Loosely translated via WordMonkey (except your, James and Derek's words - original text):

JESUS LOVES THE Stooges: The Return of James Williamson Part 3

Planet Earth Festival 2009 brought together 15 artists, who over two nights on two alternating stages, but without a doubt, the main attractions of the festival was a concert IGGY AND THE STOOGES, the first joint appearance Iggy Pop and guitarist James Williamson after 35 years.

From the first measures "Raw Power" until Iggy's departure from the stage, with trousers down to his knees, band is more than 70 minutes of intense performances conducted by the wild seventies. Iggy despite years to carry on their backs and a few pounds more than before, it refused audience for their usual energetic stage performance, including: jumping and rolling on the stage, breaking the microphone stand, pouring water over his head, leaving the stage to the first rows of the audience, etc. although I notice that the first time, stayed out of breath, which is likely to cause little concert activities in the past year, but despite all his voice is still powerful and destructive. The band behind him has functioned perfectly. Mike Watt in his classic pose with the bass down to his knees and Scott Asheton on drums, formed the perfect basis for Jamesovu impeccably played guitar, and when it all adds ingenuity of saxophonist Steve Mackay, a true rock event was guaranteed.
The first part of the concert included the stuff from the album Raw Power ( "Raw Power", "Search and Destroy," "Gimme Danger" and "Shake Appeal"), with the addition of "Kill City" and "Cock In My Pocket" and completed with the so-called "stage invasion", an integral part of Iggy's performance in the last ten years, when during one or two songs on Iggy's call, allow the audience to join the band on stage.

While waiting to the audience leave the stage and to start the second part of the concert, as Steve Mackey's saxophone solo called Ron Asheton's spirit, after that the band is with The Stooges classics "Loose", "1970" and "Funhouse" are total smarten audience. Set Ron's songs only interrupted a beautiful instrumental "Night Theme", the only song, which Iggy never used at their performances, played as an introduction to "Skull Ring" from the last album The Stooges in 2007, The Weirdness. Followed, "Johanna" and "I Got A Right" and the official part of the concert ended with perhaps the most famous song of The Stooges "I Want to Be Your Dog".

After a short break, at the invitation of the audience, the band returned to the stage. As a surprise for fans of Iggy and The Stooges , encore opened the song "Five Foot One" from Iggy's solo album New Values (1979) and finals, with Jamesov "Death Trip," went the song "The Passenger" and "Lust For Life," which Iggy and David Bowie recorded in Berlin for Lust For Life album, 1977. Inclusion of material from Iggy's solo albums in this set is a logical move, because a large number of fans of Iggy Pop wished again hear these songs, since they are not performed on tour The Stooges from 2003 to 2008 years. Although I would prefer that the concert ended with James "Open Up And Bleed", I must admit that the new arrangements sounded fantastic.

At the concert as Jamesov assistant / guitar technician was DEREK SEE and the following words he described his experience of the concert:

DS: My favorite moments of the performance, other than the brilliance of the musicians onstage, was the fact that members of Sonic Youth and Primal Scream were standing by the side of the stage cheering on James and the band. We all shared the excitement of the feeling that this was a man, a guitar hero to all of us, who we thought we would only get to experience on record, never live.


To end this story about James return, I left two short conversation that I had with the actors from the show in Brazil, STEVE MACKAY and JAMES WILLIAMSON.

STEVE MACKAY:

GP: It was difficult to play Ron's songs the first time without him?

SM: Yes it was different to do Ron's songs without him but James worked hard at filling those shoes and we will all get better the more shows we do. We could feel Ron's presence especially at the beginning of "1970".

GP: Who sang on your rehearsals without Iggy? Who was the boss?

SM: Watt would sing some of the songs, I would play melody on some, and we would count out the measures and phrases on the rest. The Boss was Iggy, when he finally came to the last 2 days of rehearsal in LA. Otherwise, it was a collective effort.

GP: My opinion is that the sound of your sax breathed new life into Iggy's solo songs. Are you familiar with Iggy's solo career?

SM: I am delighted that Iggy has me playing on those songs, many of which were new to me.

GP: Your solo between „Shake Appeal“ and „Loose“ was improvisation, or a new song?

SM: That was an improvisation that Iggy had requested me to do in practice, made longer by the Stage Invasion!

GP: Who has made new arrangements?

SM: All 5 of us worked on the new versions of the arrangements...

GP: I think you made an excellent job.

SM: Thanks for your interest and hope to see you someday!

GP: That would be great. Thank you Steve.



JAMES WILLIAMSON:

GP: First I would like to congratulate you on your return to the stage.

JW: Thanks

GP: How does it feel to be back on stage with Iggy and Scott?

JW: It feels great, really good to see those guys and "take it to the limit one more time"

GP: Why you playing songs from „Lust For Life“ record (Iggy/Bowie)? I think more people would like to hear „Iggy and The Stooges“. Is it Iggy initiative?

JW: We choose the set list for Sao Paulo from a wide range of our collective material. We're all very sensitive to filling the requests from the audience and while there are many stooges fans who want "all stooges, all the time" there are even more fans wanting to hear some of the well know songs the Iggy did...its a mix...anyway, there's nothing set in stone and the our live set will evolve.

GP: Is there a chance to play again unreleased „Raw Power“ songs like „Open Up And Bleed“ (my favorite ), „Wet My Bed“, „Rich Bitch“,etc.?

JW: As I mentioned above, the set is evolving and other songs are being added and some deleated all the time.

GP: By the way, Is it true that the first version of „Dog Food“ was created in the early '70?

JW: I remember us playing such a title …

GP: For collectors and your fans is a great enigma your only concert in 1972, in London's Kings Cross theater. Interesting is that no one knows what you're playing that night. I know a lot of time has passed, but can you remember?

JW: No, I'm sorry but the only two songs I remember us playing are „I gotta right“ and „I'm sick of you“...

GP: Have you talked with Scott Thurston about re-cooperation?

JW: While I'd love to play with Scott Thurston again as he is a close friend of mine, it isn't in the cards. Scott has been playing in the Tom Petty Band for over 15 years now and he is very much occupied doing that. So it won't happen.

GP: The Stooges played from 2003 to 2008 almost the same set . What can we expect in the future of Iggy and The Stooges?

JW: I'm hoping for alot more variation...we have a bigger canvas of songs to work with.

GP: Are there any plans to record a new material?

JW: I'm not sure what form it will take, i.e. album, single, ep...but I would like to work up some new material and record it...that's our goal.

GP: If re-pops your cooperation with Iggy, I hope you would record a solo album.

JW: Well, I'd love to do a solo album of my own compositions at some point...you might not like the Hawaiian music influence, but I think that music is beautiful and would like to get it out to more young people who wouldn't normally be exposed to it. Then again who knows what I'd come up with.

GP: Thank you James.



Last month, The Stooges were nominated for entry into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Hopefully, the fifteenth of April 2010 in the Waldorf Astoria in New York, the group will finally get the deserved recognition, because Iggy, Ron, James, Scott and others certainly deserve.

Let us be still for a moment at James question from Tel Aviv, from the beginning of this series.
After all, we know the answer:

JESUS LOVES THE STOOGES .... of course, but we all love The Stooges also.



Wrote: Goran Polak


Special thanks: James Williamson, Steve Mackay, Derek See, Diana Passy and Jasminka Maligec de Escobio.

In pictures: James Williamson (git), Steve Mackay (sax) and Iggy Pop ( voc) (Sao Paulo, Brazil http://www.facebook.com/l/68276;07.11.2009) - photos by Diana Passy
Photos are published with the permission of the author.