James Jewel Osterburg, also known as Iggy Stooge and more famously as Iggy Pop and The Godfather of Punk, was never going to be an easy subject for a biographer. There was always a lot of tension between the young emaciated thrill-seeker who came close to death more than once, and the later self-anointed icon who does deals with advertising agencies and likes to play golf and go to the supermarket.
Nor is Iggy on the crest of another comeback wave, as some of his more recent appearances attest. These days Iggy live (a phrase that reflects some sort of heroic achievement in itself) is more like a poet giving readings of his most famous pieces than a real living force in popular music.
Author Joe Ambrose does full justice to the original spirit of Iggy Pop's through a rich and revealing selection of interviews, offering many shrewd insights into the personality of a man whose own comments often seem more confused than anarchic.
