‘1969’ vs ‘1970’: how The Stooges established the sound of punk
If one band is responsible for the foundations of punk rock, it is The Stooges. Of course, the lineage of the genre can be traced back to the Beatnik generation, the garage rock boom and the pioneering alternative rock of The Velvet Underground, among many other groups and scenes. However, Iggy Pop and The Stooges were the trigger for the punk explosion of the 1970s – a rock and roll equivalent to the murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
The Stooges have a pretty flawless discography composed of some of the greatest rock albums of all time, including the likes of Fun House and Raw Power. These records would provide inspiration for countless future rock and punk artists. In addition to the inspiration they provided for the future scene, you can also track the development of the genre through these albums. If you were to compare their 1969 eponymous debut to 1973’s Raw Power, for instance, you can see how the band developed the sounds that would later become known as punk.
In fact, you can zoom in on two connected tracks within The Stooges’ repertoire, which represent the changing sound of the band as they gradually established punk rock. For most people, their introduction to the abrasive sounds of Iggy Pop and company came with the opening track of their debut album, ‘1969’. Easing into the album, the song is a brooding, blues-influenced track, which sees vocalist Iggy Pop take on an uncharacteristically mellow tone.
‘1969’ remains one of The Stooges’ most popular and recognisable songs, so much so that it demanded a sequel in the minds of the band. So, on their sophomore effort, Fun House, the band opted to include the song ‘1970’. Providing an amphetamine-fuelled start to side two of the record, the song is a good representation of how the band developed their sound between the first and second albums. The repetitive lyric of “Another year with nothing to do” in ‘1969’ is beautifully contrasted with the “Out of my mind on Saturday night” recurring line in ‘1970’.
The Fun House track is a perfect encapsulation of the wild and defiant nature of Iggy Pop, predicting later punk anthems like Circle Jerks’ ‘Live Fast Die Young’ or Buzzcocks’ ‘Fast Cars’. These two songs, when viewed in isolation, are two incredible examples of proto-punk. However, when viewed in conjunction, they are good indicators of how the genre developed from the garage rock and blues influences to the furious adrenaline rush of bands like The Ramones or The Damned.
Something must have happened in Iggy Pop’s mind between 1969 and 1970, which essentially established the sound that would later develop into the widespread revolution of punk rock. Realistically, this move towards faster, more abrasive rock and roll was likely a result of whatever cocktail of drugs Pop was enmeshed within at that particular moment in time. Nevertheless, the development of fast and furious rock on Fun House is likely the earliest example of out-and-out punk rock as we know it today.
Since the release of Fun House, punk rock has experienced some radical changes. From the advent of hardcore, post-punk, and riot grrrl to developments in DIY music-making technology, the genre has gone through numerous changes over the years. However, if you listen to any good punk band of the modern era, you can usually hear the lineage of Stooges tracks like ‘1970’.
