What was it like working with Tom Waits and Jim Jarmusch on Coffee And Cigarettes?
Kieron Sutton, Carlisle
It was a tough experience. Working with Tom and Jim is no fucking picnic. Jarmusch guards the script until the night before you shoot, and when I saw it it was like: Tom insults Iggy by making jokes about his name. “Oh, I get it, he’s set me up here to see if I can take it from one of the heaviest dudes in the business.” Tom said later [Iggy slides into a decent Waits impression]: “I’d heard I was going to do something with Captain Beefheart and then out of nowhere it’s Iggy Pop!” But what made it easy was that I was so impressed with Tom. All I had to do was react to him and be in the moment. Making a film is hard work, but when I see it back I’m glad I did it.
Instead of doing those insurance ads couldn’t all your fans send you a fiver instead?
Ed Garland, Bristol
What’s his fucking address? Well, I don’t know, would I have to sign a contract? Send your fivers to: Iggy Pop c/o Uncut and maybe I’ll just keep ’em. Look smart ass, whoever you are, I’ve had a good time doing them so, y’know, what the fuck?
Was the fact that people like J Mascis were covering The Stooges a factor in wanting to reform the band?
Steve Mackay, The Stooges
No, not at all. But Mascis was really key simply because he took Ron Asheton out on the road with him on a tour which was about two cities ahead of me for half a year. Everywhere I went it was, “Hey, Ron was just here,” or even “Ron is coming tonight.” It put a different dynamic on how I looked at the idea of doing something with the other Stooges. I was like, “Jesus Christ, you mean that fucking J Mascis is going to get to pee all over our riffs every night? Fuck that!”
Do you remember taping our late-night chats with Bowie during the making of Low and would you like them to see the light of day?
Tony Visconti
Hello, Tony, how nice! I dearly love Tony for his professional contributions and because, for a producer, he surprisingly resembles a human being. Tapes? Oh my God, oh fuck – no, no, no is the answer. I have no idea what those discussions would be about but we did all spend some quality time together during that era. My basic relationship with Bowie doesn’t really change that much. We haven’t spoken in some time but that’s not a negative for me. I think we both got involved in a fairly complex Game Of Rock at a certain point and I’d say each of us has managed to find our way out of it pretty well.
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