The Stooges

Iggy Pop formed the Psychedelic Stooges with the Ashetons and bassist Dave Alexander in 1967. Their first gig was Halloween night, 1968. Signing to Elektra Records in '69, the band chose John Cale (ex-Velvet Underground) as its producer, released a self-titled debut album and removed Psychedelic from the name. In 1970 the Stooges released a second album, Fun House, recorded almost live with a PA. After recording Fun House, the Stooges shocked audiences with Iggy's self-destructive performance at the Cincinnati Pop Festival. Elektra fired the Stooges that June, and the Stooges broke up as Iggy battled a heroin addiction. Two years later, Iggy and the Stooges reformed with the help of David Bowie to release a third album, Raw Power. The album was a commercial flop as was the rest of the Stooges' career, and Iggy Pop went on to solo. By the mid-'80s, the Stooges' underground recording days had earned the group fame as one of punk rock's first bands, thereby solidifying its legacy in rock history.