Artist · EveryDisc catalogue

Iggy Pop

James Newell Osterberg, Jr. (born April 21, 1947, Michigan, USA), better known as Iggy Pop, is an American rock vocalist, one of the initiators and gurus of alternative rock. For his contribution to the development of alternative rock, he is dubbed the "godfather" (sometimes "grandfather") of punk rock and grunge. In 2009, the British magazine Classic Rock honored him with the title "Living Legend." In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Iggy Pop was the vocalist in the rock band The Stooges, which strongly influenced the development of emerging hard rock and punk rock. The Stooges became notoriously famous for their live performances, often during which Iggy (who traditionally performed shirtless) would mutilate himself, insult the audience, undress, and jump from the stage into the crowd (he was the first to use the stage dive). The Stooges were unsuccessfully nominated seven times for inclusion in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; finally, on March 15, 2010, they were inducted at a solemn ceremony held in New York. Iggy's popularity has fluctuated throughout his subsequent solo career. His most well-known solo songs are "Lust for Life," "I’m Bored," "Real Wild Child (Wild One)," "The Passenger," and the hit single "Candy" (a duet with The B-52's vocalist Kate Pierson) which reached the Top 40. A biographical film about his life and career titled "The Passenger" is in development. The nickname "Iggy" was given to him by Michael Erlewine and other bandmates in "Prime Movers" because Osterberg previously played in the group "The Iguanas." Iggy Pop is universally recognized as one of the most dynamic performers of all time. Since the 1990s, he has acted frequently in films.