Iggy Pop: Open Up And Bleed: The Biography

Description

Iggy Pop s life has been one of extraordinary highs and terrifying lows. Infamous for his wild ways, he is also a towering figure of the rock scene - hugely influential, charismatic and provocative. Every mad, bad, dangerous to know rock star owes a debt to him, and the stories of his shocking behaviour are legendary. But Iggy Pop is also, to a large extent, a construct, the alter ego of the quietly spoken and intriguing Jim Osterberg: the kid voted Most Likely to Succeed by his classmates. So what turned this charming, well-mannered, straight-A student into a poster child for rock n roll debauchery? IGGY POP: OPEN UP AND BLEED reveals the truth behind the myths. Former MOJO editor Paul Trynka tracked down the star s friends, family, lovers and fellow musicians, conducting over two hundred and fifty interviews, unearthing countless new stories about Iggy s rollercoaster life, his music and his often misunderstood friendship with David Bowie. From this impeccable research he creates a fascinating portrait of a man at war with the world and with himself. The book also features dozens of never-before seen photos.

Paul Trynka is a music journalist and the ex-editor of Mojo. He lives in South London.

*'Paul Trynka gets under Iggy Pop's skin to reveal the real Jim Osterberg. OPEN UP AND BLEED is a hugely impressive feat of research and insights, packed full of yarns that'll make your hair stand on end' Barney Hoskyns, author of HOTEL CALIFORNIA 'With its recurring themes of drug addiction, public masochism and self-sabotage, Iggy's story effectively tells itself, but Trynka captures the essential duality of a man as well-versed in Greek art as he is in panhandling for heroin on Sunset Boulevard ... [an] entertaining and insightful study of one of rock's most enduringly remarkable characters' Q 'Iggy Pop has all the rock 'n' roll bases covered: drugs, long hair, funny body, formerly straight-A student. Lie back and think of California' TATLER 'Former MOJO editor Paul Trynka has put in impeccable research to tell the story of how the shy, studious Jim Osterberg transformed into the force of nature that is Iggy Pop' IRISH EVENING HERALD 'For those who like their rock biogs thick with tales of heroic over-indulgence, OPEN UP AND BLEED is hard to beat ' SUNDAY TIMES ' Compelling. Trynka paints an artful portrait of a rock star who is "decadent right through to his sweet, Midwestern heart"' OBSERVER 'Incorporates just about every depravity you could wish for in a rock biography: indecent exposure, under-age sex, self-mutilation, psychiatric disorder, drug abuse, infidelity, betrayal, violence, death and David Bowie ... When you strip away all the nonsense, Iggy is a pro. Trynka too' GUARDIAN 'Trynka's well-researched biography offers not only a small army of previously unseen photos, but the truth behind Iggy's rise from smalltown nobody to internationally recognised bad boy of rock. It offers insights also into some of his high-profile relationships, notably with David Bowie' HERALD 'Paul Trynka has put impeccable research to tell the story of how the shy, studious Jim Osterberg transformed into the force of nature that is Iggy Pop, creating mayhem and immoral music with The Stooges and throwing himself headlong into every vice put before him' IRISH EVENING HERALD 'Definitive ... Trynka's lively first-hand account of the insanity wrought by Pop and the hordes of deeply damaged human detritus that surround him makes for a highly entertaining read' WORD 'Former MOJO editor Paul Trynka separates Osterberg's Jekyll from Hyde with forensic skill ... Open Up and Bleed is as serpentine and compelling as Iggy's own warped mind and addled physique' RTE GUIDE