'The Idiot' was Pop's first solo record since the demise of his raw power heyday as front man of The Stooges (and came soon after his stint in a mental hospital) and was both musically and lyrically worlds apart. The clash of guitars had been replaced with synthesizers and electronic beats and was warmly received by critics as they praised 'The Idiot' as being Pop's best work, but also said it was unrepresentative of Pop himself and reeked of the work Bowie had put out around its release.