The Idiot
Here’s something I wish I saw more of: a blog dedicated entirely to one record. Idiot Lust focuses on Iggy Pop’s The Idiot, an album that was a huge leap for Pop at the time, and which also ties in very closely with David Bowie’s Low (pictured above is a scene from the studio during Low’s recording).
Written by Bradley Blanks, a NYC-based musician and engineer, Idiot Lust researches, documents and ponders both the technical and production aspects of the recording and “creative magic” that fueled its creation. He gives individual track analysis, expounds on production teams and equipment (pro tip: Eventide Harmonizer), and naturally, the relationship between Iggy Pop and Dr. Jim Osterberg.
Something I didn’t know was that Tony Visconti, a mainstay in the world of Bowie, mixed The Idiot after Bowie’s production. Low and The Idiot were recorded almost simultaneously at the Château d’Hérouville located in Pontoise, France. Many know about the friendship between Pop and Bowie, but in a quick half and hour I’ve learned more about microphones, China Girls and alter-egos than I could have anywhere else.
Do make a point to check it out — if for no other reason to admire someone else’s dedication to talking about things that are important. The contexts surrounding albums and songwriters that we all too often take for granted.
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