Scott Asheton is at home, 50 miles south of Tampa on the Gulf Coast of Florida. In a few weeks time he will be in Australia, headlining the Big Day Out as the drummer with Iggy and the Stooges, one of the most revered and influential bands to emerge from the sonic swamp that was 1960s Detroit. It’s been just on thirty years since the band memorably fell apart, and there is a palpable thrill in Scott’s voice as he talks about how things were back then and how good it is now.

”(When the Stooges first started) there was a point where people would come to see us because they hated us! And that was part of our appeal. It was like ‘Oh, we really hate that band. Let’s go and see them so that we can yell at them’. I had an outsider feeling, I think we all did and I think we kind of wanted that. In a world of being original and art and being creative, you have to be something that other people aren’t and do stuff that people haven’t done. So that was, I think, an important part to us, and we were happy for that reason, because we knew then that we were definitely different.”

It’s interesting to think that a band that was reviled and hated could end up being such a significant influence on music, but the Stooges always did things differently.  Childhood friends James ‘Iggy Pop’ Osterberg and the Asheton brothers Scott (drums) and Ron (guitar) loved music, found a bass player, Dave Alexander, formed the Stooges in 1967 and set about learning some songs and how to play their instruments. But what set them apart was their understanding of the music scene at the time and their desire to be something different.

“When we first started we were a jazz band, and all the current bands (then) were rock and roll bands and we knew we couldn’t sound like them, so we were a jazz band. We’d have a motif and went ‘ready, steady, GO!’ and we would play it different all the time and we weren’t sure where it was going to go or how it was going to end, and that’s what we did. But we were jazz and our influences were like, John Coltrane, some of the older jazz greats, because we were like basically a hard rocking jazz band. I don’t know how else to put it.”

Iggy was the obvious band leader, provocateur and driving force.  While Iggy Pop, as a persona and an artist, is now almost a cliché after nearly forty years, Asheton points out that when the band started there was no one to imitate and they had to choose their own path. He is quick to add that the tag ‘Godfathers of Punk’ does not sit well with him and that the band’s influence on the music scene was genuine and fitted with the artistic ambitions they had.

“I feel that there has been, probably, a few really original, genius ideas from creative people and then everybody else takes and lives (and) breathes and creates off that themselves. So, we had influences, everybody has influences, and if you’re somebody’s influence then that’s good. That’s fine. Iggy has been many, many artist’s influence and that’s good. If they want to be like Iggy, or sound like Iggy, play like Iggy, then that’s his influence and, like I say, there’s not too many totally original artists with creative ideas. But when you do find (creative ideas), music is the universal language and you’re allow to use it. Just like if you’re painting.  You love the painter, you’re influenced by that painter, you want to be someone like that painter, you want to be creative. It might not be your totally original idea, but you’re still an artist. I think Iggy has laid it out for other musicians, singers and writers where they can have their turn at using their creativity with the original groundwork. I think when it comes to it, if you want to call him the Godfather of Punk, I would call him more the person who started this particular area of rock and roll and creative music as an artist.”

That creative spark also brought with it negative consequences.  By 1973, they had recorded a third record (Raw Power), but sadly they were a band in decline. Alcohol, drugs and conflicts between band members all played a part in their demise. Iggy’s persona became so big that the band had changed its name to Iggy and the Stooges to reflect the pulling power of the lead singer, and this created further tension. By 1974 the band consisted of Iggy Pop, Scott and Ron Asheton and guitarist James Williamson who would accompany Iggy on his first solo foray. The inevitable split came quickly, and each of the members pursued their own projects.

Scott Asheton continued to play music with everyone from the MC5’s Fred ‘Sonic’ Smith to Radio Birdman’s Deniz Tek, while Iggy carved a patchy, but often brilliant solo career. Throughout, Asheton was a reluctant fan of Iggy’s. 

“A lot of my friends are Iggy fans, so they had been buying up his releases. Myself, I can’t really say that I followed it. There are some albums that he did that I liked and songs that I’ve heard that I’ve liked, but every time he did an album I wouldn’t run out and buy it. I had a lot of friends that would do that.”

After the break-up, the relationships between the band members went from bad to worse. When Iggy remixed Raw Power to bring it into line with the compact disc era, he took a swipe at Asheton brothers in the liner notes and any speculation about a reunion sounded absurd and totally unimaginable. However, the icy relations started to thaw in the late nineties, the band unravelled the myriad of distractions that kept them from making music together and they realised that there was still a musical and artistic contribution that only the Stooges could offer. As Scott explains, ”(Iggy) is an artist. He’s been doing his thing for many years. My brother has kept playing too. I was playing some shows with J Mascis from Dinosaur Jr and Mike Watt and my brother. We were going really well and we were doing some shows over in Europe. I think Jim (Asheton often refers to Iggy by his original name) got word that these guys were rockin’ hard and sounding good. So I think maybe he kind of wanted to get the band back together after that.”

After recruiting Minutemen bass player, Mike Watt, the Stooges were back and so were the fans. Many hadn’t been around when the Stooges first emerged and their only experience was discovering the old records and listening to the gory stories from the road. This rebirth was a different experience for the band.  From being despised pioneers of a brand new sound, they were now one of the most revered groups in the world. So is it better now?

“Well, everything was good back then and we had our fans who grew up with us. Now we have the younger generation and that brings us up to date. Yes, it’s better now, because we have the people we’ve had before who liked us, and now we have the younger generation, who are interested. 

“I’m just happy for the people, and I get my energy from them, and I get my energy from Iggy and from Mike Watt, you know, and (when) the band’s rocking hard. My brother is rocking the solos, and I get my feelings and my happiness and my energy from the music. That’s where it comes to me from. I’m mostly happy when the people are happy. It makes me feel good because it’s something that they wanted and (something) that we’re able to let them have.”

While the music is the same, and the original nucleus of the band remains unchanged this is a much happier experience for Scott, especially the chance to tour Australia. 

“We jam a hard set. We… open it up and we rock hard all through the set. It’s not like a bunch of old men needing to take a break.  We’re looking forward to (playing the Big Day Out) and I always enjoy it when the people enjoy it, and I know they will. I think everyone is going to have a good time. It’s a very exciting show.  Iggy is in top form; he’s in great condition. No one is dependent on drugs, so we’re not tired. We take it serious. We’re going to give…(what) the people want. That’s what makes me feel good. I know Australia has never seen Iggy and the Stooges. It’s going to make me feel great to be part of it. So let’s let them have it!”

Scott Asheton is happy that the band is in such great form, and why wouldn’t he be? After springing the ultimate surprise and reforming, there are more revelations in store after the Australian tour is finished. 

“We’re putting together and album after this tour. We have a bunch of songs that were working on. We have a lot of material that we’ve been working on for the last year and a lot of it is traditionally ‘Stooge’ sounding. Some of it is newer sounding, but it is not straying far away. It’s the way the band is.”

Talking to Scott it’s obvious that this year’s Big Day Out is going to be something special.

“I hope to see you there…and tell everyone they’re going to have a real good time.”

Iggy and the Stooges will be playing at the 2006 Big Day Out:

Sunday January 22 – Big Day Out, Gold Coast sold out
Thursday January 26 – Big Day Out, Sydney sold out
Sunday January 29 – Big Day Out, Melbourne
Friday February 3 – Big Day Out, Adelaide
Sunday February 5 – Big Day Out, Perth