'Best-of' shows Iggy Pop's lust for rock

MIAMI, July 19 (UPI) -- Iggy Pop hopes his new best-of album leaves one impression with its listeners -- that he is, first and foremost a musician.

"I heard a guy in Poison the other day say 'I never wanted to be a musician. I wanted to be a rock star. That's what I became,' " says Pop, "which is fine, but not me. I started out to be a musician. I'll stick with that, thank you very much."

Born James Osterberg in Ypsilanti, Mich., Pop established himself as a visionary artist and shaman-like showman first with his band, the Stooges, and then on his own. Since 2003 he's been playing with a reunited version of the Stooges, which is also working on a new album.

"A Million in Prizes: The Iggy Pop Anthology" features 38 songs on two discs, includes Pop favorites such as "I Wanna Be Your Dog," "Search and Destroy," "China Girl," "Lust For Life," "The Passenger," and "Candy." It also features two previously unreleased live tracks.

Expanded versions of the Stooges' first two albums -- 1969's The Stooges and 1970's Fun House -- will be released August 16.