No Frills Reviews

The Stooges T.V Eye

The Stooges are a weird one as they’re hugely influential – they were punk before punk was officially a thing, and set the scene for a lot of heavier rock that came after them – and I think plenty people have at least heard of Iggy Pop. But they don’t really have songs that would be well known outside of rock fans. So I chose them as my first classic review as they fit right in between well-known and cult band.

T.V. Eye is from their second album, Fun House. I think the best way I could describe this is that it somehow manages to sound like the album cover looks – a fuzzy, flaming, mess of weirdness.

It sets the tone straight off with an opening scream of “Lord” from Iggy and then a big fuck off guitar riff. Don’t let that “Lord” quote fool you into thinking this is some religious thing, this is more like the Devil’s music (and not in that dorky, metal devil horns way).

I can understand the words, but I haven’t got a clue what the lyrics are really about. That doesn’t matter; this is a primal thing as demonstrated by the grunts and growls that Iggy lets out. It’s the perfect song for getting a bit weird singing along to alone in the car.

The drums pound away like a constant menace in the background, waiting for their moment in amongst the carnage of howls and riffage up front.

It eventually breaks down with the guitars joining the drums in that pounding rhythm as Iggy reaches peak wildness; it’s like a descent into hell…then it all cuts out…only for that big riff to kick back in and resurrect everything for one last go around.

The kind of song that makes you feel like hitting the streets to pound your chest and start a fight (I mean, not really – I’m a 34-year-old father and a soft arse – but you know, like metaphorically)

Try next: The full Fun House album (beware, it gets weirder)

For the slightly more accessible stuff go with I Wanna Be Your Dog or Search and Destroy