The Stooges - Fun House
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Written By: Moti Kupfer
Release date - 07.07.1970
By the end of the 1960s, Iggy Pop and the rest of "The Stooges" were deeply addicted to heroin. In the middle of a disastrous LSD trip, they had recorded a ferocious debut album that was largely ignored upon its release. After all, they had little in common with the era's flower children.
Only a year later, the band's relentless creative pace seemed to match the rate at which they were filling their bodies with chemicals. On July 7, 1970, they returned with their second album, "Fun House".
Released in 1970, "Fun House" became one of the clearest signs that the idealistic psychedelic era was beginning to collapse. In its place came something primitive, raw, filthy, and utterly overwhelming.
Despite its playful title, "Fun House" offers anything but comfort. It delivers Iggy Pop's groans and bloodcurdling screams, Ron Asheton's savage, attacking guitar work, Dave Alexander's relentless bass lines, Steve Mackay's twisting, virtuosic saxophone, and Scott Asheton's possessed drumming.
"The Stooges" entered Elektra Studios in California for two weeks during May 1970. Producing the sessions was Don Gallucci, former keyboardist of garage rock pioneers "The Kingsmen".
Recognizing that the band's raw live sound was its greatest strength, Gallucci organized the studio to capture the chaos of their concerts as faithfully as possible. The resulting album featured seven songs that marked a clear evolution in "The Stooges'" sound.
Initially, Gallucci doubted it would be possible to recreate the band's explosive live performances in a studio environment. Once everyone arrived in Los Angeles, however, they collectively abandoned traditional recording techniques. Instead of isolating the musicians with sound booths, they played together in the same room, recreating the intensity of their concerts as closely as possible.
The result was an exceptionally raw recording, especially when compared to the polished productions of 1970. Without the usual isolation barriers, vibrations from the bass amplifier even caused the snare drum to rattle, an effect that can be heard throughout several tracks.
The album also absorbed strong influences from Black American music. Iggy Pop's vocal delivery drew heavily from blues legend Howlin' Wolf, while the instrumental approach embraced the fearless spirit of free jazz pioneers John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, and Sun Ra, musicians whose uncompromising improvisation and disregard for musical boundaries perfectly matched "The Stooges'" rebellious philosophy.
"The Stooges" originally intended "Loose" to open the album, but Elektra believed "Down on the Street" made for a more powerful introduction, launching the record with stories of corruption, riots, oppression, and drug use.
From the filthy swagger of "Down on the Street", "Loose", and "T.V. Eye", through the sinister crawl of "Dirt", the manic energy of "1970", the hypnotic minimalism of the title track, and finally the complete free-noise collapse of "L.A. Blues", the album would leave a profound mark on generations of musicians and listeners alike.
Among those who became obsessed with "Fun House" was former "Black Flag" vocalist Henry Rollins, who later recalled his first encounter with the album:
"When I heard Fun House, it was like discovering carbon. Like the first time you encounter something you didn't know existed, and realize its power. It was like somebody hit me with a van."
At first glance, one might assume that an album built around free-form playing would have been easy to record. In reality, "The Stooges" worked tirelessly to refine and distill their feral live energy. Songs were rehearsed repeatedly on stage before entering the studio, often requiring countless takes. "Loose" alone was recorded 28 times before the band was satisfied.
Charles Burton captured the album's overwhelming impact in his review for Rolling Stone, asking:
"Do you crave to have your mind blown so wide open that it takes weeks to gather up the little pieces?"
The album cover features a live photograph taken by American photographer Ed Caraeff during "The Stooges'" performances at the legendary Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles while the band was preparing to record the album.
Caraeff was also responsible for the iconic photograph of Jimi Hendrix setting his guitar on fire. On the cover of "Fun House", "The Stooges" appear consumed by flames themselves, their faces glowing beneath waves of red, orange, and yellow, creating an image that radiates the same dangerous heat as the music inside.
For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music
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