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4 comments

• Comment Link Monday, 25 July 2011 22:24 posted by jwood

  I dunno, I've a tough time putting her in the same category, aside from the general facts that she was indeed 27 and did indeed make music.
  
  When I first heard, the real cynic in me questioned if somehow this was some sordidly orchestrated stab at immortality.
  
  I don't know enough about her as an artist and a person, save listening to her disc a few times and sheepishly clicking on a few sensational news headlines, so bare with me if she was all that and a pack of smokes, but I don't get the same sort of purpose or authenticity from her that I get from the others.
  
  They were breaking on through, breaking molds, transforming culture, changing music, impacting entire eras.
  
  From Amy I get junky for junky sake, self-indulgent, contained, nihilistic.
  
  Is there info to prove me wrong? I'd love to see it. Would love to learn that she was miles ahead of her time, trailblazing, haunted by a genius that the world wasn't quite ready for: An artist properly mythologizing her time.
  
  I just don't see it.
• Comment Link Tuesday, 26 July 2011 21:38 posted by Trevor Malkinson

  I saw this post by Jian Ghomeshi (host of CBC radio's Q) on his Facebook page after the death of Amy Winehouse. I think it makes an important point.
  
  "RIP Amy Winehouse. I first chatted with her when she was 19 and on her first trip to Canada. She had a great musical gift. She was poised to take on the world. The rock 'n roll romance of self-abuse also fuels tragedy. Amy Winehouse is the latest sad victim. We all need to stop cheering on the excess".
  
  I think this is an important context, one that probably needs a substantial sociological/philosophical investigation at some point. I went to a Chapters recently and there was a special display table called something like 'Addiction and Rehab'. It was full of books by celebrities, telling their tales of addiction and recovery. This is a complex (four quadrant) phenomenon, but it's worth pointing out. Large parts of our culture(s)seems either caught in our own addiction, or voyeuristically watching those of others (ie. Celebrity Rehab). Maybe it's time this social context gets a little more play and little more meta-analysis.
  
  I once saw a VH1 special on musicians and addiction- and it included everyone from Ozzy, to Noel Gallager, Dave Navarro and Eric Clapton- and to a tee, every one of them said that drugs and alcohol had helped their creativity for a period, and then completely took it away (a main reason many stopped). This is a worthy counterpoint to the myth of drug fueled creativity. At any rate, thought I'd add in this comment by Jian, thought it was an important angle on this story.
  
  Also, I think Juma is bang on here, and for some reason that perspective hadn't crossed my mind when hearing about and registering this story. Winehouse had a great voice and some great songs (on only two albums), but she's got nothing on those other four, for the reason Juma outlines. The death at 27 thing is still a fascinating and strange phenomenon, but it might behoove us in the future to not so easily lump in Winehouse (or others) with those others in terms of greatness. If you going to get in there, as sad as it may be on one level, you at least better earn it.
• Comment Link Wednesday, 27 July 2011 03:56 posted by Andrew Baxter

  I would disagree with Juma's assessment of Amy Winehouse. You're looking pretty shallowly with your description: "From Amy I get junky for junky sake, self- indulgent, contained, nihilistic." You should listen more deeply and not let the celebrity get in the way of your critique. Who knows how any of the others mentioned above would survive today's paparazzi and celebrity obsessed culture.
  
  While no doubt she is not in the league with Jimi et al, but she had an incredible talent that fell victim to the same self-destructive impulses that destroyed the others. It's just a real shame is all.
• Comment Link Wednesday, 27 July 2011 07:59 posted by Bergen Vermette

  Yes, it's probably fair to say that Winehouse is the least ground breaking or influential on this list, but that doesn't mean she doesn't deserve to be on it. She had a lot of talent before it was drown in excess.
  
  I like how Bax put it - not to let celebrity get in the way of our critique. This actually describes my experience with her music. When Juma and I were in Korea I was on a bit of a downloading binge, and I downloaded this singer I'd never heard of, Amy Winehouse. I was totally blow away and ended up playing her albums over and over. When I mentioned her to a friend (thinking I was very hip and had discovered some unknown artist) he looked at me like I was an idiot and said, "that's Amy Winehouse dude, don't you watch TV?"
  
  The moral of the story is that I could appreciate her music as just really good music. When I found out who she was - the celebrity - it changed a bit and made is less special, more commercial. As Bax questioned, would the same have happened to the others?
  
  Also, I don't think she was entirely unoriginal or lacked influence. I thought her attacks on weak postmodern hipster men were great and refreshing! (see "Stronger than Me'). And the popularity of her voice may have helped make it okay for execs to give other artists like Adel their big break.