One very simple reason. Just watch this video:
What’s so special about it you say? Bands have been doing it for years. Pearl Jam was famous for their surfing vids a long time ago. However, they credit Neil Young as their inspiration. However, Neil never did anything like this. While Neil was whining with Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Iggy was inventing a whole new concept for concerts. So, to put this in perspective for the younger crowd that’s used to punk and crowd surfing. The “wildest” thing people were watching was The Rolling Stones. The biggest hit of the year was “Aquarius”. And, the people most likely to have experienced the birth of crowd surfing ala Iggy would have been your grand-parents. Eddie Vedder might have experienced it, but I doubt it. He wasn’t in pre-school yet.
So, I just believe in giving credit where it’s due. Although few will claim it, almost every hard-edged rock band has emulated Iggy Pop for the last thirty-something years. You’d think Rolling Stone would know that.
I LOVE that you wrote “while Neil was whining with Crosby, Stills and Nash.” I quite adore the album “So Far” but ALWAYS flip past “Helpless.” Gahh!! I can hear him in my head…
To be fair to Neil, there was a lot of whining going on in 1970. I never enjoyed that too much. I enjoyed some Neil stuff, but basically “Southern Man” and “Like a Hurricane” are pretty much it.
To get back on topic, I always enjoyed Iggy a LOT more and have always felt he was more of an influence on the rock scene than Neil ever was. He just never got the PR machine going. Apparently never will. It’s hard to find good Iggy footage from the old days. But when you do, it’s a lot more exciting than the wildest, craziest moment the Neils of rock ever dreamed of.
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