Rock’s Strangest Prank: Elton John’s Gorilla Suit Attack on Iggy Pop
In 1973, at the height of glam rock chaos, Elton John pulled one of the strangest pranks in music history: storming a Stooges concert in a full gorilla suit and tackling a drug-addled Iggy Pop onstage. We unpack the bizarre true story behind that moment, tracing Iggy’s downward spiral after Raw Power, the chaos surrounding its infamous mix by David Bowie, and how Elton’s surreal prank became a weirdly touching gesture between two rock legends. It’s a snapshot of a wilder time when even the most absurd moments carried real meaning.
Watch the episode on YouTube and go deeper with more video episodes.
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Iggy and Elton on Wax and Paper:
Stooges: Raw Power (Vinyl) https://amzn.to/4l76muM
Gimme Danger: The Story of Iggy Pop (Joe Ambrose, 2004) https://amzn.to/40neZsQ
Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk (Legs McGee & Gillian McCain, 2016) https://amzn.to/40CvqS2
Elton John: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Vinyl): https://amzn.to/44gu1mK
Stooges on Vinyl: https://amzn.to/401xm6u
Iggy Pop on Vinyl: https://amzn.to/4ksiENk
Poetic Wax is a weekly music history series hosted by Andy Fenstermaker, where he digs into the record collection he's been building since the 1990s to uncover the sometimes little told stories behind the artists, albums, and songs from within.
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Saint Etienne’s Forgotten Gem: A Love Letter to British Suburbia
What happens when a pop band turns a London council block into a concept album? In 2005, Saint Etienne released "Tales from Turnpike House," a quietly radical record that captured the rhythms, routines, and quiet poetry of suburban life. Today we explore the album’s architectural inspiration, its place in the revival of the concept album, and how it laid the groundwork for Saint Etienne’s later work. From Xenomania pop polish to David Essex bedtime tales, this is the story of one of British pop’s most overlooked masterpieces.
Watch the episode on YouTube and go deeper with more video episodes.
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🎧 Get Tales From the Turnpike House on Vinyl: https://amzn.to/3I8bG2p
🎧 Get Saint Etienne on Vinyl: https://amzn.to/4enIaBQ
Poetic Wax is a weekly music history series hosted by Andy Fenstermaker, where he digs into the record collection he's been building since the 1990s to uncover the sometimes little told stories behind the artists, albums, and songs from within.
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CYHSY: The Internet’s First DIY Indie Rock Phenomenon
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah didn’t sidestep the music business. They bulldozed right past it. And in doing so, they changed how bands could break through. This is the story of the band that went viral before “going viral” was really even a thing. It’s a story of raw sound, right timing, and one album that rewrote the rules.
Watch the episode on YouTube and go deeper with more video episodes.
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🎧 Get Clap Your Hands Say Yeah on Vinyl https://amzn.to/4kOxKxn
Poetic Wax is a weekly music history series hosted by Andy Fenstermaker, where he digs into the record collection he's been building since the 1990s to uncover the sometimes little told stories behind the artists, albums, and songs from within.
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Why Brian Wilson’s Passing Hit Harder Than I Expected
Today, we remember Brian Wilson, the soul of the Beach Boys and a true voice of a generation. His unforgettable melodies defined an era, spanned generations, and shaped the early days of pop music. It's time to reflect on his legendary career and the impact he had on music, and on me. RIP Brian Wilson. This is why your passing hit me harder than I expected.
Watch the episode on YouTube and go deeper with more video episodes.
✉️ Join the Poetic Wax Podcast newsletter
🎧 Get The Beach Boys on Vinyl https://amzn.to/3FDqyFj
Poetic Wax is a weekly music history series hosted by Andy Fenstermaker, where he digs into the record collection he's been building since the 1990s to uncover the sometimes little told stories behind the artists, albums, and songs from within.
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How a Broken Jaw and Existential Dread Shaped Modest Mouse’s Darkest Album
In the summer of 2000, Modest Mouse released The Moon & Antarctica, and today we take a deep dive into the stories, sounds, and strange mythology behind Modest Mouse’s major-label debut. From cosmic themes and broken jaw myths to existential dread and the Volkswagen controversy, this video explores how the band created one of indie rock’s most haunting and forward-looking albums just as the world itself began to fracture.
Watch the episode on YouTube and go deeper with more video episodes.
✉️ Join the Poetic Wax Podcast newsletter
🎧 Get The Moon And Antarctica on Vinyl https://amzn.to/4n5nSkG
🎧 Get Modest Mouse on Vinyl https://amzn.to/3BEoPgW
Poetic Wax is a weekly music history series hosted by Andy Fenstermaker, where he digs into the record collection he's been building since the 1990s to uncover the sometimes little told stories behind the artists, albums, and songs from within.
About Poetic Wax: Music History Hidden in the Grooves
Poetic Wax is a short weekly podcast where host Andy Fenstermaker digs deep into his vast record collection to uncover and share the history of bands, albums, songs, and more. Poetic Wax explores music history in all its forms, from new angles on things widely covered to the little known moments that create monumental change.
Listen to Poetic Wax: Music History Hidden in the Grooves, Sidetracked with Annie and Nick and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
Ireland