Iggy Pop Biography
He is controversial, at times very extreme but one thing that is clear is that James Newell Osterberg, Jr. alias Iggy Pop is a punk genius. His is a career that has spanned over 44 years starting in 1967, during that time Pop has taken on many roles from being a record producer then a songwriter and he is also an actor and a singer.
Pop was born on April 21 1947 in Muskegon, Michigan, USA. His parents were named James Newell Osterberg, Sr. and Louella Christensen and they raised him in a low income home. As a child Pop had to live in dire conditions since his parents could not afford a house, instead the family lived in makeshift houses that rented for a few dollars. To escape the troubles at his home Pop resorted to listening to punk rock music, this soon grew into a passion that saw him becoming part of a band.
Initially Pop moved from one school band to another either as the lead vocalist or as the drummer. This is a trend that continued form 1960 until 1967, a period in which he dropped out of the University of Michigan. Pop cited that he did not see the need for education because his career in music would not be determined by academic credentials but by his talent and dedication.
In 1968, Pop was signed on to Electra Records not as a solo artist but as part of The Stooges, yet another punk rock band. He started performing to crowds and it is during this time that his trademark weird performances were established. Pop would not remain on stage like any other singer instead he would cut himself and appear to the crowd while dripping with blood. Despite this unusual behaviour Pop got a cult following of funs who were thrilled by the adrenaline rush of his shows. It was also around this time that Pop got involved in the heavy use of cocaine.
After a long hiatus by The Stooges Pop was back to recording and this time the band released a 1979 album titled New Values. The album did not do well and Pop, together with his band had several tours around the UK to promote it. Following albums by Pop and The Stooges were Soldier, Party, Zombie Birdhouse, Blah Blah Blah, Instinct, Livin' on the Edge of the Night, Brick by Brick, American Caesar, Naughty Little Doggie, Avenue B, Beat 'Em Up, Skull Ring, Priliminaires, and the latest album from 2011 is Angle of the Dangle.
Besides singing Pop has had a successful career on film, some of his roles have been in The Color of Money, The Rugrats Movie, The Crow: City of Angels, Snow Day, Coffee and Cigarettes, Dead Man, Tank Girl, Rock & Rule, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, The Adventures of Pete & Pete, and Tales from the Crypt.
In 2010 Pop was honoured together with The Stooges for their commitment to the music industry, they received an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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