| Ready to Die | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 30, 2013 | |||
| Recorded | 2012–2013 | |||
| Studio | Fantasy, Berkeley, CA | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 34:44 | |||
| Label | Fat Possum | |||
| Producer | James Williamson | |||
| The Stooges chronology | ||||
| ||||
Ready to Die is the fifth and final studio album by American rock band The Stooges. The album was released on April 30, 2013, by Fat Possum Records. [3] The album was the band's biggest success on the Billboard 200 chart, where it debuted at number 96. [4]
On February 25, 2013, Iggy Pop announced that The Stooges' fifth album Ready to Die would be released on April 30, 2013. [5] In July 2013, in an interview with Guitar World , Iggy Pop spoke about the song titled "DD's", saying: "It's funny that that song gets a lot of attention. If it was as bad as some people say it is, it wouldn't be getting noticed. But it's getting noticed as much as its subject gets noticed." [6]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 66/100 [7] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [8] |
| The A.V. Club | C [9] |
| Consequence of Sound |  [1] |
| Chicago Tribune | [10] |
| The Guardian | [11] |
| The Independent | [12] |
| NME | 8/10 [2] |
| Pitchfork | 5.6/10 [13] |
| Rolling Stone | [14] |
| Slant Magazine | [15] |
Ready to Die was met with generally favorable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews and ratings from mainstream critics, the album received a score of 66, based on 35 reviews. [7] On April 28, 2013, in the first major review of the album, authorized Stooges biographer Jeffrey Morgan wrote on his website: "Strangely believe it, this new 40th Anniversary Edition ain’t all that bad. I could continue waxing euphonic about how fantoonie this sonic sizzler is, but your time would be far better spent spinning it instead." [16] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic gave the album four out of five stars, saying "Ready to Die is, against all odds, a terrific Stooges album." [8] Ryan Bray of Consequence of Sound gave the album three and a half stars out of four, saying "Ready to Die is another torrid tour de force from a band built for speed, not comfort." [1]
Tim Stegall of The Austin Chronicle gave the album four out of five stars, writing that "Ready to Die finds the quintet on Fat Possum, making them indie artists for the first time, and they give their new label the best produced, loudest, and slickest – without sacrificing any primal grit and drive – Stooges disc yet." [17] Jason Heller of The A.V. Club gave the album a C, saying, "Luckily there are enough high points on the album to mark it as a clear improvement over The Weirdness ." [9] Julian Marszalek of The Quietus gave the album positive review, but added that "[i]t's not going to replace the band's first three peerless albums in your affections, and the chances of frequent revisits after its initial satisfying of curiosity are low." [18] Jamie Fullerton of NME gave the album an eight out of ten, saying "The most significant thing about the album is the return of guitarist James Williamson following the death of Ron Asheton in 2009." [2]
Kitty Empire of The Guardian gave the album three out of five stars saying, "Obviously, RTD is no sequel to Raw Power. But there is an oomph to it. Despite being crass and ill-judged, RTD is actually fun in parts." [11] Jesse Cataldo of Slant Magazine gave the album one and a half stars out of five, saying, "The odd duck here is the surprisingly gentle 'The Departed', a slide guitar–laced burble which compares Iggy Pop to the yellowed pages of a photo album. It's honest and introspective, and has no place whatsoever on a Stooges album, a fact that only serves as a reminder that a new Stooges album has no real place in the year 2013." [15] Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune gave the album three out of four stars, saying "Though it is nowhere near as indelible as the Stooges' first three landmark albums, Ready to Die is much stronger than the band's 2007 comeback, The Weirdness." [10] Jon Young of Spin gave the album an eight out of ten, saying "Ready to Die is a weirdly exhilarating gem, thanks to Iggy's fiery eloquence and the Stooges' still-raw power. Apparently rock'n'roll can be an old man's game after all." [19]
All tracks are written by Iggy Pop and James Williamson except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Burn" | 3:37 | |
| 2. | "Sex & Money" | 3:18 | |
| 3. | "Job" | 3:05 | |
| 4. | "Gun" | 3:07 | |
| 5. | "Unfriendly World" | 3:46 | |
| 6. | "Ready to Die" | 3:06 | |
| 7. | "DD's" | 3:12 | |
| 8. | "Dirty Deal" | 3:42 | |
| 9. | "Beat That Guy" | 3:15 | |
| 10. | "The Departed" | Pop, Williamson, Scott Asheton | 4:36 |
| Total length: | 34:44 | ||
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 11. | "Dying Breed" | 3:12 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11. | "The Departed" (Instrumental version) | Pop, Williamson, Asheton | 4:36 |
The Stooges
Other musicians
| Chart (2013) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [20] | 26 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [21] | 100 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [22] | 57 |
| French Albums (SNEP) [23] | 36 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [24] | 62 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [25] | 49 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [26] | 50 |
| UK Albums (OCC) [27] | 77 |
The Stooges, originally billed as the Psychedelic Stooges, and also known as Iggy and the Stooges, were an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967 by singer Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Asheton, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave Alexander. Initially playing a raw, primitive style of rock and roll, the band sold few records in their original incarnation and gained a reputation for their confrontational performances, which often involved acts of self-mutilation by Iggy Pop.
James Newell Osterberg Jr., known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, musician, songwriter, actor and radio broadcaster. He was the vocalist and lyricist of proto-punk band the Stooges, who were formed in 1967 and have disbanded and reunited many times since. Often called the "Godfather of Punk", he was named one of the 50 Great Voices by NPR. In 2010, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Stooges. Pop also received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020 for his solo work.
Raw Power is the third studio album by American rock band the Stooges, released on February 7, 1973 by Columbia Records. The album departed from the "groove-ridden, feel-based songs" of the band's first two records in favor of a more anthemic hard rock approach inspired by new guitarist James Williamson, who co-wrote the album's eight songs with singer Iggy Pop. Pop produced the recording sessions himself and David Bowie assisted with post-production work, though the team were allotted only one day to mix the album and the resulting fidelity was poor. Later reissues have attempted to either correct or enhance the original mix, most notably Pop's 1997 remix, which became notorious for its extreme volume and compression.
Lust for Life is the second solo studio album by the American musician Iggy Pop, released on September 9, 1977, through RCA Records. It was his second collaboration with David Bowie after The Idiot, released in March the same year. Shortly after Bowie released his own album Low in January, Pop went on a tour to support The Idiot with Bowie as his keyboardist. At the tour's conclusion, Pop and Bowie regrouped in Berlin to record the former's next solo album.
Soldier is the fourth studio album by American rock singer Iggy Pop. It was released in February 1980 by record label Arista.
Ronald Franklin Asheton was an American musician, who was best known as the guitarist, bassist, and co-songwriter for the rock band the Stooges. He formed the Stooges along with Iggy Pop and his brother, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave Alexander. Asheton, once ranked as number 29 on Rolling Stone's list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, is currently ranked at number 60.
The Idiot is the debut studio album by the American musician Iggy Pop, released on March 18, 1977, through RCA Records. It was produced by David Bowie and primarily recorded at the Château d'Hérouville in Hérouville, France. The album followed the break-up of Pop's band the Stooges in 1974 and a period of drug addiction for both Pop and Bowie, after which the two moved to Europe in an effort to kick their addictions.
New Values is the third studio album by American musician Iggy Pop. It was released in April 1979 by record label Arista.
Skull Ring is the fourteenth studio album by American rock singer Iggy Pop, released in November 2003. Every track on the album features guest performers. The performers are The Stooges, The Trolls, Green Day, Sum 41, and Peaches.
Metallic K.O. is a live recording by American hard rock band The Stooges. In its original form, the album was purported to contain the last half of a performance at the Michigan Palace in Detroit, on February 9, 1974—the band's final live performance until their reformation in 2003. The performance was notable for the level of audience hostility, with the band being constantly pelted with pieces of ice, eggs, beer bottles and jelly beans, among other things, in response to Iggy Pop's audience-baiting.
Scott Randolph Asheton was an American musician, best known as the drummer for the rock band the Stooges.
Naughty Little Doggie is the eleventh studio album by American rock singer Iggy Pop released in 1996. The last track, "Look Away", features his tribute to Johnny Thunders and Sable Starr. The photography is by David Sims and Anton Corbijn; and the artwork by Phil Bicker.
James Robert Williamson is an American guitarist, songwriter, record producer and electronics engineer. He was a member of the iconic proto-punk rock band The Stooges, notably on the influential album Raw Power and in the reformed Stooges from 2009 to 2016. Between his stints in music, Williamson worked in Silicon Valley developing computer chips. Most recently he has continued as a solo artist.
"Search and Destroy" is a song by American rock band the Stooges, recorded for the group's third album Raw Power (1973). Lead singer Iggy Pop said that the title was derived from a column heading in a Time article about the Vietnam War.
The Weirdness is the fourth studio album by American proto-punk band The Stooges. Released on 5 March 2007, it was the first Stooges album of new material since Raw Power in 1973, and is also the final album to feature guitarist Ron Asheton, who died in early 2009. Founding members Iggy Pop (vocals), Ron Asheton (guitar), and Scott Asheton (drums) are featured, along with new band member Mike Watt, formerly of Minutemen, and returning guest musician Steve Mackay (saxophone), who appeared on The Stooges' 1970 album, Fun House.
The discography of the Stooges—a Detroit, Michigan based rock band founded by "The Godfather of Punk Music" Iggy Pop as singer, Ron Asheton as guitarist, Dave Alexander as bass-guitarist and Scott Asheton as drummer—currently consists of five studio albums, twenty-four singles, four live albums, and three box sets.
The Eternal is the fifteenth and final studio album by American rock band Sonic Youth, released on June 9, 2009, by Matador Records. It was their first studio album in three years, making it the band's longest gap between studio albums.
Préliminaires is the fifteenth studio album by American rock singer Iggy Pop, released in Europe on May 25, 2009 by record label Astralwerks, and in the US on June 2. It was inspired by the singer's reading of Michel Houellebecq's novel La Possibilité d'une île.
Post Pop Depression is the seventeenth studio album by American rock singer Iggy Pop, released by Caroline International / Loma Vista Recordings on March 18, 2016. Produced by Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, the album was recorded in secrecy and features contributions from Queens of the Stone Age keyboardist and guitarist Dean Fertita, and Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders.
Free is the eighteenth studio album by American rock singer Iggy Pop, released by Caroline International and Loma Vista Recordings on September 6, 2019. It features contributions from Noveller and Leron Thomas, and the title track was released along with the album announcement. A music video for the album's second single, "James Bond", was released on August 14, 2019.
