Many artists have long careers in music by doing one thing well and doing that same thing over and over again. And then there’s Iggy Pop. Like his early collaborator and co-conspirator, David Bowie, Pop evolved and morphed multiple times over the course of his incredible 50-year musical journey, from his explosive tenure fronting proto-punk icons The Stooges through his immensely innovative and influential solo career. Today, a new collection called Rare Trax attempts to paint a more complete picture of Pop beyond the well-worn images of him as the shirtless, self-mutilating punk rock messiah and offer glimpses of Pop that even longtime fans may have never seen before.
Rare Trax kicks off with outtakes from two of Pop's most important albums, 1977’s The Idiot and 1981’s Party, which acted as a bridge between the raw punk power of The Stooges and Pop’s more experimental art-pop leanings under Bowie’s influence. Next come the rough but brilliant demos Pop cut with Sex Pistol Steve Jones, including Pop’s near-unrecognizable take on Hendrix’s psych classic “Purple Haze.” And if his collaboration with Jones wasn’t surprising enough, what follows is an even more thrilling set of tracks produced by one of power pop’s finest architects, The Cars' Ric Ocasek. Rare Trax also includes brand new mixes of “Lust For Life,” “The Passenger” and “I Wanna Be Your Dog” that have never before appeared on any physical media. Through it all, Pop proves he is one of the most distinctive and original artists in music history, as adept at chaotic punk rock mayhem as he is with precision hook-laden gems and genre-subverting ironic art-rock excursions.
Rare Trax is released today on all formats - digital, CD and an epic 2LP vinyl set in your choice of 3 different colors. All audio has been meticulously digitally remastered to the highest possible audio quality and packaged with remarkably informative liner notes by music historian Dave Thompson and little seen photos of Pop in his heyday. Order your copy today!
Digital: https://orcd.co/iggypop_raretrax
TRACK LIST:
1. China Girl (The Idiot Alternate Mix)
2. Dum Dum Boys (The Idiot Alternate Mix)
3. Baby (The Idiot Alternate Mix)
4. Tiny Girls (The Idiot Alternate Mix)
5. It's My Life (Party Outtake)
6. Bang Bang (Party Alternate Mix)
7. Sea of Love (Party Alternate Mix)
8. Time Won't Let Me (Party Alternate Mix)
9. Lust For Life (Live Mix)
10. The Passenger (Live Mix)
11. Beside You (Steve Jones Demo)
12. Cry for Love (Steve Jones Demo)
13. Purple Haze (Steve Jones Demo)
14. Warm Feeling (Steve Jones Demo)
15. Family Affair
16. Fire Engine (Ministry Mix)
17. Warrior Tribe
18. I Wanna Be Your Dog (The Brains Mix)