Soldier (album)
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''Soldier'' is the fourth studio album by American rock singer Iggy Pop. It was released in February 1980 by record label Arista.


Recording

For the album Iggy collaborated with ex- Sex Pistols bassist
Glen Matlock Glen Matlock (born 27 August 1956) is an English musician, best known for being the bass guitarist in the original line-up of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. He is credited as a songwriter on 10 of the 12 songs on the Sex Pistols' only albu ...
. Ex-member of
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 Da ...
James Williamson was originally hired to produce the album, but a conflict between Williamson and
David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
(who was assisting as a friend of Pop) over recording techniques led to Williamson walking out on the project. Bowie and Simple Minds provide backing vocals on "Play It Safe". There has been some debate over the lack of lead guitar on the final mix, which has been criticized by Glen Matlock. In Pop's biography, Matlock claims that the lead guitar was stripped after Bowie was punched by Stella Nova for hitting on her girlfriend of that time, Patti Palladin.


Release

''Soldier'' was released in February 1980 by record label Arista. The album peaked at number 125 on the Billboard charts. Videos were made for the songs "Loco Mosquito", "Knocking 'Em Down (In the City)" and "Dog Food".


Critical reception

''Soldier'' has received a mixed-to-favorable reception from critics. In her retrospective review, Charlotte Robinson of
PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
wrote "Instead of a punk masterpiece, ..''Soldier'' turned out to be an uneven and sometimes plain silly recording." Rolling Stone's David Fricke reviewed the album positively, calling attention to Iggy Pop's successful weathering of his own self-destructive persona. Of the album, Fricke wrote: "Soldier, like all of his albums, is a hard-fought battle in a war that Iggy Pop is determined to win. Call him Ig noble."


Track listing


Alternate track listing

Specific regions and the 1991 Arista CD reissue had the following alternate track order:


Personnel

* Iggy Pop – vocals *
Glen Matlock Glen Matlock (born 27 August 1956) is an English musician, best known for being the bass guitarist in the original line-up of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. He is credited as a songwriter on 10 of the 12 songs on the Sex Pistols' only albu ...
– bass guitar, backing vocals * Ivan Kral – guitar, keyboards * Klaus Krüger – drums * Stella Nova – guitar * Barry Andrews – keyboards with: * Simple Minds (
Jim Kerr James Kerr (born 9 July 1959) is a Scottish singer and the lead singer of the rock band Simple Minds, becoming best known internationally for "Don't You (Forget About Me)" (1985), which topped the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in the United States. Ot ...
and
Derek Forbes Derek Forbes (born 22 June 1956) is a Scottish bassist, vocalist, and occasional guitarist. He is mostly associated with the Scottish band Simple Minds, having joined in time to record their early demos in 1978 and stayed with the band during ...
) – backing vocals on "Play It Safe" *
David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
, Patti Palladin, Glen Matlock, Steve New, Ivan Kral, James Williamson – backing vocals on "Play It Safe" * Henry McGroggan – chorus on "Loco Mosquito" Technical * Pat Moran –
production Production may refer to: Economics and business * Production (economics) * Production, the act of manufacturing goods * Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services) * Production as a stati ...
*
Thom Panunzio Thom Panunzio is a music producer and engineer. His career began in 1974 at the Record Plant Studios NYC, working with John Lennon. Later, he became a staff engineer at the Record Plant, and later at The Hit Factory. Panunzio worked often wit ...
mixing, production on "Low Life" * Peter Haden –
engineering Engineering is the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad range of more speciali ...
* Joe Brescio – mastering * Brian Griffin/Rocking Russian – sleeve design


Charts


References

Trynka, P. (2007). Iggy Pop: ''Open Up and Bleed''. New York: Broadway Books.


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Soldier (album) 1980 albums Iggy Pop albums Arista Records albums Albums produced by Pat Moran Albums recorded at Rockfield Studios