An impossibly rare original contract signed by Stooges guitarist James Williamson for the band’s historic performance on March 27, 1973 at Detroit’s Ford Auditorium, along with a vintage photograph of Iggy Pop performing at the show.  This hometown concert was the first US show by the Stooges’ Raw Power lineup (and only their second ever), and served as the launch for their legendary third album.

The contract, dated only a week before the concert, details the band’s meager payment of only $250, clearly a token payment for this promotional show, and is hand signed by Williamson.  On the back are the union affiliations and social security numbers for band members Williamson, Ron Asheton, Scott Asheton and keyboardist Bob Sheff, playing his first of only a few Stooges performances (Sheff later went on to fame as avant-garde composer and pianist Blue Gene Tyranny.)

Recordmecca’s Jeff Gold is the author of Total Chaos: The Story of The Stooges/As Told By Iggy Pop; in the book he asks Pop about reports that after this show Williamson got into an argument with Stooges (and David Bowie) manager Tony Defries, that ended with Defries saying “He’s gone, or you’re gone”.  Pop responded “Probably.  I don’t remember it happening in Detroit.  I remember them telling me back at the house.  I just thought “To hell with it.  I’m not ready to just get kicked out in the street right now for this snotty guy.”  In any case, Williamson left the band.

We’ve paired this contract with a vintage original photograph of Iggy performing at the Ford Auditorium show, printed near the time of the concert.   An extraordinary pair of Stooges collectibles from a historic show.  With Recordmecca’s written lifetime guarantee of authenticity.  Contract 8 1/2″ x 11″, photograph 8″ x 10″.