As musicians they were innovative, aggressive, unconventional and blissfully dissonant; as performers they were outlandish, unruly, impulsive and crude. Iggy and the Stooges arrived onto the music scene in 1969 and departed after a break-up just a short time later in 1974. Revered and remembered as exceptionally influential across several genres of music, five years and three studio albums proved enough to make the Stooges legendary.

Fast forward thirty-three years to April 23, 2007, when the Stooges returned to the heart of Los Angeles to play the Wiltern Theater on the heels of the release of “The Weirdness,” their first record in thirty-four years. I walked into the show not knowing exactly what to expect from the always unpredictable Iggy Pop (born James Osterberg). Until the Stooges reunited in 2003, I had only known the band in retrospect, as my existence had not yet been planned when they were originally on the scene. The Stooges’ legacy was formed just as much by their live performances as by their music. Being familiar with the band, I didn’t anticipate an AARP membership card or respirator on display, but beyond that was anyone’s guess. Stage-diving, self-mutilation and body-slathering with food products characterized the young Iggy Pop. His howling and screaming created an emotional display of fervor unlike that of any other bands of the time. Iggy Pop is 60 years old now and I find it hard to believe that time and age haven’t tamed the “beast.”

The present day Stooges include Iggy and the original guitarist and drummer, Ron and Scott Asheton, respectively. Steve Mackay is still on the sax and Mike Watt (the Minutemen) has replaced the late Dave Alexander on bass. The stage was barren and the lighting was low-key; it was the band, their instruments and Iggy. The set up was representative of punk music: simple and bold.

The familiar riff of “Loose” and the squeals of the crowd jump started the show creating a contagious energy that didn’t let up until my feet hit Wilshire Boulevard almost two hours later. Iggy danced his way on stage and didn’t stop until he danced his way off, revealing in mere moments that tame is not a word I could use to describe him. His shirtless body revealed an enviable physical condition for someone of any age. He still displays the “screw everybody” attitude that helped earn his fame and he exhibits the same traits as Iggy of thirty years ago (minus the self- desecration). He sings and dances with primitive, raw intensity, screams at pitches most people aren’t capable of reaching and oozes a magnetism that ensures you cannot take your eyes off of him.

After launching into “Down on the Street,” Iggy exclaimed his well known desire to “do an animal song” and kicked it up a notch with “I Wanna Be Your Dog.” It was during this song that Iggy truly let loose, never to be reigned in. He barked and howled and mounted a speaker just before diving into a welcoming crowd. Without so much as a pause to come up for air after landing, the sexagenarian dove right back in. It’s fascinating that it isn’t odd or awkward to see this behavior from Iggy, when any other person five years from social security eligibility exhibiting such behavior might be committed.

The band played “T.V. Eye,” “My Idea” and “Dirt,” after which Iggy invited the crowd to join him on stage. I wish I could say that the remainder of this article comes from a stage view, but alas, I wasn’t able to make it down from the mezzanine. The crowd in the pit, however, literally jumped at this opportunity and through two songs, “Real Cool Time” and “No Fun,” found themselves dancing with an icon. Iggy has mastered the art of seduction creating a personal feel to the show. Through gyrating hips in low-riding jeans he locks in the women; through rebellious howls, knocking down stage equipment and fits of anger which include throwing the microphone (stand included) he draws in the men. Numerous times Iggy demanded that “someone turn the f’ing lights on. I wanna see everybody.” At once it became impossible not to allow my inner narcissism to convince my rational half that Iggy’s words were directed only at me.

Antics aside, Iggy’s voice is commanding and genuine, showing only slight signs of age. He talks little during the show limiting speech to snippets of socio-political commentary and thanking the crowd for “f’ing” coming. The Ashetons are in solid form and Watt’s reputation for being technically apt is well deserved. Mackay took the stage adding a saxophone to such tunes as “1970” and “Fun House.” The result: punk rock music at its finest. After seventeen tracks, the band departed leaving Iggy dancing alone. There was no music, but for minutes Iggy remained; he danced, waved and bowed and then disappeared into the shadows.

The Stooges’ set list included just four tracks from “The Weirdness,” their fourth studio album released last month. Although this album is not the Stooges’ best work, the critics’ condemnation was overly harsh (my concert neighbor used those tracks as his opportunity to buy beer). On the album, Iggy’s voice shows signs of weathering and some attempts at singing don’t quite reach the desired pitch. Although Iggy has never been a Lennon (or even a Snow Patrol) when it came to lyrics, this album falls short. Notorious for always writing what’s in his head, Iggy exclaims that his “dick is turning into a tree” in reaction to a woman whose “hair has energy” in the track “Trollin.’” The song “I’m Fried”, which needs no explanation, is more of a song title repetition than a full song. In “Free and Freaky (in the USA),” Iggy describes the French and English cultures as “old, where the cheese is stinky and the beer ain’t cold.” “My Idea (of fun),” followed by “is killing everyone,” exhibits anti-war sentiments, although I am not certain this song is appropriate for the time, whether or not tongue-in-cheek. However juvenile or ridiculous some tracks may seem, Iggy sticks to his mantra of singing about any topic he desires, continuing to show an indifference to the world and admirable guile.

On the whole, the album is fast, fun, humorous (whether or not intentional) and concise. However, if you aren’t familiar with the Stooges’ discography, this is not the album to whet your palate. Pick up any of the first three albums and you will better understand the legacy of the Stooges and for God’s sake, if you have the chance, see them live.