Maps of Music

Instinct (1988)

Where the lyrics of Instinct take you, and where it was really made.

A&M expected another hit, but Iggy Pop chose a heavy, hard-rocking sound instead, and the album reached only number 110 on the Billboard 200 in the US.

Key places

Vocals recorded at B.C. Studio (1988)

Recording site Rough Customer — All vocals for Instinct were recorded at B.C. Studio in Brooklyn, New York. The pin marks the city centre of Brooklyn, not the studio building itself. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Instinct: eighth studio album by American rock singer Iggy Pop
• Released June 1988 by A&M Records
• Produced by Bill Laswell
• Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones co-wrote four of the songs with Pop
• Heavy, hard-rocking sound chosen over the pop-leaning predecessor
• Ten tracks: Cold Metal, High on You, Strong Girl, Tom Tom, Easy Rider, Power & Freedom, Lowdown, Instinct, Tuff Baby, Squarehead

Background

• A&M expected another hit after the relative commercial success of Blah Blah Blah
• Pop instead chose a heavy and hard-rocking sound for the follow-up
• Full lineup change from the previous album, with Steve Jones joining on guitar
• Lineup: Iggy Pop vocals, Steve Jones guitar, Seamus Beaghen keyboards, Leigh Foxx bass, Paul Garisto drums
• Jeff Bova and Nicky Skopelitis credited with keyboard programming

Recording

• All tracks recorded at Sorcerer Sound, New York City
• All vocals recorded at B.C. Studio, Brooklyn, New York
• Mixed at the Power Station and Platinum Island
• Robert Musso tracking engineer; Martin Bisi vocal engineer; Jason Corsaro mixing engineer
• Howie Weinberg mastered the album

Cover

• Cover design by Gary Grimshaw
• Cover graphics by Donald Krieger
• Cover photography by Paul McAlpine

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com · fr.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• James Newell Osterberg Jr., born April 21, 1947 in Muskegon, Michigan, known as Iggy Pop.
• Began as drummer in Ann Arbor high school bands, including the Iguanas and the Prime Movers, where he got the nickname "Iggy".
• Formed the Psychedelic Stooges with Ron Asheton, Scott Asheton and Dave Alexander; he became the lead vocalist, nicknamed "Pop".
• Signed with Elektra Records in 1968, following the Doors.

Members

• Original Stooges lineup: Iggy Pop (vocals), Ron Asheton (guitar), Scott Asheton (drums), Dave Alexander (bass).
• Later lineup included James Williamson (guitar) and Scott Thurston; the band reunited with Mike Watt and Steve Mackay in 2003-2005.

Career

• The Stooges' albums sold poorly, but they became known for confrontational live performances, including self-mutilation and stage-diving.
• Raw Power (1973) became influential on the Sex Pistols, the Smiths and Nirvana.
• Solo debut with David Bowie: The Idiot and Lust for Life (1977), with Bowie producing; "China Girl" was later a hit for Bowie in 1983.
• Only Top 40 US hit "Candy" (1990), a duet with Kate Pierson of the B-52's.
• "Lust for Life" was featured in the film Trainspotting (1996).
• The Stooges were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010; Pop received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.
• Also an actor and voice performer in films and television, and hosts the radio show Iggy Confidential on BBC Radio 6 Music.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Performed poorly in the US, peaking at number 110 on the Billboard 200
• Lead single Cold Metal charted at number 37 on mainstream rock charts
• Except for a few plays of Cold Metal, largely ignored by commercial rock radio
• A&M released videos for Cold Metal and High on You
• The result stands in contrast to Blah Blah Blah, which had relative commercial success

Reappraisal

• Ranked number 69 on Kerrang!'s list of 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time
• Cold Metal earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance in 1989

Records

• Billboard 200 peak: number 110
• Mainstream rock charts: Cold Metal at number 37
• Grammy nomination in 1989: Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance, for Cold Metal
• Kerrang! list: number 69

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The song Cold Metal was briefly played in the 1990 science fiction-horror film Hardware, where Iggy Pop voices a radio DJ called Angry Bob.
• A&M released videos for Cold Metal and High on You to promote the album.
• The Spanish-language Wikipedia gives the release date as 20 June 1988.
• The French Wikipedia notes a complete change of musicians from the previous album, with former Sex Pistols member Steve Jones joining on guitar.
• The French Wikipedia says Iggy returned here to an album oriented toward heavy metal after the more pop-oriented Blah Blah Blah.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org

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