MANHATTAN, NY—Iggy popped into town for a promotional slam dunk in support of the latest documentary about the Stooges’ Gimme Danger by acclaimed downtown director Jim Jarmusch, an art exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum and a sit down talk in support of the book Total Chaos at Rizzoli’s on 25th Street. Interviewed by Jeff Gold, who co-wrote the book As Told By Iggy Pop, it’s a stew of memorabilia, concert posters, pictures and above all stories told by the man himself. At the talk, Pop was gracious, insightful and incredibly charming. He’s taken on the role of a rock and roll sage these days but the cheery glint is still there as well as a lust for life that’s infectious.
Sitting across from Gold, Pop took on his place in the history books as well as citing both the recent film and book as closure to the Stooges’ twisted legacy. At the question and answer that followed, we learnt that Iggy’s white gloves from the band’s early days he got on bulk from Kmart. His dance moves were derived from the American Indian and that original Stooges guitarist Scott Ashton was handed bass guitar duties on the album Raw Power due to the more aggressive and overriding guitar of newcomer James Williamson.
Someone asked him why Detroit has figured so prominently in the American musical mainstream. Pop cited cheap rents and rehearsal spaces located on the outskirts of the city as the main reason and went onto cite the MC5, Motown, and the Motor City madman Ted Nugent. They all found fame and glory combining the city’s gritty rhythms with the frat rock of nearby college towns such as Ann Arbor.
Pop recited the lyrics to the song “Repo Man” from the 1984 film like a poet laureate when someone asked him if he had any memories working on it. He met everyone afterwards with a wide-eyed grin, a twinkle in his eye and signed books for all, ending a memorable evening at Rizzoli’s.
Event date: November 4, 2016
