Maps of Music

Kill City (1977)

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

Kill City was recorded as a demo in 1975, but it did not come out until November 1977.

Key places

Maconnel studio, Los Angeles (1977)

Recording site Motown Recording Studios — Kill City was recorded as a demo around the end of 1974 or early 1975. This point marks the Maconnel studio in Los Angeles, shown at city-centre accuracy. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Kill City: studio album by Iggy Pop and James Williamson
• Both formerly of the Stooges
• Recorded as a demo in 1975
• Released in altered form in November 1977 by Bomp!
• Eleven tracks; all songs by Pop and Williamson except "Master Charge" (with Scott Thurston)
• Made to pitch Pop to labels for a new solo contract

Background

• "Johanna" and "I Got Nothin'" performed live by the Williamson-era Stooges in 1973–74
• Live versions of "Kill City" and "Johanna" come from Iggy's King Biscuit Flower Hour radio performance, released on CD in late 1987
• Recording began around the end of 1974 or the start of 1975, after the Stooges broke up
• Pop had RCA solo albums The Idiot and Lust for Life before the 1977 release

Recording

• Pop's vocals were recorded on weekends, when he was allowed to leave the mental hospital where he was treated for long-standing heroin addiction
• The original 1975 demo mix remains unheard except for three tracks on compilations: "Johanna", "Consolation Prizes" and "Kill City"
• Those demo versions have different guitar parts; "Johanna" has no saxophone
• In 1977 Williamson received an advance from Los Angeles independent label Bomp! Records; part of it paid for studio time to add overdubs and remix
• The master tapes were lost shortly after the original release
• All later CD releases were mastered from the original poor-quality green vinyl pressing, which partly explains the muddy sound
• In 2010 Williamson and engineer Ed Cherney remixed the album from the original multitracks
• The 2010 version was released on Bomp! on October 19, 2010

Cover

• Cover credited to David Allen

Sources: en.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

• Upon release, the album was generally well received by critics
• Nick Kent of New Musical Express called it "a great album"

Reappraisal

• Mark Deming of AllMusic called it a minor triumph, noting the music is more open and bluesy than on Raw Power
• Deming wrote that pianos, acoustic guitars and saxophones make room in the arrangements
• Martin Aston of BBC Music praised the album, calling it Iggy's most underrated album
• Aston said the album helped Pop get back to real life
• The Wire placed Kill City in its list of "100 Records That Set the World on Fire (While No One Was Listening)"

Records

• The 2010 remix was released on Bomp! on October 19, 2010

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Iggy Pop performed the title track as himself on the "For Cryin' Out Loud" episode of Tales from the Crypt, which first aired on May 22, 1990
• The master tapes were lost soon after the original album came out
• Pop's vocals were recorded during weekend leaves from a mental hospital
• Ben Edmonds played the first mixes to Seymour Stein in late January 1975, according to Pop biographer Paul Trynka
• The 1975 demo of "Johanna" has no saxophone, unlike the final version

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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