Iggy Pop Biography

In a career that has spanned nearly half a century, the godfather of punk Iggy
Pop is best known as a leading influencer in the iconic punk scene of the 70s,
as well as artist and actor.

Born as James Newell Osterberg in Michigan 1947, Iggy kick started his music
career as a drummer, forming the Iguanas in the early 1960s.

Leaving his drumsticks behind and taking inspiration from Lou Reed and Jim
Morrison, Iggy decided to take on front man status by forming The Psychedelic
Stooges in 1967 alongside former high school acquaintances Ron Asheton,
Scott Asheton and Dave Alexander.

It was after shortening their name to The Stooges, and taking on the alias of
Iggy Pop that the band began to make their mark on the music industry, taking
the crown as the pioneers of punk.

A rollercoaster of a career followed with the band going on to become one of

the most influential punk acts of the past 45 years. Well-known for his wild
outrageous antics on stage, Iggy would caress his shirtless body and let out
primal screams, as well as notoriously becoming the creator of the stage dive.

In 1973 after the release of their third album, The Stooges announced the
break-up of the band, but it wasnt the end as thirty four years later the band
regrouped as Iggy & The Stooges releasing a further two albums.

Although a punk pioneer it wasnt until Pops 1986 solo album Blah Blah Blah
that he had his first taste of mainstream success with the song Real Wild
Child. Album Brick by Brick (1990) proved to be the commercial breakthrough
that was long overdue, scoring Iggy his biggest hit to date "Candy." It reached
the top 30 of Billboard's pop charts in 1991.

Many have credited music legend David Bowie for aiding Iggys mainstream
success, being there throughout some of Iggys darkest days Bowie was there to
reignite Iggys flame. The pair have had a long-standing friendship which has
spanned decades, touring and writing together, Bowie and Iggy wrote
numerous tracks which Bowie later performed on his own albums, Tonight,
and Sister Midnight and China Girl which reached number 2 in the UK charts
and number 3 in the US Billboard charts.

With 5 albums under his belt with The Stooges and an additional 16 solo
albums, it is little wonder that Iggy has maintained his crown as one of the
biggest influences in punk, securing himself a rock legend status.
Continuously striving for creativity, Iggy became a natural to the silver screen
and appeared in 16 movies, 5 television series 4 rockumentaries and has had
his songs incorporated into 18 movie soundtracks including the BAFTA award
winning Trainspotting.

An icon to many, actor Johnny Depp publicly names Iggy as one of his biggest
musical heroes. The pair have had a long surviving friendship through the past
30 years with Depp performing with Iggy on stage, and Iggy returning the love
by starring alongside Depp in Cry-Baby and Dead Man.

With his famously distinctive style, Iggy Pop is recognized for his fashion sense
as well as his music. Whether its parading bare-chested with skintight trousers
or showcasing risqu customized garments from luxury designers, Iggy is a
man that is not afraid to push the boundaries of fashion. He has previously
worked with Versace, menswear designer John Varvatos and has been
photographed for numerous fashion titles including Vogue Homme.

Throughout his career, art has played a pivotal role in Iggys life, a keen painter
and all round creative, Iggy has produced many pieces of artwork that are
proudly displayed throughout his Miami home. He starred in the Sky Arts
series Art Rocks that profiled famous musicians with artistic flair.

Still proving to be a pivotal part of the British music scene, 2014 saw Iggy take
to the airwaves by presenting weekly BBC Radio 6 music show. Known for
being a master storyteller each week Iggy captivates listeners with tales of his
career and songs from his personal record collection.

In 2010 Iggy Pop and The Stooges finally received the mainstream status that
they deserved when they were inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Iggy Pop Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iggypop