The gorilla was John

December 28, 2011 8:53 PM

"Okay. The reason I’m bringing all this up again is because Iggy Pop was once attacked by a gorilla during a live performance. But the gorilla turned out to be Elton John.... The Creem photograph documenting the event is hilarious, showing James Williamson transfixing the uppity ape with a malevolent glare that signals, he says, his intent to 'take him out.'"

You can read more about the incident about halfway down the page (Ctrl+F gorilla) of this excerpt from Paul Trynka's 2007 biography Iggy Pop: Open Up and Bleed.

posted by malapropist (32 comments total)

that's a great photo.

side note: has ever worn a shirt?
posted by One Thousand and One at 9:19 PM on December 28, 2011 [1 favorite]

has he*, rather
posted by One Thousand and One at 9:19 PM on December 28, 2011

Bonobo and the Jets.
posted by twoleftfeet at 9:23 PM on December 28, 2011 [2 favorites]

Elton John danced onstage in a gorilla costume at a Stooges show in 1973 - which means Elton John is way more down or punk or whatever than most of us will ever be. And he could probably regale you with crazy stories for a whole evening and still manage to leave that one out.

Between this and Loutallica, the nineteen year old me's mind is shattered and disturbed.
posted by stinkycheese at 9:30 PM on December 28, 2011 [4 favorites]

Elton was known for his Stooge presence.
posted by twoleftfeet at 9:33 PM on December 28, 2011 [3 favorites]

This is one of the most rock 'n roll stories I've ever read.
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 9:36 PM on December 28, 2011 [1 favorite]

Favourite for the title (well, mostly the title).
posted by howfar at 9:40 PM on December 28, 2011 [1 favorite]

where is the gorilla key on my keyboard?
posted by mannequito at 10:16 PM on December 28, 2011

side note: has ever worn a shirt?

On Pete and Pete. It's jarring.
posted by Betty_effn_White at 10:35 PM on December 28, 2011

From the main link:

Iggy was never at a deficit when it came to willing partners, though, so let’s just assume that he had been doing something outrageous, penis-wise, no less than 24 hours before the gorilla attack.

Last sentence of the newspaper squib:

Be nice to see this mutual admiration turn into something more concrete...

Hmmm.
posted by kavasa at 11:11 PM on December 28, 2011

OK, I Googled that. Iggy in a shirt on something called Pete and Pete.
posted by pracowity at 11:13 PM on December 28, 2011

Then there was the other time that Iggy wore a shirt when he was a Cardassian on Deep Space Nine.
posted by cortex at 11:19 PM on December 28, 2011 [6 favorites]

Well, one thing I think we can all agree on is that "The Weirdness" never happened.

Nope. That never happened.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 11:39 PM on December 28, 2011 [3 favorites]

Then there was the other time that Iggy wore a shirt when he was a Cardassian on Deep Space Nine.

You have just made my evening.
posted by maudlin at 11:53 PM on December 28, 2011 [1 favorite]

Actually, he was a Vorta.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 12:34 AM on December 29, 2011 [2 favorites]

so, it's not a shirt exactly, but his chest is (mostly) covered - and a dior handbag to match!
posted by nadawi at 2:10 AM on December 29, 2011 [1 favorite]

MetaFilter: Ctrl+F gorilla
posted by brokkr at 3:02 AM on December 29, 2011

That gorilla looks like Clarence Beeks
posted by holdkris99 at 4:37 AM on December 29, 2011

That Deep Space Nine clip... I just... I can't... I mean... I...
posted by gwint at 5:14 AM on December 29, 2011 [1 favorite]

so, it's not a shirt exactly, but his chest is (mostly) covered - and a dior handbag to match!

Oh...I thought that was Anna Wintour.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 6:28 AM on December 29, 2011 [1 favorite]

Oh Iggy, were you really that skint... ?
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 6:49 AM on December 29, 2011

How long has YouTube had a control that lets you put snowflakes on a video? That's so cute.
posted by Halloween Jack at 6:57 AM on December 29, 2011

Maybe he was skint. Maybe he was just bored? I mean, you're Iggy Pop. You call up anyone and say "hey, it's Iggy Pop. I've never been in an ad and they're just so, you know, stupid, and awful, and awesome and everyfuckingwhere. So I thought, hey, I could do that. It would kill an afternoon and fuck with some people who have no sense of humor about themselves. Besides, I've done everything else and I'm bored" and you could be in any commercial that exists.

Damn, now I want to be Iggy Pop, even more.
posted by crush-onastick at 7:02 AM on December 29, 2011

Besides, I've done everything else and I'm bored

Obligatory.
posted by maudlin at 7:24 AM on December 29, 2011 [1 favorite]

In this video of Iggy and David Bowie on Dinah Shore, Iggy wears a jacket during the interview and then takes it off for the performance. I read that the network made him wear something for the interview, but let him take it off during the songs, but I forget where I read it so it might not be true. Why else would he wear a shirt, ever, though? Man, Iggy's like a primal force.

My favorite iggy video.
posted by Huck500 at 7:54 AM on December 29, 2011 [1 favorite]

He wore a shirt in Coffee and Cigarettes, I believe.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:19 AM on December 29, 2011 [1 favorite]

Then there was the other time that Iggy wore a shirt when he was a Cardassian on Deep Space Nine.

Totally not a Cardassian. Where's the neck? The spoonhead? No, that is a Vorta.
posted by Sys Rq at 9:03 AM on December 29, 2011

Actually, he was a Vorta.

Oh Jesus, what were my fingers doing up there. I was just overwhelmed by the Igginess.
posted by cortex at 9:07 AM on December 29, 2011 [1 favorite]

At the gym last night, two guys no older than their late teens came in wearing headphones. One of them took off his headphones to take off his sweatshirt...and "Rocket Man" was playing - loud enough for the whole room to hear.

I didn't get it. Until now.

Actually, I still don't get it.
posted by JoanArkham at 11:26 AM on December 29, 2011

Elton John danced onstage in a gorilla costume at a Stooges show in 1973 - which means Elton John is was way more down or punk or whatever than most of us will ever be.

Obligatory correction, stinkycheese. The punk train has done moved on and left ol' Elty at the mall.
posted by IAmBroom at 11:26 AM on December 29, 2011

Metafilter: Actually, he was a Vorta.
posted by Toby Dammit X at 12:03 PM on December 29, 2011 [1 favorite]

(From article:) "How great a story would it have been if Elton John had been slaughtered, at the peak of his career, before a live audience? It would have been the first ritual sacrifice in rock & roll history, which is pretty cool, and, God knows, Iggy would have made a fortune off of it somehow. Plus, it would have spared us several hundred lame, wildly overplayed Elton John ballads, as well as the pain of looking at those god-awful hair plugs."

Not sure what just happened, but did Paul Tatara just say he sort of wished Iggy had slaughtered Elton John?
posted by MHPlost at 8:08 AM on December 30, 2011