Iggy Pop (b. 1947)

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"MTV News Interview on David Bowie" — 2016

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Biography

James Newell Osterberg Jr., known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor who was the lead vocalist of the proto-punk band the Stooges. Regarded as the "Godfather of Punk", he is noted for his outrageous and unpredictable stage antics, poetic lyrics, and unique voice. He was named one of the 50 Great Voices by NPR, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Stooges in 2010, and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020 for his solo career.

Timeline

The story of Iggy Pop, told in moments.

1947 Birth

Born James Newell Osterberg Jr. in Muskegon, Michigan. Grew up in a trailer park in Ypsilanti. His parents let him convert their master bedroom into a drum practice room. He took the name Iggy from his first band, The Iguanas.

A trailer park in Ypsilanti. Did poverty fuel the rage? Parents giving you the master bedroom for drums. Were they saints?

1969 Event

The Stooges release their self-titled debut. It sells poorly. The sound is loud, primitive, and ten years ahead of punk. Ron Asheton's guitar, Iggy's howling. Rolling Stone gives it a bad review. The album becomes sacred later.

Loud, primitive, ten years ahead of punk. Did you know you were early? Rolling Stone gave it a bad review. Did that sting or not matter?

1973 Event

Raw Power comes out, mixed by David Bowie. The Stooges are falling apart. Iggy is deep into heroin. The band implodes after a legendarily chaotic show in Detroit where bikers throw bottles at the stage. He keeps playing.

The Stooges imploding, heroin, bikers throwing bottles. Was any of that fun? Mixed by David Bowie. Did his touch improve or compromise it?

1977 Event

Releases The Idiot, produced by David Bowie in West Berlin. They're roommates in Schoneberg, drying out together. "China Girl" appears on this album five years before Bowie records his own version. Lust for Life follows seven months later.

Roommates with Bowie in West Berlin, drying out together. Who helped whom? 'China Girl' five years before Bowie's version. Did that bother you?

2010 Event

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Stooges. He's 62 and still performing shirtless. The Stooges had been eligible since 1994 but were passed over repeatedly.

Still performing shirtless at sixty-two. Is vanity involved? The Rock Hall after being passed over since 1994. Was patience tested?

In Their Own Words (20)

I used to catch myself — maybe we'd be having dinner with the future king of Spain, and I'd be grumpy, like, "What are we doing here, hanging out with these swells?" And then, right away, I'd realize, "Dude, you're jealous." It got very hard on a certain level. He was a person of affairs, in the worldly sense, with a lot of choices laid out on his smorgasbord. I had no choices whatsoever. I was a pariah. But a very fortunate one, in that he saw something worthwhile in me, and he made me two terrific records. He gave me the break I needed to continue living life. He is my benefactor.

On his relations with David Bowie, 2003

As society has changed, what had formerly been unacceptable has become colorful, even the broken-glass thing. Although, you know, there's an archetypal element to that anyway. ... It's about the blood ... The Christians used that riff with Christ. What did Christ really do? He hung out with hard-drinking fishermen. And when they asked him, "Why are you hanging out with prostitutes and fishermen?" he said, "Because they need me." What a line, you know? But what your martial society really wants is blood. We need some blood. We need some suffering. Like, the individual must suffer for the good of the whole. I toy around with that. Early on, I wasn't looking at Jesus Christ, saying to myself, "What an angle." I wasn't trying to be Christ-y. But, after all, on one level, this is showbiz.

On his stage performances, including acts where he would crawl and roll on broken glass., 2003

If I don't terrorize, I'm not Pop.

An earlier statement, quoted in the article., 2003

Yeah, she's heard the war stories ... I tell it all to her. I think one has to, because one wants to know somebody, and one wants to feel that somebody knows one. I mean, the embarrassment quotient has been going down for a long time, and the fond amusement has been rising.

On discussing his past escapades with his girlfriend., 2003

I wore that because it makes me look beautiful. I stare at myself in the mirror and I think, "Wow, I'm really great-looking." ... I think I'm the greatest, anyway.

On wearing leotards and fishnet stockings in his early performances., 2003