Soldier (album)
Encyclopedia
Soldier is a 1980 album by proto-punk musician Iggy Pop
. David Bowie
and Simple Minds
provide backing vocals on "Play it Safe".
It is the first album on which Iggy collaborated with ex-Sex Pistols
bassist Glen Matlock
. Videos were made for songs "Loco Mosquito", "Knocking 'Em Down (in the City)" and "Dog Food". The album peaked at number 125 on the Billboard
charts. Ex-Stooge James Williamson was originally hired to produce the album but a conflict between Williamson and David Bowie
(who was assisting as a friend of Pop) over recording techniques led to Williamson walking out on the project.
There has been some debate over the lack of lead guitar on the final mix, which has been criticized by Glen Matlock. In Iggy Pop's biography, Matlock claims that the lead guitar was stripped after David Bowie was punched by Steve New for hitting on his girlfriend.
Recorded at Rockfield Studios
, Wales. Engineered by Peter Haden. Mixed by Thom Panunzio at the Record Plant, New York City. Mastered by Joe Brescio, at Record Plant Studios
, New York City.
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
. David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
and Simple Minds
Simple Minds
Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band who achieved worldwide popularity from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. The band produced a handful of critically acclaimed albums in the early 1980s and best known for their #1 US, Canada and Netherlands hit single "Don't You ", from the soundtrack of the...
provide backing vocals on "Play it Safe".
It is the first album on which Iggy collaborated with ex-Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
bassist Glen Matlock
Glen Matlock
Glen Matlock is an English bass guitarist most famous for being in the original line-up of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. Drummer Paul Cook has said that Matlock came up with much of the music for the band's songs and most of the lyrics, while lead singer Johnny Rotten made some adjustments...
. Videos were made for songs "Loco Mosquito", "Knocking 'Em Down (in the City)" and "Dog Food". The album peaked at number 125 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
charts. Ex-Stooge James Williamson was originally hired to produce the album but a conflict between Williamson and David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
(who was assisting as a friend of Pop) over recording techniques led to Williamson walking out on the project.
There has been some debate over the lack of lead guitar on the final mix, which has been criticized by Glen Matlock. In Iggy Pop's biography, Matlock claims that the lead guitar was stripped after David Bowie was punched by Steve New for hitting on his girlfriend.
Track listing
All songs composed by Iggy Pop, except where indicated.- "Loco Mosquito" - 3:13
- "Ambition" (Glen MatlockGlen MatlockGlen Matlock is an English bass guitarist most famous for being in the original line-up of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. Drummer Paul Cook has said that Matlock came up with much of the music for the band's songs and most of the lyrics, while lead singer Johnny Rotten made some adjustments...
) - 3:25 - "Knocking 'Em Down (In The City)" - 3:20
- "Play It Safe" (David BowieDavid BowieDavid Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, Pop) - 3:05 - "Get Up And Get Out" - 2:43
- "Mr. Dynamite" (Pop, Matlock) - 4:17
- "Dog Food" - 1:47
- "I Need More" (Pop, Matlock) - 4:02
- "Take Care Of Me" (Pop, Matlock) - 3:25
- "I'm A Conservative" - 3:55
- "I Snub You" (Pop, Barry AndrewsBarry Andrews (musician)Barry Andrews is a vocalist and keyboardist. He is a former member of the bands XTC and League of Gentlemen with Robert Fripp, and was co-founder of Shriekback. He has collaborated with Brian Eno on several projects, most recently guesting on keyboards for the 2005 album Another Day On Earth...
) - 3:07
Critics Reaction
Rolling Stone's David Fricke reviewed the album positively, calling attention to Iggy Pop's successful weathering of his own self-destructive persona. Of the album, Fricke wrote: "Soldier, like all of his albums, is a hard-fought battle in a war that Iggy Pop is determined to win. Call him Ig noble."Personnel
- Iggy PopIggy PopIggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
- vocals - Glen MatlockGlen MatlockGlen Matlock is an English bass guitarist most famous for being in the original line-up of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. Drummer Paul Cook has said that Matlock came up with much of the music for the band's songs and most of the lyrics, while lead singer Johnny Rotten made some adjustments...
- bass, backing vocals - Ivan KralIvan KralIvan Kral is a Grammy Award-winning Czechoslovakian-born American composer, filmmaker and singer. He works across many genres including rock, jazz, soul, country and film scores...
- guitar, keyboards - Klaus Kruger- drums
- Steve NewSteve NewStephen Charles New, later known as Stella Nova, was an English guitarist and singer, known for his work with a number of punk and new wave bands in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
- guitar - Barry AndrewsBarry Andrews (musician)Barry Andrews is a vocalist and keyboardist. He is a former member of the bands XTC and League of Gentlemen with Robert Fripp, and was co-founder of Shriekback. He has collaborated with Brian Eno on several projects, most recently guesting on keyboards for the 2005 album Another Day On Earth...
- keyboards - Simple MindsSimple MindsSimple Minds are a Scottish rock band who achieved worldwide popularity from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. The band produced a handful of critically acclaimed albums in the early 1980s and best known for their #1 US, Canada and Netherlands hit single "Don't You ", from the soundtrack of the...
- backing vocals on "Play It Safe" - David BowieDavid BowieDavid Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
- backing vocals on "Play It Safe" - Henry McGroggan - backing vocals on "Loco Mosquito"
- Pat Moran - producer
- Thom PanunzioThom PanunzioThom Panunzio grew up in River Edge, New Jersey not too far from Manhattan. He began his career as an audio engineer originally working at Record Plant Studios in New York. There he met, Jimmy Iovine, and started his career working with John Lennon...
- mix - Brian Griffin/Rocking Russian - sleeve
Recorded at Rockfield Studios
Rockfield Studios
Rockfield Studios, near Monmouth in Wales and just outside the village of Rockfield, Monmouthshire are where many of British rock music’s most successful recordings have been made.-History:...
, Wales. Engineered by Peter Haden. Mixed by Thom Panunzio at the Record Plant, New York City. Mastered by Joe Brescio, at Record Plant Studios
Record Plant Studios
The Record Plant was a series of three famous recording studios which were founded by Gary Kellgren and Chris Stone, beginning in New York City in 1968. The next year, Kellgren and Stone opened a second studio in Los Angeles. In 1972, the company expanded again with a third location in Sausalito,...
, New York City.