INQUISITR.COM / Entertainment

Iggy Pop Says David Bowie ‘Salvaged Me From Certain Professional And Maybe Personal Annihilation’

By Stacey Cole
Published on: 03:53 PST, Jan 25, 2016

Iggy Pop is a legend in the world of rock n’ roll. For decades, his music has entertained and made music history. But Iggy Pop almost didn’t make it. Earlier in January, Iggy Pop sat down with the New York Times to talk about how, after being down and out in his career and personally, David Bowie stepped in and saved him. He said that his friendship with Bowie was more like his own salvation.

“He resurrected me. He was more of a benefactor than a friend in a way most people think of friendship. He went a bit out of his way to bestow some good karma on me.”

Iggy Pop expanded on the effect Bowie had on his life and career.

“The friendship was basically that this guy salvaged me from certain professional and maybe personal annihilation — simple as that. A lot of people were curious about me, but only he was the one who had enough truly in common with me, and who actually really liked what I did and could get on board with it, and who also had decent enough intentions to help me out. He did a good thing.”

Iggy Pop spoke about how worldly Bowie was compared to him and how much he learned from Bowie.

“I learned things that I still use today. I met the Beatles and the Stones, and this one and that one, and this actress and this actor and all these powerful people through him. And I watched. And every once in a while, now at least, I’m a little less rustic when I have to deal with those people.”

Even though this interview with the New York Times is recent, Iggy Pop has expressed for years Bowie’s role in helping him launch his career as a solo artist. When co-hosting an episode of 120 Minutes in 1991, he talked about how Bowie brought him from the level of a street person to music success.

Check out Iggy Pop and Bowie performing “Sister Midnight” together.

And here is a rare audio of a live performance of “The Passenger” by Iggy Pop and Bowie.

The incredible thing is that with the passing of Bowie earlier this month, Iggy Pop is still going strong. Now, the New York Times reports that Iggy Pop is collaborating with Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age, and the forthcoming album is called Post Pop Depression.

Homme spoke of working with Iggy Pop.

“We’re hanging on by the skin of our teeth, but we’re making it through. And by the time we get to ‘Lust for Life,’ we’re all sweating and dancing around with this moronic look on our faces. Iggy looked over at me and… [Homme mimes a wink and a thumbs-up sign]. With Iggy, compliments are not forthcoming. It was a real moment.”

Iggy Pop also reflected on the new album, speaking about its theme.

“What happens after your years of service? And where is the honor?”

He elaborates.

“In American life, because it’s so hypercompetitive, what happens when you’re finally useless to everyone except hopefully not yourself? What happens then? And can you continue to be of use to yourself? I had a kind of character in mind. It was sort of a cross between myself and a military veteran.”

Iggy Pop is certainly more of a character onstage, when he goes into a persona, something that he very likely learned from Bowie. However, Iggy Pop took that and made it his own and now he is mentoring the new generation of musicians!

[Composite image containing photos by Juan Naharro Gimenez, Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images]

Share this article: Iggy Pop Says David Bowie ‘Salvaged Me From Certain Professional And Maybe Personal Annihilation’
David Bowie
More from Inquisitr