Iggy Pop, the ever-youthful godfather of punk

Iggy Pop, the American punk pioneer who has become an icon for generations of musicians and fans, turned 74 this year but his verve and vitality seem as indestructible as they were in the 1960s. That show, each past episode of which is available for a limited number of days online, is Iggy Pop’s biggest current influence on listeners as well as new bands. Iggy Confidential is, in fact, a demonstration of what Pop means when he says his secret elixir for staying young is discovering new music. Such insights apart, Iggy Confidential is a fine place to join Pop as he goes on his musical discoveries: new bands such as Manchester’s Calva Louise, a trio whose upbeat melodic pop is worth checking out; or Arushi Jain, an India-born, US-residing composer, modular synthesist and vocalist who reinterprets Hindustani classical music using electronic arrangements. There seems little doubt that Iggy Pop’s magic potion for staying young is, indeed, music.