The Stooges Fun House 50th Anniversary Special & Show # 816

When it was originally released in July of 1970, Fun House stood out as an album different from its predecessor and from other music at the time. It still does. Produced by Don Gallucci who played keyboards on The Kingsmen’s garage classic “Louie, Louie”, Fun House brought a new sense of groove and intensity to the music of The Stooges. As for influences, the sounds of Howlin’ Wolf and James Brown influenced part of the sound that the band was going for on this album. The band also added Saxophonist Steve MacKay to Fun House and he is found on the album’s second side as the band also pull in free Jazz influences into their dynamic, and especially during the chaotic sonic assault that ends the album “L.A. Blues”.

Fun House was named after the band’s house and rehearsal space that they lived in back in Michigan, the album’s songs developed through being played live. Although he initially deemed the band “unrecordable”, Gallucci’s intention was to capture The Stooges live in the studio to try and get down the energy they projected live on tape. The feeling was captured and resulted from having the band perform as if it were a live performance, removing all baffles and carpet from the studio and by having Iggy record his vocals with a handheld microphone, which was unconventional at the time. The music pushed forward and has been described as capturing a sense of instant mayhem.

“Down On The Street” opens Fun House. With guitar and bass slides and a simple drum hit, The Stooges drop into a deep groove as Iggy Pop grunts and howls. As the words come in such as “Down on the street where the faces shine/Floating around/I’m a real low mind” and “Deep in the night I’m lost in love/A thousand lights look at you”, The Stooges don’t so much as project their feelings of unrest and unease on listeners as they suck you into their vortex. “Loose” comes next. Originally intended to be the album’s opening track, “Loose” features a revolving basslines and distorted guitar riffs that lock in with Scott Asheton’s drumbeats. Iggy Pop sings words such as “I took a ride with the pretty music/Now I’m putting it to you straight from hell” and the provocatively dangerous “I’ll stick it deep inside/Cause I’m loose” which sets the tone amongst the music that starts to get even more erratic especially when the searing guitar solo comes in via Ron Asheton. The opening of “T.V. Eye” could be one of the best openings to a rock song. Iggy Pop screams “Lorrrdd!” very loud as a guitar riff comes in then bass and drums join in. The song itself has origins as a phrase coined by the Asheton’s younger sister when someone was staring at them. On this song you really get a feel for the blues influences that the band drew on for this album. There is intensity, groove and sheer desperation found all over this track.

“Dirt” opens with a rolling drum riff before bassist Dave Alexander’s lurking bassline walks in. Throughout this song, Iggy Pop sings lyrics such as “I been dirt/And I don't care/Cause I’m burning/Inside” and “And do you feel it?/Said do you feel it when you touch me?” dealing with dark undercurrents associated with themes of depression and a burning desire for something more that can take on multiple feelings and moods all at once. If that isn’t enough, Ron Asheton’s guitar bends and twists with tense, on edge, soulful guitar riffs. The solo in this more laid back track cuts right through everything and like all of the music on Fun House, evokes a feeling that is inescapable. “1970” has been called a sequel to “1969” from The Stooges debut album the year prior. The song attacks with guitar riffs, fuzzy, sweltering basslines and themes of boredom and excess. It is on this track that Steve MacKay’s saxophone enters the Fun House. Apparently joining just two days before the recording began, MacKay at that point had previously played with Carnal Kitchen and added free jazz styled saxophone in a style compared to Ornette Coleman to The Stooges primal dynamic.

The album’s title track comes in at track six. With a driving bassline it kicks off with moans from Iggy Pop and then dual sax and guitar lines that interconnect while an unstoppable drumbeat from Scott Asheton brings us into this jazz punk classic. As Iggy Pop begs to be let into the fun house, the song, which is over seven minutes, pushes the limits of the music as the band sinks into a real dynamic. As Pop howls overtop with his vocals with the words “Calling from the fun house with my song/We’ve been separated baby for too long” and “I came to play and I mean to play” that dive deep into a wavering tale of love, desperation, determination and chaos, as the musical intensity increases. “Fun House” continues into the album’s final track, “L.A. Blues”. More free jazz influences enter through the rhythms of this song and the title track that precedes it. John Coltrane and Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew come to mind. This track is really an all out meltdown. Originally called “Freak” and clocking in at over seventeen minutes, this live in the studio take descends into free jazz and noise rock in what other reviewers have also described as apocalyptic.

Other words used to describe Fun House have been chaotic, destructive, punk blues, jazz punk, proto-punk and garage meltdown. The album would go on to influence punk and alternative music in the years and decades that followed, setting a blueprint and growing in stature. It has a depth and influence that challenged rock conventions. Being recorded live in the studio with very little overdubs added afterwards, Fun House captures a band in their own world. Fun House went against the norm at the time, stuck in between the end of the 60s and the beginning of the 70s, it is rooted in a sense of reality and mayhem. It has been called the greatest rock and roll album ever by some and is a true cohesive artistic piece. For an album that was virtually ignored by the mainstream following its initial release, Fun House, now 50 years later is revered and identified as a cult classic.

The Stooges Fun House 50th Anniversary Playlist (An Alternate Version of The Stooges, Fun House and Fun House Outtakes):

1. Lost In The Future (Take 1) (1970: The Complete Fun House Sessions - Rhino Handmade - 1999/Fun House (Deluxe Edition) - Rhino Records/Elektra - 2005)
2. “Slide” (“Slidin’ the Blues”) (1970: The Complete Fun House Sessions - Rhino Handmade - 1999/Fun House (Deluxe Edition) - Rhino Records/Elektra - 2005)
3. 1969 (Alternate Vocal) (The Stooges (Deluxe Edition) - Rhino Records/Elektra - 2005)
4. I Wanna Be Your Dog (Original John Cale Mix) (The Stooges (Deluxe Edition) - Rhino Records/Elektra - 2005)
5. We Will Fall (Alternate Version) (The Stooges (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) - Rhino Records/Elektra - 2019)
6. No Fun (Full Version) (The Stooges (Deluxe Edition) - Rhino Records/Elektra - 2005)
7. Real Cool Time (Alternate Mix) (The Stooges (Deluxe Edition) - Rhino Records/Elektra - 2005)
8. Ann (The Stooges - Elektra - 1969)
9. Not Right (Alternate Vocal) (The Stooges (Deluxe Edition) - Rhino Records/Elektra - 2005)
10. Little Doll (Original John Cale Mix) (The Stooges (Deluxe Edition) - Rhino Records/Elektra - 2005)
11. Down On The Street (Fun House - Elektra - 1970)
12. Loose (Fun House - Elektra - 1970)
13. T.V. Eye (Fun House - Elektra - 1970)
14. Dirt (Fun House - Elektra - 1970)
15. 1970 (Fun House - Elektra - 1970)
16. Fun House (Fun House - Elektra - 1970)
17. L.A. Blues (Fun House - Elektra - 1970)
18. Loose (Take 27)(1970: The Complete Fun House Sessions - Rhino Handmade - 1999)

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for February 22.