Iggy Pop returns to BBC 6 Music this Friday with a new show as a determinant presenter, bringing his own unique brand of musical commentary and track selection to the airwaves, which will hopefully bring a bit more punk rock into the mix. Having filled in for Jarvis Cocker in 2014 he’s not really a newcomer to the much-loved radio station and his long history in the music industry, which dates back to the 1960s, means that he’s got a wealth of knowledge tucked away underneath the hazy fug of a life spend in the eye of the proto-punk storm, so it’s going to be fun hearing him spin out the tracks both old and new.
Airing every Friday between 7pm and 9pm from the 10th April 2015, the Iggy Pop Show is looking likely to be a popular new addition to 6 Music, but it sounds like it’s going to be as beneficial for the rock legend as it will be for music fans. Commenting on his new slot, he said, “Having sat in for Jarvis Cocker last year on BBC Radio 6 Music, I found myself realising how good it was for me. I hope it was good for somebody else too. So I’m gonna do it again this year, on early Friday evenings; what we call in the USA the ‘happy hour'”.
He also gave some indication about the direction his music choices are going to take, referring to his intention to play a lot of the new music he’s gotten into, as well as some older classic tracks. He’s also going to feature blues and jazz tracks from the old masters of the 1920s through to some of the music that inspired his career with a childhood that saw him grow up in the 1950s with songs that he describes as having “a little more moody”.
The new addition to Friday night listening comes with ripple effects for the rest of the regular roster with the Tom Ravenscroft show moving to 9pm-midnight, from it’s previous place of 7-10pm. On the negative side of the equation is 6 Mix, which is being cut from the station as a result of the change-up in schedule. It had it’s final swan song on Friday the 27th March 2015 with a 2 hour special hosted by Nemone looking back on the best guest mixes from the last 10 years.
Iggy Pop’s first forays on 6 Music came in December 2013 when he hosted two stand-alone shows to great success. On the back of these he was then asked to take over from Jarvis Cocker from March 2014, when he went on a year long sabbatical. The Sunday Service show ran from 4pm – 6pm weekly with Iggy coming up with a new theme in advance of each show and playing music that’s lined to it somehow. There’s no word on whether or not he’ll be doing the same for his new show, but either way you look at it, you can’t help but admire the unique angle he tries to bring to his radio DJ slots.
What we do know for sure is that Iggy has got a history of playing an eclectic mix of music, which has previously seen him spin out songs by FrankSinatra, Beach Boys, The Temptations, Bananarama, FKA twigs and Curtis Harding. For his new show, you can look forward to a wide range of influences that will see him transition seemlessly, and maybe sometimes glaringly, from blues to jazz, French chanson to art rock and avant-garde, and roots to reggae and other ethnic genres.
While he took a bit of a blip with the terrible insurance ads, it seems that the punk rock legend has found his way back to what he does best; inspiring new musical appreciation and pioneering different ways of looking at things. It’s something he did very well during his time with The Stooges with breakout tracks like Lust For Life, The Passenger, I Wanna Be Your Dog, and Real Wild Child and we’ll be getting more of the same from him every Friday night from now on. Pop’s got a pretty crazy legacy that includes having Super Mario characters names after him and we’re looking forward to what else he throws into the mix.
