At university, I had been obsessed with reading about the lives of Rimbaud and Baudelaire, and I was steeped in the crazy poets, and I came to view my early subjects through that prism.
My parents wanted to light my artistic candle. But over time, the definition of ‘the arts’ began to stretch. And as I got older, they suddenly realized, Oh, my God, we’re the parents of Iggy Pop.
Your skin starts itching once you buy that gimmick about something called love.
When I get up in the morning, I stay nude for three or four hours. If I really feel like getting formal, I’ll put on board shorts.
I’m a travel enthusiast.
Nihilism is best done by professionals.
My mom was a saint. She taught me to be terminally nice.
I’m bored, I’m the chairman of the board.
I like semi-torn-down places where I could get nestled in and get something done without anyone bothering me.
Nobody understands me, I’m really sensitive.
Something I like to do a lot is just sit by water when there’s a current and just stare into the water. I don’t fish, I don’t hunt, I don’t scuba, I don’t spear, don’t boat, don’t play basketball or football – I excel at staring into space. I’m really good at that.
The key to The Doors is the culture behind the myth.
I am the passenger, I stay under glass. I look through my window so bright, I see the stars come out tonight. I see the bright and hollow sky, over the city’s ripped backsides and everything looks good tonight.
Well, the stuff that has become more commercial doesn’t have any edge.
If I don’t terrorize, I’m not Pop.
A lot of young musicians get the money at the wrong time. They get it for something they don’t feel great about, and it’ll make you feel so bad it’ll destroy you and kill you.
Second only to the sea, the Miami sky has been the greatest comfort in my life past 50. On a good day, when the wind blows from the south, the light here is diffuse and forgiving.
Look, you’re here to see me, and I can’t go on until my dealer is here, and he’s waiting to be paid, so give me some money so I can fix up, and then you’ll get your show.
Miami’s never been more than a spit from New York.
My general take on American music since 1969 is that it’s just getting stiffer and people are getting more uptight – audience, performance, and palace guard.
I never say never about anything.