The Stooges' Iggy Pop
Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/ Getty Images

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class of 2010 runs the gamut from the progenitors of bloody-knuckle punk rock, the Stooges, to the group that made candy-colored disco sing-alongs a worldwide obsession, ABBA.

According to Rolling Stone, the Detroit-bred architects of "Raw Power" and the Swedish pop tarts are among a group of inductees that also includes long-running prog-rock-turned-radio-pop group Genesis, reggae icon Jimmy Cliff and 1960s English rock group the Hollies.

The 25th annual induction ceremony will return to New York's Waldorf Astoria on March 15, 2010, after taking a detour to Cleveland — home of the actual Hall of Fame building — for last year's ceremony, which enshrined Metallica, Run-DMC and Jeff Beck. The induction of the Stooges will end a long journey for Iggy Pop's band, after seven missed opportunities.

"We've been rejected seven times, and we would have set a record, I think, if it happened again," Pop told Rolling Stone. "It started to feel like Charlie Brown and the football. I had about two hours of a strong emotional reaction after hearing the news. It felt like vindication. Then I kind of scratched my head and thought, 'Am I still cool? Or is that over now?' "

Even more surprised was ABBA co-founder Benny Andersson, who said, "I didn't think this would happen, because we were a pop band, not a rock band. ... Being a foreigner from the North Pole, this feels really good."

And while the Hall of Fame has lured a number of notoriously quarrelsome bands out of retirement for one more ride at the induction ceremony — including the Talking Heads and Led Zeppelin — it's unlikely that the four former members of ABBA will be squeezing into their bedazzled aquamarine jumpsuits for one more go-round, since the bandmembers have repeatedly turned down hundreds of millions to reunite since their split in 1983.

"The people who are really fond of ABBA for what we did, I think we are doing them a favor by not going out," Andersson said, although he did not rule it out entirely. "It's 99 against 1 [odds], though."

Among the nominees not making the list this time around were first-timers LL Cool J, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kiss and singer/songwriter Laura Nyro. Some repeat nominees also got left off again, including disco queen Donna Summer and girl-group icons Darlene Love and the Chantels.

To be eligible for the Rock Hall, an act must have released its first single or album 25 years before the nomination.

The Ahmet Ertegun Award for non-performers will be given to record executive David Geffen, as well as songwriters Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil ("You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'," "Somewhere Out There"), Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry ("Be My Baby," "Da Doo Ron Ron"), Jesse Stone ("Shake, Rattle and Roll"), Mort Shuman ("Viva las Vegas," "This Magic Moment") and Otis Blackwell ("Fever," "Great Balls of Fire," "Don't Be Cruel").

The presenters and performers will be announced in early 2010.

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• The Stooges
• Genesis
• ABBA

The Stooges' Ron Asheton in 2007
Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

Ron Asheton, an original member of influential proto-punks the Stooges, was found dead in his Ann Arbor, Michigan, home early Tuesday morning (January 6). He was 60 years old.

According to The Ann Arbor News, Asheton's personal assistant contacted police late Monday after being unable to reach him for days. When officers arrived at Asheton's home, they found his body on a living-room couch. He appeared to have been dead for at least several days. Detectives told the newspaper that the cause of death is undetermined, but that investigators do not suspect foul play. Autopsy and toxicology results are pending.

Asheton played guitar and bass in the Stooges, which he formed in Ann Arbor in 1967 with frontman Iggy Pop, Ron's brother Scott on drums and bassist Dave Alexander. Asheton's signature skuzzy riffs can be heard on such classic tracks as "I Wanna Be Your Dog" and "Down the Street," from the Stooges' first two albums (1969's self-titled debut and 1970's Fun House). He switched to bass for the band's third album, Raw Power, in 1973, after Alexander was fired from the group.

Though none of the Stooges' three albums could have even charitably been considered commercial successes when they were first released, they are today considered touchstones of raw, sludgy rock, hugely influential on the punk, metal and alternative genres that would break through to the mainstream in the decades that followed. And the band's frantic, primitive live shows — which sometimes featured Pop cutting himself with shards of glass and diving headfirst into the audience — toed the line between performance art and out-and-out brutality, setting the guidelines for the mosh-pit heroics of basically every hard-rock act of the past 30 years.

After Power, Asheton left the Stooges and played in a series of bands, including the New Order and Destroy All Monsters. In 2003, he reunited with his brother Scott and bassist Mike Watt to play on Pop's solo album, Skull Ring. That same year, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at number 29 on their 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time list.

In 2005, the Stooges reunited — with Watt once again on bass — to play a series of U.K. festival gigs. Then in 2007, they released their first album of new material in nearly 35 years, The Weirdness. They promoted the album with a lengthy tour, including raucous stops at the South by Southwest music festival in Austin and Lollapalooza in Chicago.

In September, the Stooges were nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, alongside acts like Run-DMC and Metallica. Inductees will be announced later this month.

• The Stooges

Menomena

Now that the Austin dust has settled, it's time to gain some perspective on last weekend's South By Southwest madness. Thousands of signed and unsigned bands descended on the Texas city like a swarm of locusts (locusts with demos). Ultimately, there were only a handful of bands truly worth recognizing. While Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse and the Stooges may have garnered the most press -- here are some of the bands that may have regrettably slipped through the cracks.

Who: Yeasayer

Where are they from? Brooklyn, New York

Is there a record out? No, not yet. But its debut will be released via Baltimore, Maryland's Monitor Records this coming summer. In the meantime, you can hear a couple of demos on their MySpace page.

Website? Click Here

What do they sound like? At times, the foursome projected a wholly distinct vibe like a manic Peter Gabriel -era Genesis channeled through Animal Collective but the band also manipulates their collective vocals (yes, they all sing) producing a sweet, harmonious cacophony.

The great moment: Performing the whole time under a green hoodie, front man Chris Keating walked intermittently into the audience frantically slapping his tambourine in the air.

Who: Ra Ra Riot

Where are they from? Syracuse, New York

Is there a record out? The band doesn't have a label yet, so there's only a self-released EP (which, incidentally, doesn't do justice to the live show). But based on the buzz of its SXSW performances this will all change very, very soon. What, you can't hear the labels bidding in the background?

Website? Click Here

What do they sound like? The six college aged kids create an enormous, hefty sound complete with a cello and violin, not unlike the Arcade Fire or the Olivia Tremor. And singer Wesley Miles croons earnestly but still not emotive enough that it's emo. Ra Ra Riot has enormous potential and considering the band is only a year old, the actualization is inevitable.

The great moment: Guitarist Milo Bonnacci and bassist Mathieu Santos rested their respective foreheads on one another's shoulders while riffing on their instruments.

Who: Jamie T

Where are they from? London, England

Is there a record out? Jamie's debut Panic Prevention is available in Europe on Virgin Records and at this current time, he has no American label.

Website? Click Here

What do they sound like? The cockney cockiness of the Arctic Monkeys meets the disjointed, slurred flow of the Streets meets the middle-finger attitude of the Clash meets the pop sensibility of Lily Allen meets the carelessness of the Fall. Basically, a lot of meetings.

The great moment: When an audience member noted, "This guy is completely wasted." And it was probably true.

Who: Menomena

Where are they from? Portland, Oregon

Is there a record out? The debut I Am the Fun Blame Monster (an anagram for The First Menomena Album) was released on indie label filmGUERRO and features an 80-page flipbook. This year's critically acclaimed Friend And Foe was released on Barsuk in January and it's inarguably one of the year's strongest records.

Website? Click Here

What do they sound like? The unpretentious side of art-rock. There hasn't been a threesome as competent at playing their respective instruments since Rush. Justin Harris, Danny Seim, and Brent Knopf craft oddly timed, intricate pop songs that are heartbreakingly fragile.

The great moment: When drummer Seim flailed on his kit like the octopus prodigy of Keith Moon.

Who: The Black Lips

Where are they from? Atlanta, Georgia

Is there a record out? There are three indie releases out already but the forthcoming Los Vallentes del Mundo Nuevo, a live album recorded in Tijuana, is their first for Vice Records.

Website? Click Here

What do they sound like? Dirty, dirty rock and roll. The Nuggets -influenced retro-ruckus of the Lips is no revelation but these four rarely sober characters bring the party wherever they go.

The great moment: Considering the band performed thirteen times over the span of four days, there was no definitive great moment. Let's just say that all those live sets culminate into one massive great moment.

Who: The Twilight Sad

Where are they from? Glasgow, Scotland

Is there a record out? Fat Cat Records is currently offering two EPs but the full-length Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters will be out in just a few weeks.

Website? Click Here

What do they sound like? Orchestral rock with a honed passion. The guitar, bass, and drums project an aural fullness while singer James Graham's heartfelt, moving vocals soar above it all. Like Snow Patrol with bite, or Mogwai with sensitivity training.

The great moment: When Graham looked down pensively at the floor holding on to the microphone stand with extreme intensity while his band set off power-chord fireworks.

Who: Datarock

Where are they from? Norway

Is there a record out? Yes, but Datarock Datarock is only available on import and via iTunes, although, Nettwerk will release it this coming spring in the US.
Website? Click Here

What do they sound like? Based on the unabashed silliness of the Datarock uniform--a red hoodie, red sweatpants, and mirrored visors--this band is refreshingly brazen about having fun. Their songs reference the dance rock of Franz Ferdinand, the angular zaniness of Devo and the geeky white boy funk of Hot Chip. There wasn't a still person in the room.

The great moment: When front man Fredrik Saroea riled the crowd up into a frantic clap-along.

Watch videos from this year's artists.

VH1 Blog: Complete SXSW Coverage.

• Amy Winehouse
• The Stooges
• Peter Gabriel
• Animal Collective
• Arcade Fire

Iggy Pop
Photo: MTV News

AUSTIN, Texas — Whatever you do, don't lump Iggy Pop and the Stooges in with all those other bands attempting to bury the hatchet and hit the road this year. Cornered behind his dressing room at Stubb's around 3:30 a.m. on Sunday after a lightning-rod performance that closed out the South by Southwest festival, Pop said his reunion with Stooge mates Ron (guitar) and Scott Asheton (drums) — which actually started in 2003 — has nothing to do with bandwagon-eering.

"Yeah, because Sting [of the recently reunited Police] woke up one day and told his yoga instructor [affects effete British accent], 'I say ... I hear the Stooges are doing rather well. Can I have a print-out synopsis of their success, and perhaps we'll run a study of our reunion?' " he said, unleashing a maniacal grin.

"And then there's Van Halen, who thought 'Hey, everyone's doing it. ... Oh sh--, we hate each other!' And Genesis ... are they going to wear the masks again? Maybe they can form a company with Kiss — you know, Kiss-Esis ... Gene-Kiss."

Pop noted that the Stooges — who have been performing together again with former Minutemen bassist Mike Watt filling in for deceased member Dave Alexander (see "Apocalyptic' Stooges Close Out SXSW With A Bang") — never had to make an announcement that they were back. "We never hired an agent from Hollywood, being like 'OK, we're going to push this thing and make an announcement,' " he said.

"We just snuck up on it, and when everybody told us four years ago, 'This is your celebrity moment — make a record now,' we just told them to kiss off. We earned it," he continued; the band just released its first album together in 33 years, The Weirdness. "We're the last good band in the U.S.A."

Whether Pop was kidding or not, the proof may be in the explosive energy the band displayed at Stubb's, where the singer, who turns 60 in a few weeks, crackled with a fury that exceeded even his own typically spastic stage moves from previous decades. And he's clearly loving introducing a new audience to the band's patented mix of so-dumb-they're-smart lyrics and bare-bones rock and roll. "To me, it felt great, because the audience was young and beautiful, and fresh and clean, and just nice and not all Limp Bizkit-ed out yet," Pop said of the SXSW crowd. "Not all porno-ed out or heavied-out or anything ... just nice."

Subdued guitarist Ron Asheton added, "It's honest, straight-up music. It's simple rock and roll. It's to the point, it has energy. So what's not to like?"

And, though some critics are praising The Weirdness — recorded onto old-fashioned audio tape with no overdubs in less than two weeks by renowned minimalist Steve Albini — for hewing to the Detroit punk godfather's "classic" sound, Pop wonders when the Stooges became such respectable gentlemen.

"When we made the records that everyone said are so great now, nobody said anything good about them or us [then]," said Pop, whose devilish smile and boundless energy were still pumping hours after the show. "So we don't have that problem. We're in our own world, and we interface once in a while. It's kind of like we have our own individual spaceship. It's a nice reaction, but it's not like, 'Oh my God, these guys are geniuses.' People seem to like us, and they're happy when we play."

One of the new song's lyrics the band has taken some flack for is the line "my idea of fun is killing everyone" from "My Idea of Fun." Pop was unapologetic about the tune and the line, explaining, "I coulda said my idea of fun is just getting rid of everyone and just being alone, but it wouldn't have had the same impact," he said, leaning in, his eyes wide open. "If you wanna live a good life, learn how to kill everybody, but not physically. I think Jesus said something to that effect ... he said you have to forget about what you're taught."

Though silent for most of the interview, content to let Pop steer his ship of stream-of-consciousness weirdness into whatever rock he chose, Ron Asheton added that he, too, has an unorthodox idea of fun. "My idea of fun is walking my pit bulls on the shores of [Michigan's] Lake Huron and wearing my Glock 9mm pistol, with my AR-15 over my back, and my AK-47 sitting on the deck, because I can shoot at my house," he said with a deadpan smile.

And, in a perfect example of the way the two old friends vibe off each other, onstage and off, Asheton's riff inspired Pop to amend his idea of fun one more time. "My idea of fun is waking up at two in the morning on my filthy riverbank and sitting there and contemplating the moon as wild, muscular raccoons forage for garbage," he laughed. "And I hope they don't bite me."

The band has scheduled a string of U.S dates in April and will roll out more later this year.

Stooges tour dates, according to the band's publicist:

· 4/5 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
· 4/7 - Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre
· 4/9 - New York, NY @ United Palace Theatre
· 4/11 - Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
· 4/13 - Detroit, MI @ Fox Theatre
· 4/15 - Chicago, IL @ Congress Theater
· 4/17 - Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium
· 4/19 - San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
· 4/21 - San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
· 4/23 - Los Angeles, CA @ Wiltern LG
· 4/27 - Seattle, WA @ WaMu Theater

• Five Coolest Things At SXSW 2007

• Kings Of Leon, Mastodon, Flava Flav, More Rock SXSW '07

• The Stooges

The Kings of Leon's Caleb Followill performs at SXSW on Saturday
Photo: John Shearer/Wire Image

AUSTIN, Texas — We spent more than 100 hours on the ground in Austin, trying to take the temperature of South by Southwest 2007.

We wrestled with it, weighed it, complained about it and even wrote a bit about our experiences (see " 'Apocalyptic' Stooges Close Out SXSW With A Bang"). But after all that, what did we learn from SXSW '07, the biggest, most sprawling and — to be honest — most confusing installment in the fest's 20-year history?

( Didn't make it to SXSW? See the Stooges, Lily Allen and many more tear it up in Austin.)

We gathered MTV News' SXSW team in a room and let it rip. What follows is a no-nonsense look at the highs and lows of our time in Austin, plus a discussion of where the fest has been and where we think it's going.

James Montgomery, MTV News writer: I think the general consensus of SXSW this year was that there was no consensus. No one band came out of it and wowed everyone.

Gil Kaufman, MTV News writer: There wasn't one band that came there this year that everybody had to see or one that had everyone going, "Wow, those guys deserved all the hype," after seeing them. There were certainly some acts that got a lot of hype, like Peter Bjorn and John, that were overexposed because they played so many shows and people were bored with them. Or Amy Winehouse, who had a lot of hype and delivered but didn't seem to come out of it with more exposure (see "Amy Winehouse Raises Eyebrows, Bloc Party Draw A Mob As SXSW Wakes Up"). There wasn't a band like the Arctic Monkeys last year, who came, saw, delivered and everyone was talking about.

Montgomery: We'll get to the heavier stuff later, but for the sake of this wrap-up, if you had to pick one band or one moment from SXSW as your favorite, what would it be?

Christopher "CJ" Smith, MTV News segment producer: The Tom Morello show at the Parish (see "Tom Morello's SXSW Gig Turns Into Raucous All-Star Jam With Slash, Perry Farrell"). It was incredible. I was at the bar flirting with some girl when Perry Farrell, Slash and everyone walked onstage. And in my jaded indie-rock indifference, I sort of thought, "Oh, big deal." But after listening to Perry sing the Jane's Addiction stuff it clicked, and I was like, "Holy sh--, this is really awesome." And as it went on, it kept getting better and better. ... everyone in the crowd was feeling it.

John Norris, MTV News correspondent: A personal favorite of mine, because I hadn't seen them yet, was definitely Beirut. And their show was the most difficult to get into. I had to wait 20 minutes to get in, and I was way in the back, and I was not sorry at all. And it was a bit of a messy show because they were planning on doing a shorter set than they actually did. And I think their music is so different, and Zach [Condon] is so special, that I didn't mind being way in the back for it.

Alyssa Vitrano, MTV News director of talent: Cold War Kids, Thursday night at La Zona Rosa. Love the album, and this was the kind of show that made you think differently about some of the songs, in a good way. I'm now newly obsessed with "Hospital Beds" — an eloquent performance that made me really listen to the lyrics. And "Saint John" was never one of my favorite tracks on the album but was the best live song I've seen in forever.

Montgomery: My favorite show was Against Me!, even though I went to school in Gainesville, Florida, where they're from, and I've seen them a bunch before. But just the fact that they had a new record coming out and getting to hear the new stuff. But also the energy and the crowd that stuck around to see them. It was like a warehouse show I would go to when I was 14. And it wasn't even a SXSW show at all. And they played after Jack's Mannequin, so like three-quarters of the crowd left and it was just Against Me! fans. And the energy they brought, it was really excellent.

Kaufman: I'm gonna say the Stooges, who had nothing to prove but rocked. I mean, everyone knows that Iggy is going to come out with no shirt on, and his pants are going to fall down at some point, and he's going to jump into the audience, and he's going to bring all the kids up onstage, but he just gave it 900 percent. And it's a totally predictable pick, because of course the white rock critic from the Midwest is gonna say that, but the energy was just incredible.

Montgomery: See it's weird, because even though all of those may have been great things, I didn't really hear anyone talking about them. I didn't hear anyone the next day saying that the Tom Morello jam was the greatest moment of the festival. But strangely, one thing I heard tons of people talking about was that Public Enemy show, which struck me as odd ... or, at least, very un-SXSW like (see "Grunge Rebirth, Beyonce Nod — And Flavor Flav! — More SXSW Surprises").

Kaufman: Everyone was talking about all the hip-hop stuff. Public Enemy, the Ghostface/Rakim Scion-sponsored thing at Stubb's. And it seemed like, at the very least, there were a lot more options than in the past. I mean, on Saturday night, when I couldn't get in to anything else, I walked from this singer/songwriter guy's show and saw this Mexican rock band and a Japanese band and then that band Black Moth Super Rainbow. And if you were looking for that, you could find all kinds of music ... but this year, it definitely seemed like there was a lot more hip-hop, a lot more Latin music and a lot more experimental hip-hop stuff.

Norris: The only thing I'll say about the hip-hop thing is that to an artist, from PE to Ghostface and Rakim, these are guys who have always had currency with rock fans. And not every hip-hop artist does. I couldn't imagine T.I. or the Game or Young Jeezy playing SXSW.

Kaufman: Well, for a long time, SXSW has been trying to broaden the scope of what they do and attract different types of audiences. On one hand, they try to stay true to their roots in Texas, by presenting a lot of rootsy, singer/songwriter types ... but I think this year, you could go to SXSW and not see a single rock band. Easily.

Montgomery: So perhaps this brings up the larger question of, "What's the point of SXSW?" Because to be honest, you're not going to get the average music fan heading down there, because the average music fan isn't going to spend $450 on a badge. And it seems to be less and less about a band coming to SXSW without representation and leaving with a manager, et cetera. I mean, Ghostface played, and he doesn't have a record coming out. The Stooges or Kings of Leon, it makes sense for them to play, but why Ghostface? Why do artists like him play the festival?

Kaufman: Think about the audience there: You have every rock critic in the country there. So it's an opportunity to make it in The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, MTV, whatever it is. And it's an opportunity to get in front of an audience that normally wouldn't come see you. I mean, plenty of indie kids love hip-hop, but given the choice between seeing Rakim or Cold War Kids on a Tuesday night, they're going to take the Cold War Kids. But if Rakim is playing on a Saturday afternoon, of course they're going to go see him. So I think it's a way for them to solidify that other side of their audience.

Montgomery: I bet Ghostface also got a free Scion out of it. But is there a true purpose for SXSW anymore?

Kaufman: Yeah, it's a business thing. And people slam it for that, but it's a promotional scheme for these labels to have showcases and show off their hot new things for a bunch of writers. ... I mean, some bands spend thousands of dollars to get down there, and they believe that they're gonna get discovered, but no one's going to see them. It's a showcase for labels to get all the important people in a room and get them excited about their product.

Smith: Well, I disagree. It's like what Zach Condon said to us: "The Internet is the new SXSW." And I agree with him. ... Music blogs did more hyping than all of SXSW put together.

Norris: And why is it more significant what some rock critic who goes down there has to say about a Peter Bjorn and John show at SXSW as opposed to what someone has to say about a show they played in a different town a month ago?

Kaufman: Not much, but it matters that they called them out of the hundreds of bands that were playing SXSW. That ink makes a difference. It gives the band a cachet.

Montgomery: Every year I'm down there, I find myself saying, "I fail to see how this pays dividends for anyone."

Kaufman: Well, look at a band like the Black Lips. SXSW is a great thing for them. We all know the Black Lips, but now I will tell anyone I know to go see the Black Lips. Or like Amy Winehouse, who when I first saw her, I thought she was phoning it in, and then when I saw her at night, she was really on. And I will tell people to go see her. It's that word of mouth that's most important.

Norris: I had always been kind of resistant to Sondre Lerche because I thought he was some throwaway singer/songwriter type. But then I saw him at this Astralwerks thing, and he's actually got this really great band, and I was impressed. So I will go tell people to check him out.

Montgomery: Was there anyone or anything you were disappointed with? I'll start by saying Lily Allen, who really let me down (see "Pete Wentz Clones Descend, Lily Allen Warbles As SXSW Gets Under Way"). I thought she was a total drag at the NME showcase. She came on drunk, she slagged people, it was a half-assed set. And compare that to Against Me!, who were excited and having fun.

Smith: I'll say the day parties. I had a bitch of a time getting into any of them. I mean, on the weekend, unless you got there from the start, you couldn't even get in. People would get there at noon to see, like, the Apples in Stereo. Oh, and the Peter Bjorn and John show was a letdown after all the hype they had been getting.

Vitrano: Beirut, only because by the time I got there it was so incredibly packed that I had to stand outside the door and couldn't see a thing. I was getting so jostled and annoyed that I had to leave. Crowds are the downside of SXSW. Especially if you're small.

Montgomery: So wrapping it up like Jerry Springer: Final thoughts on SXSW 2007?

Smith: It was a lot of loosely tied-together stories, which all seem to have overtaken the buzz factor of SXSW. I was surprised there weren't more people talking about specific, overarching themes or bands. And it took me by surprise that there wasn't an "it" band this year ... but everyone talking about the Stooges or hip-hop ... these more broad themes, and not specific bands. And I don't know if I like that or not. Because I was always under the impression that SXSW was where you broke, or where you found new bands.

Vitrano: It was better [than previous years] because I finally ate at Iron Works. In addition, Thursday was a near-perfect, 80-degree Austin day, with tons of great BBQ and bands. I hate going to festivals where lots of the higher-profile bands get all the attention. For some reason this year seemed really more about good music and less about hype. ... I don't even know what the past years' themes were, so I definitely don't have an answer about what this year's theme was — nor do I care. My theme is always the three B's: bands, BBQ and boys.

Montgomery: I'm struck by how all these points we're making about the festival are also completely interchangeable for the music industry. I was struck by how it's like a microcosm of all the problems the industry is facing now: It's too big, there's too much to see out there, you have no idea what's going to be big, it's too splintered, there are too many ways of consuming music.

Kaufman: And to that point, I think that the fact that I came away most excited about a band that's 40 years old is sort of odd in a way. ... I mean, I'm conflicted, because I was there to discover new music, but here I am going on and on about a band that's almost ready to get their Social Security check. But what the Stooges did for me was confirm the importance of going out there and doing whatever you do with utter conviction. Whether you're This Moment in Black History or Mary Timony or the Hush Sound, you get on that stage and just bring it. And that's what I came away with: a rededication to live performance proving who you are.

For more sights and stories from concerts around the country, check out MTV News Tour Reports.

• Five Coolest Things At SXSW 2007
• Morello Jams With Slash, Farrell At SXSW

• Kings Of Leon, Mastodon, Flava Flav, More Rock SXSW '07

• Amy Winehouse
• Arctic Monkeys
• Cold War Kids
• The Stooges
• Lily Allen

Iggy Pop
Photo: Jo Hale/ Getty Images

Attention Warped Tour organizers: If you were planning to extend an invite to Iggy Pop and the Stooges, don't bother.

"I was pretty damn interested in doing it," Pop said, "but then they had Billy Idol and Joan Jett out, so my enthusiasm's slightly dampened because I feel like it's now an established sort of oldies slot or something. Also," the legendary frontman added, "those two particular artists are people who had overwhelmingly ubiquitous radio hits and don't have that anymore. I wouldn't like to be in the sliding zone, because this band is still in its ascendancy."

Of course, that ascendant band is not some outfit he started five years ago: It's the Stooges, the highly influential, highly visceral protopunk act that reunited back in 2003 after a nearly 30-year break.

But to Iggy, the revived Stooges still feel fresh. And the way he sees it, the Stooges are doing more these days than they did during their heyday, with sales of the band's first three albums stronger than ever and a new album — produced by Steve Albini (Nirvana, Pixies) — called The Weirdness due in stores on March 20. The Stooges appeared on some tracks on Iggy's 2003 LP Skull Ring, but this will be their first studio LP since 1973's groundbreaking Raw Power.

Still, Pop's not about to apologize for taking a 33-year break between albums. "Look, a lot of the people that dig us now didn't have to wait 33 years, because they haven't been alive for all that time!" Pop laughed. "If someone digs our old stuff and they're only, say, 15, they've probably only been digging it since they were 11. So they only had four years to wait. We're like a new band to most of these kids who're getting into us."

The reunion was somewhat inadvertent, as the Stooges were just one of several acts Pop had put on his wish list of collaborators for Skull Ring. "By early 2000, I was just at the end of my rope, and decided to do an album with guests [including the Trolls, Green Day, Sum 41 and Peaches] because I couldn't think of anything else to do," he said (see "Iggy Pop, Sum 41 Think They 'Know It All' "). "Some of the Stooges were out playing on the road, and I kept hearing about it every day. So I put them on my list, and it was just supposed to be one song. But the public response was very, very strong — almost overwhelming. All of a sudden, the switchboard was lighting up at [his label] Virgin's offices, and then they wanted more cuts [that featured the Stooges]. Coachella called for a gig, and it was all too fast for me, so I turned them down a couple of times. I think everyone saw a 'legendary celebrity' moment — they saw a reality show, and that scared me off, because I'm not that sort of dude."

Although the band's split was nothing if not acrimonious, Pop said the surviving Stooges — guitarist Ron Asheton and his drummer brother Scott, as well as part-time sax man Steve MacKay; bassist Dave Alexander died of pneumonia in 1975 and has been replaced by Mike Watt of the Minutemen and Firehose — put it all behind them and began playing their uniquely explosive gigs again (see "Pants Dropping, Pop Popping At Stooges/Godsmack NYC Show"). "We just hunkered down, and we've been working toward this moment ever since. We started writing and saved it up for three years, and bing, bang, boom, here it is."

Pop said the Stooges had been getting together three times a year for five-day songwriting stretches, from which at least two solid tunes would emerge that "were really up our alley." There would also be a few "that were pretty damn good, but they weren't up our alley," he said. "If we put 'em out, you'd be scratching your head going, 'What the f---?'

"Like, we tried to do a country song and it turned out well. For a while, we considered putting it on the record. We tried to do what made sense to us internally, but not to forget that at the end of the day, when you put something before the public, you're just like a kid going to high school for another day. People know you, they type you. If you were a cheerleader Monday, you damn well better bring those pom poms Tuesday."

At first, Pop said it was hard to get back on the Stooges bicycle and ride it with any authority. The band was older, wiser and into very different things, personally and musically. This led to several hits and many misses.

"There was one song that Ron had wrote, and it was pretty f---ing good, and I came up with a melody and lyrics for it that sounded frighteningly like Pat Benatar," Pop recalled with a guttural guffaw. "Because we were trying sh--, you know? I bet I could write one of those '80s, slick, bombastic rock songs. 'This song could have been Bon Jovi!' So we tried this and that, but then you evaluate the stuff a couple of months afterwards and then you realize, 'We can't do that.' "

The Weirdness will feature 16 tracks in all, including "Greedy Awful People," "Claustrophobia," "Mexican Guy," "I'm Fried," "ATM," "O Solo Mio," "She Took My Money," "End Of Christianity" and "Free and Freaky," the latter of which features guest vocals from the Raconteurs' Brendan Benson.

From a lyrical standpoint, Pop said he wasn't inspired by the same things that made him so angry back in the day. He's a different guy now and doesn't have as much reason to be mad.

"I'm just now getting the rewards that you were supposed to get from my job when I was 21," he said. "I'm just getting 'em now. I got a hot chick. I can drive whatever I want to. I can go to the ATM and pull out a bunch of money. I have a swell job. How angry do I have to be? Just a little bit. My thing [with this record was] more like finding ways of saying 'You suck!' without actually saying it."

Thus, the lyrics are about his world and his life. The song "You Can't Have Friends," for instance, is a slap at the rock-star ethos. "It's like, 'Boo hoo, I'm so successful and everybody wants to sleep with me because I'm a rock star, and everyone wants to be my friend because they think I have lots of money. Boo hoo!' " he said. "Too bad. You can't have friends. Big deal."

And the album's lead-off track, "Trollin' " is about how he "picked up" his girlfriend, and the words to the song were inadvertently inspired by the Red Hot Chili Peppers' John Frusciante.

"He gave an interview to Q magazine, and he was ragging on Anthony [Kiedis, the Peppers' frontman], and said, 'Well, I don't want to be Iggy Pop, I don't want to be some 60-year-old guy running around L.A. trying to pick up chicks,' " Pop recalled. "He said he wanted to read the Kabbalah and be a scholar, and I'm thinking, 'Sh--.' I was really pissed off at first, and then I thought, 'Yeah, but he's right. I'm a 60-year-old guy riding around L.A., looking for chicks.' But then I was like, 'Wait a minute! I haven't done that since I was 53!'

"I wanted to write a letter to the editor because I was really mad," he concluded. "But I saved it up for this song instead."

• Iggy Pop
• The Stooges

Debbie Harry
Photo: Paul Hawthorne/ Getty Images

Though there are a handful of comparatively fresh faces, many of this year's nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame may be hoping that the second — or fifth or eighth — time is the charm.

New names on the ballot this year include late jazz giant Miles Davis, new wavers Blondie ("Heart of Glass"), Texas rockers the Sir Douglas Quintet ("She's About a Mover"), singer/songwriter-turned-Muslim-activist Cat Stevens ("Wild World"), '60s white-blues act the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and British Invasion-era combo the Dave Clark Five ("Glad All Over").

The ballot also includes previous nominees John Mellencamp, the J. Geils Band, disco-era group Chic (whose "Good Times" was the musical foundation of Sugarhill Gang's pioneering "Rapper's Delight"), Texas soul singer Joe Tex ("I Gotcha") and punk godmother Patti Smith. Pioneering hip-hop act Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five will make a second attempt at being the first rap group inducted into the Hall.

The rest of the nominees have had multiple shots at induction. Legendary metal act Black Sabbath — who famously say they have no interest in being inducted — will go for a record eighth bid, Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd will clock in with their seventh, and punk group the Sex Pistols — whose frontman, John Lydon, called the Hall "The place where old rockers go to die" — and punk prototypes the Stooges will give it a fifth go.

The failure of these oft-nominated artists to be inducted has inspired much debate (see "So How Do You Get Into The Rock Hall Of Fame?").

Miles Davis was one of the most celebrated and enigmatic musicians of the modern jazz era, and crossed into rock territory with his innovative and influential work in the late '60s and early '70s, most famously on 1969's Bitches Brew LP.

Blondie, fronted by new-wave vixen Debbie Harry, started out on the New York punk scene in the mid-1970s and hit the charts with a patented style that fused punk-rock and girl-group sounds with elements of disco ("Heart of Glass") and hip-hop ("Rapture").

Singer/songwriter Cat Stevens released a series of introspective, folky hit albums in the 1970s with hits such as "Peace Train" and "Wild World" before retiring from music in 1977 and converting to Islam.

In 1964, London's Dave Clark Five were serious contenders for chart domination, but the group lost momentum after scoring hits like "Glad All Over," "Bits and Pieces" and "Because" and faded from view.

Paul Butterfield was one of the first white blues harmonica players to earn widespread praise for his playing as the leader of his eponymous band. He is credited with turning white audiences onto the classic sound of electric Chicago blues in the 1960s and earning a place in rock history when his band backed Bob Dylan at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965 — the gig where Dylan was famously booed for playing an electric guitar.

Earlier this year, Buddy Guy, the O'Jays, the Pretenders, Percy Sledge and U2 were inducted into the Hall (see "Justin Timberlake, Bruce Springsteen To Induct This Year's Rock Hall Of Famers").

Artists become eligible for the Hall 25 years after the release of their first record. A group of 75 musicians, journalists and members of the music industry pick the nominees, who are then voted on by a larger group of approximately 700. The top nominees will be announced in December and inducted during the Hall's annual ceremony in New York next year.

• Top Rock Hall Nominees 2005

• Blondie
• Cat Stevens (Yusuf)
• Miles Davis
• Black Sabbath
• Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

Hilary Duff's <i>Most Wanted</i>
Photo: Hollywood Records

Mmm ... Duff: Hilary Duff's Most Wanted comes clean with three new songs ("Wake Up," "Beat of My Heart," "Break My Heart") produced by the Dead Executives — OK, the secret's out, it's the Madden brothers — but if those tracks and a few remixes aren't enough to tide you over, a "signature collector's edition" has four additional cuts (an acoustic "Who's That Girl"; an alternate "Jericho"; a dance remix of "Party Up"; and another new song, "Supergirl"), four "autographed" photo cards, a different album cover and a wristband.

Click Here: Dapperly dressed Berklee College of Music grads the Click Five, who've played with everyone from Ashlee Simpson to Rod Stewart (?!), removed the cover of the Tiffany staple "I Think We're Alone Now," which appeared on promo versions of their debut, Greetings From Imrie House, and tacked on a sendup of the Thompson Twins' "Lies" instead. Other highlights: "Just the Girl" (first single), "Catch Your Wave" and "Angel to You (Devil to Me)," co-written by Kiss' Paul Stanley and Cars guitarist Elliott Easten, who also lends some licks.

A Funk Eternal: Rick James gets a few touching goodbyes on Rick James Forever, from Johnny Gil and Howard Hewitt on "Just Got Played," and from daughter Ty on the closing track, "My Life." Other tracks on the posthumous release include the vintage-James-titled "When Your Body's Mine," "Freak Baby" and "Sex Slave."

Because Platinum Isn't Enough: The Killers' "Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll" has thoroughly infected radio, prompting a limited-edition re-press of the band's successful debut, Hot Fuss, along with two more B-sides, "The Ballad of Michael Valentine" and "Under the Gun." This one's got a straight-black cover, so you have no excuse for getting confused.

The 411 on Tread: A few additional 311 tracks have been hitting the pavement along with the band's Don't Tread on Me. iTunes offered the album's 11 songs plus bonus track "Little Brother" and two live slices prior to the release date; subsequently, it's offering just "Little Brother." But there's more: Early birds can get a free vinyl 7-inch at participating stores. Album tracks include "Thank Your Lucky Stars," "Whiskey & Wine" and "Long for the Flowers," a revised outtake from Transistor that was originally called "Grifters."

Covering the Bases: Madness go the way of the cover song on The Dangermen Sessions, Volume One, polishing off Diana Ross & the Supremes ("You Keep Me Hanging On"), the Kinks ("Lola") and Bob Marley ("So Much Trouble"). In the meantime, Cowboy Junkies use their Early 21st Century Blues to reinterpret Bruce Springsteen ("Brothers Under the Bridge," "You're Missing"), U2 ("One") and Bob Dylan ("License to Kill") — which could have qualified them for Drive-Thru's two-disc Listen to Bob Dylan, bristling with tips-o'-the-hat from Jason Mraz, Something Corporate and Rx Bandits.

Blood on the Tracks: "Blood on My Hands" (Todd Agnew's Reflection of Something), "Fist Wrapped in Blood" (Silverstein's Discovering the Waterfront), "The Blood, the Sweat, the Tears" (Machine Head's "Elegies" DVD).

Four for the Road: BoDeans and Magic Slim recorded their live albums at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee and at the Sierra Nevada Brewery in Chico, California, respectively. Also, "Alcohol" is the first single on Brad Paisley's salute to the sauce, Time Well Wasted; and Waco Brothers cough up "Drinkin' & Cheatin' & Death" on Freedom and Weep.

Song Titles Of The Week:

"Whacko Jacko Steals the Elephant Man's Bones," "Macaulay McCulkin" (The Fall of Troy's Doppelgänger)

Other Notables:

Taproot - Blue-Sky Research (Atlantic): Seeing as how it's been nearly three years since Taproot's Welcome, it may come as no surprise that the band came up with around 80 songs for Blue-Sky Research, with 13 cuts making the cut. Despite being on tour with Chevelle, they've managed to find time to shoot a video for the first single, "Calling." Other selections include "Lost in the Woods," "Violent Seas" and "Promise," all co-written by Billy Corgan.

Idlewild - Warnings/Promises (Capitol): The Scots seem to be snoozing on their fourth record, with songs like "As if I Hadn't Slept," "Too Long Awake" and "Goodnight," which ultimately puts the LP to rest. Released in March across the pond, this is the first album to feature the band's new bassist, Gavin Fox, and longtime touring guitarist, Allan Stewart.

Johnny Cash - The Legend: Limited Edition (Columbia/Legacy): The $329.98 price tag on this box-set-on-steroids might make you cry, cry, cry, but if you're a diehard fan, start filling up the piggybank. Unlike the standard set released earlier this month, this one has a 12-by-16-inch lithograph portrait and a hardback book of the same size. Plus there's a fifth disc, "Johnny Cash on the Air," featuring a 1955 recording of the Man in Black's first time on the radio, and a DVD containing a 1980 TV special.

Out Tuesday, August 16:

New releases:

• Todd Agnew - Reflection of Something (Ardent)
• Eric Alexander & Vincent Herring - The Battle: Live at Smoke (HighNote)
• Aly & AJ - Into the Rush (Hollywood)
• American Minor - American Minor (Red Ink/ Jive)
• Marc Antoine - Modern Times (Rendezvous Entertainment)
• Eddy Arnold - After All These Years (RCA Nashville)
  
• The Banner - Each Breath Haunted (Ferret)
• BEDlight for BlueEYES - The Dawn (Trustkill)
• David Benoit - Orchestral Stories (Peak/Concord)
• Elvin Bishop - Gettin' My Groove Back (Blind Pig)
• BoDeans - Homebrewed: Live From the Pabst (two CDs, Back Porch)
  Buy Now: Homebrewed: Live From the Pabst (Back Porch)
• Michael Brooks & Royal Priesthood - Michael Brooks & Royal Priesthood (Comin' Atcha)
• The Click Five - Greetings From Imrie House (Lava)
  Buy Now: Greetings From Imrie House (Lava)
  Read: "Click Five Winning Over Soccer Moms On Ashlee Simpson Tour"
• Shemekia Copeland - The Soul Truth (Alligator)
  Buy Now: The Soul Truth (Alligator)
• Cowboy Junkies - Early 21st Century Blues (Zoe/Rounder)
  Buy Now: Early 21st Century Blues (Zoe/Rounder)
• Joe Craven - Django Latino (Compass)
• Rodney Crowell - The Outsider (Columbia)
  Buy Now: The Outsider (Columbia)
• Cuban Link - Chain Reaction (Mob)
  Buy Now: Chain Reaction (Mob)
• Dirty - Hood Stories (Asylum/Rap-A-Lot)
• Hilary Duff - Most Wanted (Hollywood)
  Buy Now: Most Wanted (Hollywood)
  Read: "Cheaper By The Duo? Hilary Duff Teams Up With Madden Brothers For New LP"
• Aydin Esen, Anthony Jackson, Dave Liebman and Steve Smith - Flashpoint (Tone Center)
• The Fall of Troy - Doppelgänger (Equal Vision)
• Flotation Toy Warning - Bluffers Guide to the Flight Deck (Misra)
• Foghorn Stringband - Weiser Sunrise (Nettwerk)
• Gang Gang Dance - Hillulah (EP, Social Registry)
• Philip Gayle - The Mommy Row (Family Vineyard)
• Jimmie Dale Gilmore - Come on Back (Rounder)
• Goapele - Change It All (Columbia)
  Buy Now: Change It All (Columbia)
• Johnny Casino's Easy Action - We've Forgotten More Than You'll Ever Know (Steel Cage)
• Hanna-McEuen - Hanna-McEuen (DreamWorks Nashville)
• Harsh Krieger - Harsh Krieger (Megaforce)
• Idlewild - Warnings/Promises (Capitol)
  Buy Now: Warnings/Promises (Capitol)
• Rick James - Rick James Forever (Sanctuary Urban)
  Buy Now: Rick James Forever (Sanctuary Urban)
• Sheila Jordan and Cameron Brown - Celebration: Live at the Triad (HighNote)
• Madness - The Dangermen Sessions, Volume One (V2)
  Buy Now: The Dangermen Sessions, Volume One (V2)
• Magic Slim & the Teardrops - Anything Can Happen (Blind Pig)
• Bill Mays Trio - Live at Jazz Standard (Palmetto)
• Tony McManus & Alain Genty - Singing Sands (Compass)
• George McRae - Latest and Greatest Hits (Empire Musicwerks)
• Malcolm Middleton - Into the Woods (Chemikal Underground)
• Bart Millard - Hymned No. 1 (DualDisc same day; INO)
• Mira - There I Go Daydreamer (Projekt)
• Mr. Capone-E - A Soldier's Story (Thump)
• Nazarenes - Songs of Life (Heartbeat/Rounder)
• Salim Nourallah - Beautiful Noise (Western Vinyl)
• Oxes - Oxes EP (Monitor)
• Rocky Padilla - R&B Legend of the Underground (Thump)
• Brad Paisley - Time Well Wasted (Arista)
  Buy Now: Time Well Wasted (Arista)
• Papa Reu - Life & Music (Sanctuary Urban)
• Pras - Win Lose or Draw (Universal)
  Buy Now: Win Lose or Draw (Universal)
• Trevor Rabin - "The Great Raid" soundtrack (Varèse Sarabande)
• Randy Rogers Band - Live at Billy Bob's (Image)
• Side Sixty Seven - Beyond Warped Live Music Series (DualDisc, Immergent)
• The Siegel-Schwall Band - Flash Forward (Alligator)
• Silverstein - Discovering the Waterfront (Victory)
• Sleeping People - Sleeping People (Temporary Residence)
• Stryper - Reborn (Big3)
• Taproot - Blue-Sky Research (Atlantic)
  Buy Now: Blue-Sky Research (Atlanti)
  Read: "Taproot Tap Billy Corgan To Help Them Craft New LP"
• 10 Years - The Autumn Effect (Republic/Universal)
• 311 - Don't Tread on Me (Volcano)
  Buy Now: Don't Tread on Me (Volcano)
• 3rd Degree - The Pedestrian (Black Ice)
• Totalisti - Slaves to None (Magna Carta)
• Tren Brothers - The Swimmer EP (Western Vinyl)
• Unstable Ensemble - Embers (Family Vineyard)
• Waco Brothers - Freedom and Weep (Bloodshot)
• Jimmy Webb - Twilight of the Renegades (Sanctuary)
  Buy Now: Twilight of the Renegades (Sanctuary)
• A Wilhelm Scream - Ruiner (Nitro)
• Windsor for the Derby - Giving Up the Ghost (Secretly Canadian)
• Abdel Wright - Abdel Wright (Weapons of Mass Entertainment/ Interscope)
• Xeronimo - Xeronimo (Universal Latino)
• Various artists - Hands Across the Water: A Benefit for the Children of the Tsunami (Compass)
• Various artists - Listen to Bob Dylan (Drive-Thru)
• Various artists - Luaka Bop Remix (Luaka Bop)
• Various artists - This Is Americana, Vol. 2 (American Music Association)
• Various artists - "Valiant" soundtrack (Disney)

Notable reissues:

• Johnny Cash - The Legend: Limited Edition (box set, Columbia/Legacy)
• Dr. Israel - Inna City Pressure (two bonus tracks, ROIR)
• Ahmad Jamal - The Legendary Okeh and Epic Recordings (Epic/Legacy)
• Killers - Hot Fuss: Limited Edition (Island)
  Buy Now: Hot Fuss: Limited Edition (Island)
• Taj Mahal - The Essential Taj Mahal (Columbia/ Private Music/ Legacy)
• Gerry Mulligan - Jeru (Columbia/Legacy)
• Tito Puente - The Essential Tito Puente (RCA/Legacy)
• Ramones - Weird Tales of the Ramones (box set, Rhino)
• Artie Shaw - The Essential Artie Shaw (Bluebird/Legacy)
• Woody Shaw - Live at the Village Vanguard (Columbia/Legacy)
• Horace Silver - Silver's Blue (Columbia/Legacy)
• Stooges - Fun House (deluxe edition, Rhino)
• Stooges - The Stooges (deluxe edition, Rhino)
• Frank Zappa - Bongo Fury, Fillmore East, Freak Out!, Läther (box set, Rykodisc)
• Frank Zappa - One Size Fits All (remastered with mini album-jacket sleeve, Rykodisc)
• Frank Zappa - Roxy and Elsewhere (remastered with mini album-jacket sleeve, Rykodisc)
• Frank Zappa - Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar (remastered with mini album-jacket sleeve, Rykodisc)
• Frank Zappa - Weasels Ripped My Flesh (remastered with mini album-jacket sleeve, Rykodisc)
• Frank Zappa - Zappa in New York (remastered with mini album-jacket sleeve, Rykodisc)

DVDs:

• Judy Collins - "Pop Legends Live" (SRO)
• Emerson, Lake & Palmer - "Beyond the Beginning" (Sanctuary)
• Dizzy Gillespie - "Live in London" (Kultur)
• Benny Goodman - "At the Tivoli" (Kultur)
• Helloween - "Hellish Videos: The Complete Video Collection" (BMG)
• Herman's Hermits - "Pop Legends Live" (SRO)
• Chaka Khan - "Great Women Singers of the 20th Century" (Kultur)
• Abbey Lincoln - "Great Women Singers of the 20th Century" (Kultur)
• Machine Head - "Elegies" (Roadrunner)
• Magic Slim & the Teardrops - "Anything Can Happen" (live; Blind Pig)
• Randy Rogers Band - "Live at Billy Bob's" (Image)
• Sarah Vaughan - "Great Women Singers of the 20th Century" (Kultur)
• Nancy Wilson - "Great Women Singers of the 20th Century" (Kultur)
• Various artists- "The Dick Cavett Show: Rock Icons" (featuring David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, George Harrison, Janis Joplin and more; Shout! Factory)
• Various artists- "Jamboree" (Warner Bros.)

Coming Attractions:

August 23:

• Björk - "Drawing Restraint 9" soundtrack (One Little Indian)
• Jim Jones - Harlem: Diary of a Summer (Koch)
  Buy Now: Harlem: Diary of a Summer (Koch)
• Kurupt - Against the Grain (Death Row)
  Buy Now: Against the Grain (Death Row)

August 30:

• Death Cab for Cutie - Plans (Atlantic)
  Buy Now: Plans (Atlantic)
  Read: "Death Cab For Cutie Living Up To The 'Death' Part On Next LP"
• Rihanna - Music of the Sun (Def Jam)
  Buy Now: Music of the Sun (Def Jam)
• Kanye West - Late Registration (Def Jam)
  Buy Now: Late Registration (Def Jam)
  Read: " 'Can He Do It Again?' — Kanye West Says New LP Backs Up His Bragging"

September 6:

• 50 Cent - The Massacre (re-release, Interscope)
  Buy Now: The Massacre (Interscope)
• Sarah McLachlan - Sarah McLachlan in Bloom (remix album, Arista)
• The Rolling Stones - A Bigger Bang (Virgin)
  Buy Now: A Bigger Bang (Virgin)
  Read: "Rolling Stones Announce World Tour, Unveil New Song"

• Hilary Duff
• The Click Five
• Rick James
• 311
• Taproot

More than 20,000 rock fans gathered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Wednesday night to witness an historic performance by Linkin Park. Despite protests from numerous officials in the extremely stringent and religious city, the band was allowed to perform the concert, which was part of its tour of Asia. Prior to the show, Linkin Park had been told they couldn't wear shorts, curse or engage in any other inappropriate behavior while they played. Very few major artists are granted permission to perform in Kuala Lumpur. ...

Trick Daddy will head to court on December 15 to begin his trial on drug-possession and assault charges. The rapper, whose real name is Maurice Young, was arrested on September 24 when cops found cocaine in his shirt pocket as he was being ejected from the stands of a high school football game in Homestead, Florida. The run-in with the law put Young in violation of a bond order from a previous incident in February, and now he'll face all charges at his new trial. A Miami-Dade County judge ordered him to remain on house arrest until that date — a decision the State Attorney's Office calls lenient because it still allows him to perform locally. ... A recently reunited Iggy and the Stooges have joined the lineup of the fifth annual Voodoo Music Experience, taking place November 1 in New Orleans. While Iggy is on, the Donnas are off — the female quartet was forced to cancel due to drummer Donna C's wrist injury, which also recently derailed the group's European tour. Iggy and the Stooges augment an eclectic roster that already features 50 Cent, A Perfect Circle, the White Stripes and Queens of the Stone Age. ...

The upcoming Rage Against the Machine DVD, which hits shelves November 25, will include the free concert the band performed in the streets of Los Angeles during the 2000 Democratic National Convention. The show was scheduled as a protest against the two-party system and the policies of President Bill Clinton, who was speaking at the convention. ... Jack Bruce, singer/bassist for 1960s rock group Cream, underwent a liver transplant on September 19 and is now making a successful recovery, his family said in a statement. Bruce, 60, was diagnosed with liver cancer this summer, and underwent a previous transplant that resulted in infection and kidney failure before the successful transplant in September. "Jack will be with us for many years," the family said, "and obviously we are looking forward to more new songs, concerts and records." ...

Goldfinger singer John Feldmann, who has produced albums for Mest and Good Charlotte, has signed on to work again with the Used, who will return to the studio in December. Before then, Goldfinger will join Good Charlotte on the road from October 23 in Richmond, Virginia, to November 28 in Long Beach, California. Goldfinger are currently without a label, but Kung Fu Records is planning a live album as part of its The Show Must Go Off series. ... Swedish rockers Mando Diao have scheduled their first Stateside tour in support of their debut album, Bring 'Em In, released in August and featuring the single "Sheepdog." The outing begins October 22 in New York and ends November 6 in San Francisco. ...

Imagine a Broadway musical featuring the music of John Lennon. You may say we're dreaming, but we're not the only ones: Producers Edgar Lansbury and Don Scardino have a show in the works and are eyeing a 2004-05 debut. The play, which has the approval of Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, will feature roughly 30 songs from Lennon's post-Beatles career. ...

10.15.2003

Snoop Dogg has added yet another piece of swag to his arsenal. Following a couple of action figures released earlier this year, the Doggfather plans on dropping a third next month. The nine-inch figure from Sota Toys retails for $14.99 and is available in four outfits, including a dapper pin-striped suit. ...

Tickets for the Johnny Cash Memorial Tribute concert in Nashville on November 10 will be distributed for free through a lottery system. Those interested in attending must apply for the lottery by October 26 by sending a 3 1/2-by-5-inch card with their name, address and daytime phone number to: Johnny Cash Memorial Tribute, P.O. Box 20003, Nashville, TN 37202. Each applicant may only send one entry. John Mellencamp, Dwight Yoakam and George Jones have been added to the lineup, which also features Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Sheryl Crow, Hank Williams Jr., Jack Clement, Steve Earle, Larry Gatlin and Rosanne Cash. ... After a separation of over a year from his wife, Velvet Revolver/ Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland has filed for divorce. Weiland originally wanted a divorce from wife Mary right after the couple split, but dropped the issue in August. On Tuesday, he refiled in Los Angeles court because of irreconcilable differences. Weiland and his wife have two children and signed a prenuptial agreement before they married in May 2000. ...

It looks like Redman is finally ready to come out of hibernation. The funk doc is almost done preparing his new LP, Red Gone Wild, due in February. ... No more waiting three years for each LP. At the Source Awards, Lil' Kim said she's already in the lab working on the follow-up to La Bella Mafia, which dropped in March. ...

MC Thom Yorke? Not quite, but Radiohead are commissioning remixes for either an LP or EP due out next year, according to a band spokesperson. The group will get the hip-hop treatment by producer Madlib, the Los Angeles beat conductor who just released a Blue Note jazz remix album, Shades of Blue. Madlib was asked to work on the project by the band personally but had never heard Radiohead's music before. After a crash course, he chose the song "Sit Down. Stand Up" from Hail to the Thief. In addition to the Madlib remix, electronic producer Four Tet has taken on "Scatterbrain" for the project. ... The bluegrass group Iron Horse has just released an album of Metallica covers called Fade to Bluegrass: The Bluegrass Tribute to Metallica. The LP includes chicken-pickin' versions of "Fade to Black," "Enter Sandman" and "The Unforgiven," and features cover art modeled after The Black Album. ...

Ex-Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland, Rahzel of the Roots and Lisa Kekaula of the BellRays are among the guests on the Crystal Method's third studio album, Legion of Boom. Due January 13, the album includes the single "Born Too Slow," featuring John Garcia, former singer of stoner-rock pioneers Kyuss. ... "Let's Go (It's a Movement)," by Warren G featuring KRS-One and on-the-rise Japanese MC L'il Ai, will be the first single from Beef: The Soundtrack, which drops October 21. Besides the single, which is expected to surface at radio next week, the LP features classic controversial hits like "No Vaseline" by Ice Cube and "F--- Tha Police" by N.W.A. ...

Following last month's departure from Soulfly, Mikey Doling, Marcello D. Rapp and Roy Mayorga will now concentrate on Abloom, their project with members of Onesidezero. Abloom will play Los Angeles' Roxy on November 15. ... Joi, Angie Stone, DJ Premier and Nice & Smooth's Greg Nice attended Raphael Saddiq's show at New York's S.O.B.'s on Tuesday night. ...

The rendition of Frank Sinatra's "Can I Steal a Little Love" that Joey Fatone's lounge singer character sings in the upcoming movie "The Cooler" will be featured on the soundtrack, due November 11. The movie, which stars William H. Macy and Alec Baldwin, opens November 19 in New York and Los Angeles and December 19 nationwide. ... Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett, who recently became a father, is planning a November tour with his side project, Jackson. Shiflett sings in the group, while his brother Scott (of Face to Face) plays bass and Saves the Day's Pete Parada plays drums. ...

Following the publication of his book of photography, due in November, Lou Reed plans to drop a live album. The LP, slated for a February release, stems from a June 24 concert at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles. ... Sting will be honored as MusiCares' 2004 Person of the Year at the 14th annual awards ceremony in Los Angeles on February 6. The event will feature a tribute concert and an auction, the proceeds from which will benefit the MusiCares Financial Assistance Program, which aids music industry professionals in times of need. ...

• Linkin Park
• Trick Daddy
• Rage Against the Machine
• The Stooges
• The Donnas

Iggy Pop performs Wednesday night
Photo: MTV News

NEW YORK — When Iggy Pop's pants start to fall down, don't expect him to pull them back up.

Less than halfway through Iggy and the Stooges' first New York City performance since the early '70s, half of his butt was clearly visible to the audience. It was only through some miracle that his jeans remained above his privates for the rest of the show. But that's not something he thinks about.

The key to Pop's appeal is that he's a creature of instinct, not thought. He probably wasn't planning to leap from the Roseland Ballroom stage, climb into the VIP section and knock over tables during "Little Doll," but when Iggy is gripped by impulse, look out. 

Joined by the mechanical clamor of the Stooges, his Detroit band that pre-dated punk in the late '60s with loud, hypnotic riffs, garage rock bluster and attitude galore, Iggy's presentation was as unpredictable as it was captivating. No, he wasn't as wild as when he used to smear his body with peanut butter and cut himself with broken glass, but Iggy's grown up a little since then. He may no longer be truly unhinged, but he's certainly untamed.

He also remains a true nightmare for security. At various points in the show, he dived into the crowd with no warning, climbed atop monitors and dangled on a rope ladder meant for stagehands. He even invited members of the crowd to join him, and a flood of fans mobbed the stage.

Although Pop rocked with the ferocity of a cyclone, he exhibited little grace as he flung himself around the stage. But the raw magnetism he exuded as he danced, stomped, shook his torso and flailed his arms was awe-inspiring.

The Stooges backed Pop's revelry with chugging, repetitive rhythms that increased in power the longer they continued. Beefy guitarist Ron Asheton complemented the chaos with garage-y, angry and psychedelic solos, while his brother Scott drove the monochromatic beats on the drums. Keeping the pulse was new recruit Mike Watt (ex-Minutemen, Firehose) on bass. None of them moved much, allowing Iggy to hog the spotlight — at least when it was on.

During one song, Iggy asked that all the stage lights be shut off. In complete darkness, the band vamped and Pop shouted, "Blackout! Blackout! F--- you! F--- me. Satan. Schwarzenegger."

Much of the set was composed of favorites such as "No Fun," "TV Eye," "1969" and of course "I Wanna Be Your Dog," all delivered with freight-train intensity. The only song the Stooges played from Iggy's upcoming album, Skull Ring, was the title cut. (The disc, which includes four new Stooges tracks, comes out November 4.)

Godsmack opened the show with a brief acoustic set made up of tracks from the band's upcoming "unplugged" album, The Other Side, which was recorded last month in Hawaii. The set included two new songs as well as group standards such as "Serenity," "Awake" and "Keep Away." Stripped of guitar rage and percussive might, the tunes sounded almost pensive.

Frontman Sully Erna and his bandmates sat on stools during most of the tunes and looked as if they were aching to jump free and rock out. Even in acoustic form, Godsmack's music was filled with mystical energy and atmosphere; even without a wah-wah pedal, guitarist Tony Rombola let rip with some tasteful, bluesy solos. For two songs, Godsmack were joined by two members of Dropbox, a group Erna signed to his label. The additional musicians graced the songs with a little extra depth.

Whether Erna was just playing with Rombola or rocking with the full band, Godsmack sounded more like their mentors Alice in Chains than ever. That's just fine with Erna; the inspiration to record an acoustic album came from groups such as Led Zeppelin, Nirvana and most of all Alice, who released the acoustic classics Sap and Jar of Flies — two discs that made Erna who he is today.

For more sights and stories from concerts around the country, check out MTV News Tour Reports.

• Iggy Pop
• The Stooges
• Godsmack

• Iggy Pop
• The Stooges
• S.T.U.N.
• Godsmack