A year after The Stooges came to an end in 1974, Iggy Pop and guitarist James Williamson recorded "Kill City" as a demo in hopes of landing a new record deal.
After Pop found success with his next two recordings, "The Idiot" and "Lust for Life," the indie Bomp! Records issued "Kill City" in 1977. Only a few of the original mixes have ever been released.
Now, Bomp! has remixed the record again and issues it on CD in about 10 days.
Listening again after all these years, "Kill City" sounds more revolutionary for being one of Iggy's least radical records up that point in his career.
The title track and tunes like "Consolation Prize" are have Stones-y riffs and harmonies and "I Got Nuthin'" wasn't unlike other melodic poppy rock of the era, suggesting that had Iggy been in a better place in '75, this record could have nudged him a little toward the mainstream.
Of course, the entire thing is proto punk with gritty guitars, dark lyrics and Iggy's trademark 'tude. That, and its original mix, small-label release and Iggy's own lukewarm response to its appearance helped make it a cult favorite, but little more in commercial terms.
You can win a copy of "Kill City," courtesy of Bomp! Records and OnMilwaukee.com. Just send me an e-mail telling me why you want it and I'll pick a winner in a couple days.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
