also inducted in non-performing categories.

From Rolling Stone, Iggy Pop said:

"We've been rejected seven times, and we would have set a record, I think, if it happened again. It started to feel like Charlie Brown and the football. I had about two hours of a strong emotional reaction after hearing the news. It felt like vindication. Then I kind of scratched my head and thought, 'Am I still cool? Or is that over now?'"

The induction ceremony takes place March 15th at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City.  Let's hope Abba and the Stooges make good on that oft-promised collaboration.  "I Wanna Be Your Dancing Queen" anyone?

Stooges Guitarist Ron Asheton RIP

Sad news today… Ron Asheton, guitarist and founding member of the Stooges, was reportedly found dead at his home in Ann Arbor, Michigan this morning. He was 60. Official cause of death has not yet been announced but initial indications suggest Asheton had a heart attack. Police entered Asheton’s home and discovered his body on a couch after his personal assistant was unable to reach the rocker for days.

As the guitarist for the Stooges, Asheton crafted some of rock’s most memorable riffs, including “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” “No Fun” and “TV Eye.” Guitarist Asheton, along with his brother Scott, Iggy Pop and original bassist Dave Alexander formed the Stooges in Detroit in 1967. The original lineup released two albums, The Stooges and Fun House, before Ron Asheton shifted over to bass guitar for 1973’s Raw Power. All three LPs are regarded as innovative rock classics that influenced untold rockers since their initial release. Asheton was recently honoured in Rolling Stone’s list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.

After the Stooges initially split, Asheton went on to play with the New Order (not to be confused with the UK band of the same name), Destroy All Monsters, New Race and the Wylde Ratttz, a supergroup featuring Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore, Mudhoney’s Mark Arm, Dinosaur Jr.’s J. Mascis and Mike Watt, who would eventually become Asheton’s bandmate when the Stooges reunited in 2003. For the band’s comeback album, 2007’s The Weirdness, Asheton was once again in his rightful place onstage as the Stooges’ guitarist as Watt picked up bass duties. Last year the Stooges played as Madonna was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; this year, the band was nominated for their own induction.

Touring heavily, including a the Stooges played a memorable set at the 2007 Glastonbury Festival which ended with a mass stage invasion, they also played last year's Isle Of Wight Festival.

Everything is Iggy, Iggy is Everything

Everybody’s favourite lizard-skinned, peanut butter lovin’ rocker Iggy Pop and his band the Stooges are on tour this summer. With two dates in Canada (Montreal and Toronto) this is your chance to witness the seminal outfit up close and personal. Having seen Iggy on a number of occasions I can tell you the experience will be mind-blowing. With energy and intensity to spare to Stooges are still in a league of their own.

Iggy Pop & the Stooges - 2008 Tour Dates

06/14 Seaclose Park Isle of Wight, UK Isle of Wright Festival
06/16 Royal Hospital Kilmainham Dublin, IE Some Days Never End
06/20 Parco San Guiliano Venice, IT Heineken Jammin' Festival
07/04 Skanevik Blues Festival Oslo, NO
07/13 La Grande Armada Rouen, FR
07/19 Garden Nef Party Festival Angouleme, FR
07/26 Race & Rock Festival Seinajoki, FI
08/03 Osheaga Music and Arts Montreal, Canada
08/06 Massey Hall Toronto, Canada
08/08 Terminal 5 New York, NY
08/24 Clapham Common London, UK Loaded In The Park
08/28 Zitadelle Berlin, DE
08/30 Rock Am See Konstanz, DE
09/16 Amphitheater Gelsenkirchen, DE
09/18 Hamburg Stadtpark Hamburg, DE
09/22 Ice Rink St. Petersburg, RU
09/24 B1 Moscow, RU

Sixty Year Old Dude Rocks for Madonna

I had high hopes last year when the Iggy and the Stooges unleashed a new full length release (The Weirdness), over thirty years after their last recording. Alas, it was not “my idea of fun” and mostly reeked of opportunism and juvenile poetic meter. It ranked as one of my biggest musical disappointments of 2007. The news this morning then that Iggy & The Stooges will perform for Madonna at this year’s induction ceremony at first seemed more than a little dubious. But I am willing to forgive Iggy and Co.’s sole musical indiscretion; they will always rank as one of rock’s most influential outfits. For the uninitiated, the choice of the Stooges may seem a little incongruous, but isn’t as strange as it seems: both the band and Madonna are Detroit natives, and Iggy Pop opened for Madonna at the Dublin date for her Reinvention Tour in 2004.

Other performers scheduled at the induction ceremony, which takes place next Monday, March 10th, at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel: Damien Rice (for Leonard Cohen); James Cotton (for Little Walter); Patti LaBelle (for Gamble & Huff); plus John Mellencamp and the Ventures, both of whom are being inducted.

Now… Want to read something really interesting and quite hilarious? The Stooges multi-page concert rider as posted on the Smoking Gun website.