THE STOOGES レコード& CD

Review: Definitely one for The Stooges Geek Den, or whatever the inner circle of fans is actually called (let's face it, probably not that). A Fire of Life doesn't actually contain any songs that we're not already familiar with, but it's how the songs were recorded that makes all the difference here. Each was captured directly into one mixing desk or another during the band's original iteration, back when guitarist Ron Asheton was still playing guitar.

Some of these were studio sessions, others live shows, all of them remind us of their unbridled and unfettered talent. Spread out across two vinyls, we have all the big anthems from the first two albums, with many not just re-recorded but full-blown alternative versions of tracks. Released to coincide with the now-legendary 1972 King's Cross concert (another in-the-know fact that will appeal to many), it's a special edition to behold.