Iggy Pop — New Values 1979 Tour Tee

By 1979, Iggy Pop had already established himself as one of rock music's most gloriously unhinged performers. As frontman of The Stooges, he'd spent the previous decade rolling around in broken glass, diving into audiences, smearing himself with peanut butter, and generally doing everything your parents warned you about.

And somehow, he was still alive.

After the breakup of The Stooges in 1974, Iggy had endured years of drug addiction, psychiatric treatment, and a famously chaotic friendship with David Bowie, who helped resurrect his career with the landmark 1977 albums The Idiot and Lust for Life.

But by 1979, Iggy was ready to do things his own way.

Released on April 27, 1979, New Values was his third solo studio album and his first without Bowie's involvement. Produced by former Stooges guitarist James Williamson, the record reunited Iggy with several old collaborators, including multi-instrumentalist Scott Thurston.

And the results were surprisingly terrific.

Featuring songs like I'm Bored, Five Foot One, Girls, The Endless Sea, and the title track, New Values combined the raw energy of Iggy's punk beginnings with a sharper, more melodic new-wave sound.

The album's lead single, I'm Bored, was practically a mission statement, delivered with the sort of sneering contempt that only Iggy could make sound charming.

And then there was the tour.

During the spring of 1979, Iggy traveled through Britain, appearing at clubs and theaters including Eric's in Liverpool, the Music Machine in London, Barbarella's in Birmingham, and the Lyceum Ballroom.

His touring band included Glen Matlock, the former Sex Pistols bassist, bringing together two of punk rock's most notorious names.

Later that year, Iggy returned to North America, performing at intimate venues including the Hot Club in Philadelphia, the Old Waldorf in San Francisco, and Hurrah in New York City.

These weren't enormous arena productions with elaborate lighting rigs and dancers.

This was Iggy Pop, a microphone, a band, and an audience that had absolutely no idea what might happen next.