SEARCH AND DESTROY:RAW POWER DOCUMENTARY PREMIERE

Tremolo Productions' documentary "Search And Destroy: Raw Power" drew quite the throng (guesstimated at 90% acceptance) to Hollywood's Egyptian Theatre this week for its invite-only premiere. The film accompanies the Deluxe package version of the newly re-released, restored Iggy and The Stooges' prophetically seminal cd "Raw Power."

It details the volatile creation story of the 1973 masterwork which changed the direction of every single hard rock genre thereafter despite, as dryly intoned by its singer Iggy Pop on film, being demoted to the 39-cent bins at Aron's Discount Records across the street from Fairfax High School, West Hollywood, some three months after its initial release.

Never before seen live footage of the band performing circa 1973, although less than pristine in resolution nonetheless presented the Raw Power vintage Stooges in full adrenaline glory on a very active night in St. Louis MO. Its full effect was that of a very nice dream.

The dvd also elaborates on the band's eventual vindication decades after its horrendous spate of genuine bad luck (and askew lifestyle decisions borne of frustration as much as hedonism) as proffered both by its participants and its fans, rather a few of whom are inordinately famous. Their rise, fall and rise story rivals that of populist equine Seabiscuit for heart-wrenching drama of overcoming adversity, probably a factor as much as the music revolution/sea change in their eventual triumph with a now adoring public worldwide.

At the premiere, the actual guitarist of same who changed all hard rock genres thereafter James Williamson fielded hugs and declarations of wonderfulness from his aforementioned adoring public in person, while sharing a question and answer spot afterwards with the film's co-producer, Stooges' staff photographer and author Robert Matheu. Williamson recounted tales of the Stooges' final "Death March" touring, while Matheu related his geography theorem of why the three albums by the Stooges varied so.

Pictured above, left to right: Richard Meade, Dire McCain, both of literary magazine Paraphilia, James Williamson of Iggy and The Stooges, and Evita Corby, rock couture designer and, as pointed out that evening, the individual whose ass was featured on "Kill City," Iggy and James' next masterwork after "Raw Power." And below, encore:
P.S. Retrokimmer wrote a post HERE with this pic of your otherwise modest photojournalist shedding all vestigial remnants of professional aplomb therein.