Fun House (album)

Infobox Album |
Name = Fun House
Type = Studio album
Artist = The Stooges


Released = July 1970
Recorded = May 10-May 241970
Elektra Sound Recorders, LA
Length = 36:40
109:58 (reissue)
Label = Elektra
Producer = Don Gallucci
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:ke5ibkh96akm~T0 link]
*Pitchfork Media (9.4/10) [http://pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/22357/The_Stooges_The_Stooges_Fun_House link]
*Robert Christgau (A-) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=1548&name=The+Stooges link]
*"Rolling Stone" [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thestooges/albums/album/93008/review/5941297/fun_house link]
* "Spin" Rating|10|10Weisbard & Marks, 1995. p.378]
Last album = "The Stooges"
(1969)
This album = "Fun House"
(1970)
Next album = "Raw Power"
(1973)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate covers
Type = Studio album


Lower caption = 2005 Reissue sleeve :"For other uses see Funhouse (disambiguation)"

"Fun House" is the second album by the American rock band The Stooges.

It was recorded in May 1970 and released in July of the same year. Like its predecessor, "The Stooges" (1969), "Fun House" did not sell well. In subsequent years, however, it has been cited as very influential on later musicians, notably in punk rock. In 2007, the album was voted Loudest Album Ever by Q Magazine. Q Issue 253 (August 2007) P.54]

Recording sessions

The tracks were recorded live in the studio with few or no overdubs, in roughly the same order as on the record. The Stooges were known at the time more for their cataclysmic live shows than for any established musicality, so "Fun House" being recorded in this pseudo-live fashion made it the Stooges album which most closely captures the essence of their soundRudolph, Eric. [http://mixonline.com/mag/audio_rocking_studio_stooges/ Rocking in the Studio With The Stooges: Inside "The Complete Funhouse Sessions"] . June 1, 2001.] [ [http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/the-stooges/the-stooges-fun-house.htm] "Like jazz, this is music where it sounds as if you can hear the players thinking and reaching conclusions and feeling their way as they go"] . It also allowed for the collector-friendly release of "" in 2001.

The Stooges intended that "Loose" open the album, but Elektra thought "Down On The Street" would be the stronger opener.Edmonds, Ben. Liner notes of "". Los Angeles: Rhino Entertainment dba Rhino Handmade, 1999]

An alternate version of "Down On The Street", with Doors-style organ overdubbed on it by producer Don Gallucci, was pulled from the album and made into a single.Edmonds, Ben, liner notes of "". Los Angeles: Rhino Entertainment dba Rhino Handmade, 1999] It was released the same month as "Fun House", and fared slightly better on the charts.

Influence

In 1985, singer Henry Rollins cited "Fun House" as one of his two favorite albums in "Spin".Rollins, Henry. "My Favorite Albums". New York City: "Spin", Issue #3, 1985] The other was The Velvet Underground's "White Light/White Heat".

In 1999 Rhino Records released a limited edition box set, "", featuring every take of every song from every day of the recording sessions, plus the single versions of "Down On The Street" and "1970". On August 16, 2005, the album was reissued by Elektra and Rhino as a two-CD set featuring a newly remastered version of the album on disc one and a variety of outtakes (essentially highlights from the "Complete Fun House Sessions" box set) on disc two. Jack White contributed a quote to Iggy biographer Paul Trynka's liner notes to the reissue, in which White dubbed "Fun House" "by proxy the definitive rock album of America."

RS500|191 [http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6599311/191_fun_house]

In 1998, the Paris-based music magazine "Rock & Folk" placed "Fun House" in the top position of its "discothèque idéale."

In 2005 the album was performed live in its entirety as part of the All Tomorrow's Parties-curated Don't Look Back series.

Musician/engineer Steve Albini cites "Fun House" as his favorite album of all time.

Track listing

All tracks written by the Stooges

Original release

Side one:
#"Down on the Street" – 3:42
#"Loose" – 3:33
#"T.V. Eye" – 4:17
#"Dirt" – 7:00Side two:
#"1970" – 5:14 (also known as "I Feel Alright")
#"Fun House" – 7:45
#"L.A. Blues" – 4:52

2005 Reissue

Disc one:
#"Down on the Street" – 3:43
#"Loose" – 3:34
#"T.V. Eye" – 4:17
#"Dirt" – 7:03
#"1970" – 5:15 (also known as "I Feel Alright")
#"Fun House" – 7:47
#"L.A. Blues" – 4:57

Disc two:
#"T.V. Eye" [Takes 7 & 8] – 6:01
#"Loose" [Demo] – 1:16
#"Loose" [Take 2] – 3:42
#"Loose" [Take 22] – 3:42
#"Lost in the Future" [Take 1] – 5:50
#"Down on the Street" [Take 1] – 2:22
#"Down on the Street" [Take 8] – 4:10
#"Dirt" [Take 4] – 7:09
#"Slide" (Slidin' The Blues) [Take 1] – 4:38
#"1970" [Take 3] – 7:29
#"Fun House" [Take 2] – 9:30
#"Fun House" [Take 3] – 11:29
#"Down on the Street" (Single mix) – 2:43
#"1970" (Single mix) – 3:21

Personnel

*Iggy Pop - vocals, mixer
*Dave Alexander - bass
*Ron Asheton - guitar
*Scott Asheton - drums
*Steve MacKay - saxophone
*Don Gallucci - producer, organ overdubs
*Brian Ross-Myring - engineer

References and footnotes

Notes

*cite book
last= Weisbard
first= Eric
coauthors= Craig Marks
title= Spin Alternative Record Guide
publisher= Vintage Books
year= 1995
isbn= 0679755748