Happy Birthday to IGGY POP April 21 he is 68 years old. The acknowledged Grandfather of punk, the outrageous unpredictable usually shirtless Iggy led the way for many others to follow. Often imitated there is only one IGGY, never mind Iggy Azalea.
Born James Newell Osterberg Jr. his parents were entirely supportive of him as a young teen. He started out as a drummer with a blues band called The Prime Movers where he got his stage name Iggy. Co-bandmate Michael Erlewine is a prolific genius who created Matrix Astrology Software the first computerized astrology software in the world in 1977.
IGGY and MC5: Punk starts here in Detroit City in 1964
They played louder and harder than anyone else and no one wanted to sign them. Kick out the Jams was their first live album. Iggy became known for his notoriously wild stage act- he originated stage diving. He was inspired by Jim Morrison of the Doors stage presence.
Iggy wore a maternity dress, white face and aluminum Afro wig for the very first Stooges concert. They were signed by Elektra Records in 1968. Iggy had a worsening heroin addiction at this time. In 1971 he met David Bowie at Max’s Kansas City in New York and Bowie produced Raw Power in 1973. In 1976 Bowie took Iggy along on his Station to Station Tour.
In 1977 both Bowie and Iggy relocated to West Berlin to kick their drug addictions. Bowie helped him write and produce The Idiot and Lust for Life. They co-wrote China Girl, Tonight and Sister Midnight which Bowie covered himself later.
In 1980 Iggy published an autobiography called I Need More with a forward by Andy Warhol who had met Iggy when he was still Jim at the Ann Arbor Film Festival in 1966. “I don’t know why he hasn’t made it really big,” wrote the one Pop artist about the other. “He is so good.”
In 1983 Bowie recorded China Girl which helped Iggy’s fortunes as he received royalties. With this support he took three years off to finally overcome his heroin addiction. Then he became a shaman, once he was the wounded healer.
In 1984 he did the title song to the film Repo Man. In 1985 one of his biggest hits Lust For Life was in the popular movie Desperately Seeking Susan with Madonna. He contributed his voice along with Lou Reed in 1985 for an animated film. In 1987 Iggy sung on a ground breaking super artsy video by Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto which won MTV video awards-see below.
Iggy has recorded 16 solo albums to date and still continues to perform live and record. He appeared as a character in the video game Lego Rock Band singing The Passenger and his voice is the tutor. Pop also acts and has appeared in 16 movies including one of my favorites, Jim Jarmusch’s 1995 Dead Man with Johnny Depp and Robert Mitchum with an incredible sound track by Neil Young.
On April 7, 2011, at age 63, Pop performed “Real Wild Child” on the 10th season of American Idol. The L.A. Times music blog described Pop as being “still magnetic, still disturbing. ” after all these years.
Lets check out Iggy’ s chart for all of those elements.
From Iggy’s life description you might expect some intense Scorpio, Aries, Leo, Pisces.
Iggy is a solid, earthy, sensuous, body conscious Venusian double Taurus with the Sun and Moon in the 10th house of fame- his parents support of his creativity is in this aspect.
The luninaries are squaring SATURN IN LEO on his 29th degree Cancer Ascendant and also square his Pluto in Leo in the 1st. Iggy is so very emotional, sensitive and Feminine and Saturn and Pluto give Iggy presence, over the top entertaining mannerism and staying power. Otherwise he would have O.D.’s long ago. He is a trouper, a fighter, a leader,burning to expose his soul in the raw.
Sun and Moon are also opposite Chiron in Scorpio in his 4th house. Iggy is an old soul, who transforms himself, his passion, his fascination with danger, the dark, the taboo, heroin, death and life through his creative Taurus side. This is a shamanic healer aspect.
Iggy has a fearless Mercury MARS ruler of Aries conjunction right on his Mid-Heaven. Iggy is famous for LUST FOR LIFE one of his most successful songs, exemplified in that aspect.That Mercury Mars is opposite NEPTUNE in Libra also right on his I.C. or the roots of his being. Neptune rules spirituality, creativity and addictions. This is the long battle that Iggy fought and also what fuels his creativity,
JUPITER is in SCORPIO in the 5th house of creativity, performers, love affairs and again that hunger for living larger than life and death, rebirth. Jupiter is in a out of sign Trine with Saturn in Leo. This is a lucky saving angel on Iggy’s shoulders.
IGGY’s South Node at 2 degrees of Sagittarius is also in the 5th house. He has been a philosopher, a teacher, a wanderer, a gypsy, an inspirer, a performer before, perhaps a magician. I feel he had success before. His North Node is in GEMINI in the 11th house indicated his highest goal is to be the revolutionary, rule breaker, forger, freedom fighter, the one who collaborates with his tribe.
Uranus in Gemini in the 11th indicate Iggy is a very unique individual and a dualistic minded person. He has a very strong persona, he is a quick change twin-sexed man. He has always cross-dressed and said he did so because there is no shame in dressing like a woman because there is no shame in being a woman. He is a shaman in the ancient sense of the word.
Iggy has Lilith conjunct Juno in Capricorn squaring his Mars and Mercury. This makes him a champion of women.
Iggy is a true original artist who has been faithful to himself all along. This is a rare precious commodity in this world these days. I admire IGGY for staying true to his heart and soul for being so OUT THERE and for surviving. In this youth worshipping culture it is important to honor the real survivors. Lesser artists would have abandoned their oevre’s long ago. Thanks Iggy for being you.
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Tara Greene,Tarot Reader, Astrology Psychic 