''Metallic K.O.'' is a live recording by American

hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...

band

The Stooges The Stooges, originally billed as the Psychedelic Stooges, also known as Iggy and the Stooges, was an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967 by singer Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Asheton, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave ...

. In its original form, the album was purported to contain the last half of a performance at the Michigan Palace in Detroit, on February 9, 1974—the band's final live performance until their reformation in 2003. The performance was notable for the level of audience hostility, with the band being constantly pelted with pieces of ice, eggs, beer bottles and jelly beans, among other things, in response to

Iggy Pop James Newell Osterberg Jr. (born April 21, 1947), known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, musician, songwriter and actor. Called the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Godfather of Punk", he was the vocalist and lyricist of ...

's audience-baiting. Subsequent investigation of the master tapes and the May 1988 release of the

double album A double album (or double record) is an audio album that spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically either records or compact disc. A double album is usually, though not always, released as such because the recording i ...

''Metallic 2X K.O.'' reveals that the original album contained the last half of the February 9, 1974 show, but opened with the first half of an earlier show (from October 6, 1973) at the same venue. The ''2X K.O.'' version features the full shows from both dates. In 1998, the album was re-released under the original title with a reverse show order, (mostly) expanded track lengths and even more complete set-lists.

History

The album was recorded on a reel-to-reel tape machine by Michael Tipton, later obtained by Stooges guitarist James Williamson. Williamson's involvement and Iggy's endorsement meant it was considered a "semi-official"

bootleg Bootleg or bootlegging most often refers to: * Bootleg recording, an audio or video recording released unofficially * Rum-running, the illegal business of transporting and trading in alcoholic beverages, hence: ** Moonshine, or illicitly made ...

, when released on the Skydog label in 1976. The album is mostly composed of previously unreleased material. Studio

demo Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to: Music and film *Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release * ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes * ''Demo'' (Deafhea ...

and rehearsal recordings of some of its songs later turned up on similarly semi-official posthumous Stooges compilations. "I went to the radio station and challenged the Scorpions otorcycle clubto come down and do their worst at my big show in Detroit," Iggy explained. "Which they proceeded to do. You can hear all sorts of things on the tape flying through the air: shovels, four-gallon jugs, M-80s… but our lady fans in the front rows threw a lot of beautiful underwear, which I thought was sweet." The album proved popular, due to its release in the first era of punk rock and The Stooges' growing legend as

protopunk Proto-punk (or protopunk) is rock music played mostly by garage bands from the 1960s to mid-1970s that foreshadowed the punk rock movement. The phrase is a retrospective label; the musicians involved were generally not originally associated wi ...

s. It outsold The Stooges' major label official releases, selling over 100,000 copies in America as an import in its first year alone.

Musical style

The album is notable for Iggy Pop's vulgar rendition of "

Louie, Louie "Louie Louie" is a rhythm and blues song written and composed by American musician Richard Berry in 1955, recorded in 1956, and released in 1957. It is best known for the 1963 hit version by the Kingsmen and has become a standard in pop and ...

", which deviates wildly from the song's original lyrics. Overall, the playing on the album is ragged, and during "Rich Bitch" the band go out of time with each other, having to be coached back into the song by Iggy – "Gimme just the drums! It's the only way you're ever gonna get it right, take it down to the drums!". He then counts the other players back into the beat. In addition to long-time Stooges members Pop,

Ron Asheton Ronald Franklin Asheton (July 17, 1948 – c. January 6, 2009) was an American musician , who was best known as the guitarist, bassist, and co-songwriter for the rock band the Stooges. He formed the Stooges along with Iggy Pop and his brother, ...

(bass guitar),

Scott Asheton Scott Randolph Asheton (August 16, 1949 – March 15, 2014) was an American musician, best known as the drummer for the rock band the Stooges. Asheton was born in Washington, D.C. and moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan with his family at the age of ...

(drums), and Williamson (guitar), the line-up on the album features

Scott Thurston Scott Troy Thurston (born January 10, 1952) is an American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, and session musician. He was a member of the Stooges, and of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, in which he sang harmony vocals and played guitar, bass, k ...

on piano, who had become an official member of the band by this point.

Context by Lester Bangs

In the essay "Iggy Pop: Blowtorch in Bondage" critic

Lester Bangs Leslie Conway "Lester" Bangs (December 14, 1948 – April 30, 1982) was an American music journalist, critic, author, and musician. He wrote for ''Creem'' and ''Rolling Stone'' magazines, and was known for his leading influence in rock music c ...

calls the album a "documentation of the Iggy holocaust at its most nihilistically out of control." He describes the Stooges concert he attended that immediately preceded the ''Metallic K.O.'' performances:

The audience, which consisted largely of bikers, was unusually hostile, and Iggy, as usual, fed on that hostility, soaked it up and gave it back and absorbed it all over again in an eerie, frightening symbiosis. "All right," he finally said, stopping a song in the middle, "you assholes wanta hear 'Louie, Louie,' we'll give you 'Louie, Louie. So the Stooges played a forty-five-minute version of "Louie Louie," including new lyrics improvised by the Pop on the spot consisting of "You can suck my ass / You biker faggot sissies," etc. By now the hatred in the room is one huge livid wave, and Iggy singles out one heckler who has been particularly abusive: "Listen, asshole, you heckle me one more time and I'm gonna come down there and kick your ass." "Fuck you, you little punk," responds the biker. So Iggy jumps off the stage, runs through the middle of the crowd, and the guy beats the shit out of him, ending the evening's musical festivities by sending the lead singer back to his motel room and a doctor. I walk into the dressing room, where I encounter the manager of the club offering to punch out anybody in the band who will take him on. The next day the bike gang, who call themselves the Scorpions, will phone WABX-FM and promise to kill Iggy and the Stooges if they play the Michigan Palace on Thursday night. They do (play, that is), and nobody gets killed, but Metallic K.O. is the only rock album I know where you can actually hear hurled beer bottles breaking against guitar strings.

Track listing

All songs written by

and James Williamson, except where noted.

Original 1976 release

There have been many wildly varying releases of ''Metallic K.O.'' over the years on many different labels. This track listing is based on the first release, the 1976 Skydog LP. All tracks were recorded in

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...

's Michigan Palace. Side one was recorded on October 6, 1973; side two was recorded on February 9, 1974. The 1974 show was the final Stooges show until the band's reunion in 2003.

Side One: first half of the October 6, 1973 show

#"Raw Power" – (5:29) #"Head On" – (7:23) #"Gimme Danger" – (6:45)

Side Two: second half of the February 9, 1974 show

#"Rich Bitch" – (10:52) #"Cock in My Pocket" – (3:21) #"Louie Louie" ( Richard Berry) – (3:24)

Metallic 2X K.O. 1988 release

This expanded version of the album includes the complete shows from both 1973 and 1974. The 1973 show is presented on sides one and two; the 1974 show is presented on sides three and four. The track times are taken from the original, vinyl release and do not include Iggy's audience baiting.

Side One: October 6, 1973 show

#"Raw Power" – (5:40) #"Head On" – (7:26) #"Gimme Danger" – (7:26)

Side Two: October 6, 1973 show

Search and Destroy Search and destroy, seek and destroy, or simply S&D is a military strategy best known for its employment in the Malayan Emergency and the Vietnam War. The strategy consists of inserting ground forces into hostile territory, ''search''ing out ...

" – (4:35) #"Heavy Liquid" – (6:23) #"

I Wanna Be Your Dog "I Wanna Be Your Dog" is a song by American rock band the Stooges. Released as the group's debut single from the band's 1969 self-titled debut album. The riff is composed of only three chords (G, F♯ and E), is played continuously throughout th ...

" – (1:00)

Side Three: February 9, 1974 show

#"Open Up and Bleed" – (4:15) #"I Got Nothin'" – (4:18)

Side Four: February 9, 1974 show

#"Rich Bitch" – (10:45) #"Cock in My Pocket" – (3:23) #"Louie Louie" (Richard Berry) – (3:20)

Metallic K.O. 1998 re-release (82:39)

In 1998, Jungle Records re-released the album with a reverse show order, (mostly) expanded track lengths and more complete set-lists.

Disc One: February 9, 1974 show (38:40)

#"Heavy Liquid" – (3.24) #"I Got Nothin'" – (4:29) #"Rich Bitch" – (11:46) #"Gimme Danger" – (8:12) #"Cock in My Pocket" – (7:08) #"Louie Louie" (Richard Berry) – (3:41)

Disc Two: October 6, 1973 show (43:59)

#"Raw Power" – (5:47) #"Head On" – (8:30) #"Gimme Danger" – (7:11) #"

" – (8:44) #"Heavy Liquid" (including "I Wanna Be Your Dog") – (9:52) #"Open Up and Bleed" – (3.55)

Personnel

;The Stooges *

–

lead vocals The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of t ...

* James Williamson –

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

– bass, backing vocals *

–

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

–

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

backing vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are use ...

harmonica The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. The many types of harmonica inclu ...

References

{{Authority control The Stooges albums 1976 live albums Bootleg recordings