Pop was born James Newell Osterberg Jr. in Muskegon, Michigan, on April 21, 1947, the son of Louella (née Christensen; 1917–1996) and James Newell Osterberg Sr. (
1921–2007), a former high school English teacher and baseball coach at Fordson High School in Dearborn, Michigan.
He is of English and Irish descent on his father's side, and Danish and Norwegian ancestry on his mother's side.
His father was adopted by a Swedish-American nurse surnamed Osterberg.
Pop was raised in a trailer park in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
In a 2007 Rolling Stone interview, Pop explained his relationship with his parents and their contribution to his music:
Once I hit junior high in Ann Arbor, I began going to school with the son of the president of Ford Motor Company, with kids of wealth and distinction.
But I had a wealth that beat them all.
I had the tremendous investment my parents made in me.
I got a lot of care.
They helped me explore anything I was interested in.
This culminated in their evacuation from the master bedroom in the trailer, because that was the only room big enough for my drum kit.
They gave me their bedroom.
Pop was born James Newell Osterberg Jr. in Muskegon, Michigan, on April 21, 1947, the son of Louella (née Christensen; 1917–1996) and James Newell Osterberg Sr. (1921–2007), a former high school English teacher and baseball coach at Fordson High School in Dearborn, Michigan. He is of English and Irish descent on his father's side, and Danish and Norwegian ancestry on his mother's side. His father was adopted by a Swedish-American nurse surnamed Osterberg. Pop was raised in a trailer park in Ypsilanti, Michigan. In a 2007 Rolling Stone interview, Pop explained his relationship with his parents and their contribution to his music:
Once I hit junior high in Ann Arbor, I began going to school with the son of the president of Ford Motor Company, with kids of wealth and distinction. But I had a wealth that beat them all. I had the tremendous investment my parents made in me. I got a lot of care. They helped me explore anything I was interested in. This culminated in their evacuation from the master bedroom in the trailer, because that was the only room big enough for my drum kit. They gave me their bedroom.
Iggy Pop