Iggy Pop Self-Releasing French Album

Rolling Stone – Fri, May 11, 2012 8:55 AM EDT

Iggy Pop's new album of French pop classics has been rejected by his label, Virgin EMI, the Guardian reports. "[The label] didn't want it," Pop told reporters at a press conference in Paris earlier this week. "They didn't think they would make any money, they didn't think my fans would like it. They would have preferred that I do a rock album with popular punks, sort of like 'Hi Dad!'"

Pop was contractually obligated to offer the album, titled Après, to the label. Pop has opted to self-release the album digitally, and it is already on sale on the French website Vente Privée. The singer is taking the rejection hard, telling reporters "What has a record company ever done for me but humiliate and torment and drag me down?" and lamenting, "I've always had a very rough time in the big-time music business. I got kicked off every label."

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