I find it hard to focus looking forward. So I look backward.

If I started thinking too much about how influential I've been, then I'd be more of a turd than I already am.

I became Iggy because I had a sadistic boss at a record store. I'd been in a band called the Iguanas. And when this boss wanted to embarrass and demean me, he'd say, 'Iggy, get me a coffee, light.'

I was a pretty nice kid. Kind of quiet, but quiet in terms I wasn't going out and setting fire to anything. I had a big mouth and I was creative type, you know.

I have a hot memory, but I know I've forgotten many things, too, just squashed things in favor of survival.

And for so long, I had thought if I was going to write a song, or get "into" something, I had to at least smoke a joint or something. And that didn't work anymore. Once I was fairly well cleaned out, even a little bit of a drug getting into my work threw me off kilter.

I like music that's more offensive. I like it to sound like nails on a blackboard, get me wild.