Iggy Pop Interview
Iggy Pop aka James Newell Osterberg was born in Michigan on April 21, 1947. The Godfather of Punk, the third cousin of New Wave, Iggy took enough drugs to choke a small nation and lived to tell about it. He smeared Peanut Butter, cut and battered himself, strippe naked and confronted his audience. Iggy changed the world. We are honored to have the IgMeister General sit down with us for a quick conversation.
Madhouse Magazine: There have been a lot of crazy stories about your life. Can you share the watermelon story with us?
Iggy Pop: Ha yes, I remember that. We were enjoying some watermelon backstage and I was whacked out of my skull and felt it would be a good idea to throw a whole watermelon into the crowd. It smashed this girl in the head. She was knocked unconscious and had a concussion. She wore the watermelon shell like a hat the rest of the night. That woman turned out to be Hillary Clinton. She was a real freak. She came backstage and I poured a cup of ice down her pants. She pulled the cubes out and ate them seductively. Needless to say, the band and roadies had a fun time with her that night.
Madhouse Magazine: You named your band ‘The Stooges’. Did you have to get clearance from ‘The Three Stooges’?
Iggy Pop: Funny you ask that. I went to visit Moe Howard to ask permission and he grabbed me by the nose with a pliers and dragged me around the room while Larry kicked me in the nuts. After they beat my ass for 15 minutes, Moe said I don’t give a crap what you call your band as long as you don’t call it ‘Three Stooges’. Now get out of here you weirdo.
Madhouse Magazine: Why don’t you wear a shirt?
Iggy Pop: I actually haven’t worn a shirt since 1969. I sometimes wear a jacket to the beach, but I never wear a shirt. Winter, Spring Summer and Fall, wrinkled skin baby! Like hot leather! Look at it! Look at it!
Madhouse Magazine: Didn’t you get into trouble for not wearing a shirt?
Iggy Pop: Oh yeah. I was refused service at a 7-11. I was just trying to get a Slurpee and a Slim Jim and this guy stops me and tells me I can’t come in without a shirt. The 7-11 owner Babu Ramalama pointed to the sign that says “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Service!” and said “Those are the words I live by, I don’t care who you are, and the only stooge i know is Moe. I do not know about Iggy Stooge.” I grabbed Peanut Butter and smeared it all over my chest. Babu chased me out with a broom.”
Madhouse Magazine: What is your favorite memory of your career?
Iggy Pop: It was around 1975 and I was living in Berlin with Bowie. We were massive drug addicts, but no matter what, we would put our needles down for 1 hour a week on Thursday evening and watch ‘Starsky & Hutch’. It was beautiful, one hour of clarity in a sick and sordid life. ‘Huggy Bear’ was the inspiration for ‘Lust for Life’.
