AMG Review of 1977

Greg Prato
All Music Guide

For many first wave Euro punks, the first time they had the opportunity to experience Iggy Pop in the flesh was during his 1977 tour (his first since exiting the Stooges), and the 2007 four-disc box set, 1977, features some of Iggy's finest performances from his inaugural solo/Euro jaunt. An impressively assembled package, 1977 features (supposedly for the first time), Iggy's complete performance from the Rainbow Theater, as well as performances from Paris and Berlin, and studio outtakes/alternate mixes. With the Stooges still being listed as the chief influence of many of the era's punk bands, expectedly, quite a few Stooges tracks find their way into the set, including such standouts as "Raw Power," "1969," "Dirt," and "I Wanna Be Your Dog." Also featured are then-fresh solo Iggy ditties (some feel the best of Iggy's solo career), including "The Passenger," "Lust for Life," "Funtime," and "Sister Midnight," and tracks that were performed only live ("CC Rider," "That's How Strong My Love Is"). From those who were lucky to catch Iggy during this tour, it's regarded as among the most intense and focused of his career -- as he appeared to be a man out to prove that there was a reason why he was being heralded as the Godfather of Punk. 1977 offers the in-concert proof.