Iggy Pop: 5 reasons the man is more than an 'American Idol' fail

So, why is Iggy Pop a rock and roll legend? That's a question on lots of lips this morning after the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer hit the "Idol" stage on Thursday (April 7) like a ton of rawhide bricks.

The "Idol" audience isn't exactly Iggy's wheelhouse, so it isn't a huge surprise that his shaky, half-clothed rendition of "Real Wild Child" fell flatter than Ryan Seacrest's one-liners. ("I think I've got to cut out carbs after seeing that.")

But we're here to tell you that although he may not have been the perfect fit for "Idol's" pasteurized pop (How about that "I Love Rock and Roll"/"Sweet Home Alabama" mash-up, folks?!), he is most definitely a rock legend, one of the godfathers of punk and deserving of a little respect -- from us and Seacrest.

So, without further ado, we present five very rocking facts about Iggy Pop.

1. Iggy and the Stooges: So back before rock devolved to wanna-bes wearing scarf-tails and jumping off pyrotechnic pianos, Iggy would throw himself into his live performances -- smearing himself with peanut butter, raw meat and rolling in shards of glass on stage. Also, the music had an undeniable, ahem, "Raw Power":




2. 'Repo Man': Children of the '80s -- or lovers of retro cool -- may recognize Iggy as the guy who sang the movie's title track.



3. Influential fans: In his journals, Kurt Cobain listed The Stooges' "Raw Power" as his no. 1 favorite album of all time. Another big-time fan: Jack White, who once said "Fun House" was the best rock and roll album ever made.

4. "China Girl": Long before David Bowie hit the charts with the song, Iggy recorded a much more haunting version of the song he co-wrote with Bowie on his album "The Idiot."



5. Living legend: His scene, opposite Tom Waits, in Jim Jarmusch's "Coffee and Cigarettes":


Tom Waits _ Iggy Pop - Coffee and Cigarettes by mugu_77