The Year's The Thing: 1969

Sometimes considered a garage band, The Stooges were probably one of the earliest punk-rock outfits and predated that movement in rock by a decade. Today, we turn to the 1969 band’s debut album its lead track, “1969.” While released as an “A” side in other countries, “1969” was issued as the flipside to “I Wanna Be Your Dog.”

Although production credits were given to Velvet Underground member John Cale, the finished product was actually produced by Elektra Records owner Jac Holzman and Stooges’ lead vocalist Iggy Pop who actually remixed the songs rather than use Cale’s original mixes.

Ron Asheton’s guitar work on “1969” got the song listed in Rolling Stone’s “Top 100 Guitar Songs” list. This release sounds more indicative of a recording from 1979 rather than 1969.