This morning we received the following e-mail from a concerned Townsperson:
Yo, Mod:
Why is Rock Town Hall not providing dedicated coverage to the death of Amy Winehouse? Shouldn’t there be a thread on her legacy by now? I bet a lot of readers are coming to the Hall expecting our take on her untimely passing.
I thought I’d share my response to our anonymous Townsperson with you.
Good question, and thanks for your concern. I can’t speak for other contributors, but when I heard the news this weekend I considered drafting something. My wife and I were sitting at the kitchen table, and I told her I’d be right back after posting the news. My wife said, “Don’t be mean!”
My wife is “good people”—one of the finest, most balanced people I know. She lets me have my rope, but she does her best to help me avoid strangling myself with it. She knew I would be mean. She knew the combination of my disgust with the years of wasted critical acclaim and all-around media space she was given combined with my disgust over the fact that she made little effort to tackle her demons, as most of us are capable of at least giving a good effort tackling, was going to lead me to be nasty, maybe even do something like speculate on whether her “tragic” death immediately puts her ahead of Dusty Springfield and Annie Lennox as “Greatest British White Female Soul-Pop Singer Ever.” That would have given me a mean-spirited chuckle, but it wouldn’t have addressed how I really felt and how any of you may really be feeling. That’s why I decided to do little more than provide links to some pieces we did on Winehouse while she was alive.
A few years ago my Mom was over our house on a Sunday morning. I was reading the paper and as I folded back the section I was reading my Mom looked over and blurted out, “Oh, I’m sick of her!”
“Huh?!?!,” I said, looking up from the paper. “Who are you talking about?”
“That Catherine Zeta-Jones,” she said, referring me to a full-page phone company ad she was pictured in on the page of my newspaper I’d folded back. “She’s got a lot of nerve!”
“Watch it,” my wife warned from across the room, “he gives her a free pass based on looks alone!”
My Mom continued, undeterred, as is her wont. “Sure, she’s beautiful. She’s got enough money of her own. She’s going to inherit Michael Douglas‘ money in a few years. She doesn’t need to do those ads. She’s taking jobs away from all the beautiful young women who are still struggling to succeed in modeling!”
This was a really weird point of view, but I got what she was saying. I am her son, after all. In some ways, I spent the last few years reading about Amy Winehouse’s latest drug-induced scandals feeling the same way about all the hard-working musicians who were edged out of what little available music coverage exists in the media. I’ve not heard more than 3 measures of the music of this Adele character, but in interviews I read with her she comes off as hard-working, caring, and good-spirited—not to mention, by all accounts, super talented! Maybe I would have heard a complete song by her by now if I weren’t so burnt out by hearing about Winehouse, the Queen of British Soul, passing out and pissing on the red carpet rolled out to her over the last few years for managing to make what was essentially the follow up to the Fine Young Cannibals‘ second album. At least Adele and Duffy, to a lesser extent, broke through. How many other sweet, chubby cheeked British soul singers’ records got lost in the shuffle while the media chased Winehouse’s trail of vomit?
I don’t deny that talent rules. Even I could tell that Winehouse was way more talented than Duffy, her safe, Cliff Richard-like alternative from a couple of years ago. But did that one album really promise the next coming of Bessie Smith, and is that what most of us were anticipating since its celebrated release? And did a hit song thumbing her nose at efforts of loved ones to help her get her life together so quickly merit a—what was it—4-year deathwatch? After reading a dozen articles on this woman stumbling through another concert or getting arrested or breaking up with her junkie husband, did any of us care about her or her music? Did it take 2 dozen pieces in the atrocity exhibition to numb you? The whole thing bummed me out in short time.
As someone who knows a little something about the ravages of addiction (take a look at my paternal family tree some day and see all the early exits taken by shot glasses, lung and nasal passages, and mainlines), I hoped she would get a grip on herself. I truly wished the media would have stopped covering her antics and that awards shows and concert promoters would have stopped booking her until she cleaned up. It sent the wrong message, not to mention it showed no respect for a person who wasn’t going out of her way to harm anyone. Rock ‘n roll celebrates the wild and keeeerrrraaaaazzzy side of life, but for the artists it should still be treated as some form of a job. Some other young artists would kill for their job, just as some pretty, young model would kill for Zeta-Jones’ old telephone company advertising campaign. One of the remarkable things about Keith Richards, for instance, is that despite whatever toxins he’s put into his body and hissy fits he’s had with Mick and knives he’s pulled on fellow scrawny rockers and drug dealers, he’s shown up for work just about every day for nearly 50 years! The man produces. Janis Joplin produced in her short, troubled life. Bessie Smith produced. Even the incredibly annoying (and troubled) Scott Weiland produces. Winehouse missed work for 4 straight years; she should have been suspended, if not “fired,” from the media attention granted a “rock star” until she did something productive, “clean” or not.
I wish Amy Winehouse could have found it in herself to get better. A lot of people loved her breakthrough album and looked forward to more tunes. Those tunes would have made her fans’ lives more enjoyable and meaningful. More importantly, she was a person. I’m sure she had a wonderful side to her under the rough surface. Clearly she had other real people who cared about her. A lot of us, though, had no ability to care for her. Therefore, we had no business reading about her troubles as frequently as we did. We had no business tuning into some awards show to see if she’d show. It was like that farce of a Sly Stone comeback from a few years ago, only week after week. The employment status of management and producer types who say YES to letting these acts stumble into an early grave should also be put under review. Back to work, folks.
With very limited output (2 proper albums), Amy got more attention that she earned. But there is something about that second album that made people want more. I rooted for a Winehouse comeback, the same way I root for Courtney Love to put out a good album. I figure they did it at least once — they can do it again. Of course, I have hundreds of CDs that are not in rotation — which I bought thinking lightning could strike for old so and so once more. (Anybody need a copy of Amercia’s Sweetheart?)
I remember getting into a big argument with a classic rock guy at party shortly after Cobain’s death about where Cobain would go down in rock history. I am no Nirvana flag waver, but I knew he would eventually be placed along with Hendrix, Morrison, and Joplin as a rock legend. “He had a big impact on a lot of people” I told the guy — “No Way” he screamed at me, as if I had just pissed on Jim’s grave. Well, like it or not pal, he’s right there with Jim and Jimi and Janis in all the papers today. Will Amy be the Janis for today’s under 30 crowd? Judging by the reaction a lot people are having — she might be.
I don’t see how you can state that she never “broke through” with 18+million in album sales. Without hearing the new album I would withhold on the comment that she hasn’t produced. I listened to her 2 albums today and am still blown away by the soul and character of her vocals.
Below this comment, I’m expecting nothing less than the curmudgeon of “meant nothing to me”, “didn’t see what the big deal”. And that’s sad. She IS better than your Janis. And like your Janis, she couldn’t cope with her illness.
I’ll have to re-read what I wrote and see if it wasn’t clear. She DID break through – bigtime. I remember writing that Duffy did not break through to the same level. I don’t think you are referring to being “blown away” by Duffy’s 2 albums, are you?
I further see your misunderstanding, my use of the phrase “at least Adele and Duffy, to a lesser extent, broke through” is meant to tie into the following thought, regarding “other sweet, chubby cheeked” singers who didn’t get a sniff for their works while the media crammed as many Amy Breaks Down in Concert stories possible into their allotted space. I wish I’d made that more clear.
One more thing: Janis is not “my” Janis, OK? It took about 30 years for me to like more than 1 song by her. Today I like maybe 5 and do more fully respect what she was about. That doesn’t give her much more stuff that I like than I presently like by Winehouse. What I was getting at is that Janis worked her ass off until she died. I’m just giving her some props for continuing to work, not exactly doing good work. Same goes for Keith Richards, who has pretty much produced crap for the last 30 years. The guy punches the clock, and there’s something to be said for that. These are my opinions, nothing near to THE TRUTH. Honestly, I published this piece so others can give their own. I hope that others will find a way to provide more rounded opinions than the curmudgeonly ones you probably realistically predict.
I see where you’re going, but I think the public did move on from her carpet pissing. I think plenty of artists were exposed in the wake of Winehouse. Not only to Duffy and Adele, but there was also Sharon Jones, Joss Stone, and currents like Rapheal Saadiiq, Jamie Cullum, Bruno Mars, Alice Smith.
I don’t blame the media, I’m used to them ignoring my favourite bands anyway.
All right, good points on her work opening the doors to those other artists. I have already grown a bit beyond my odd, limited personal view. Good to know we can actually get somewhere by getting stuff off our chests and listening to each others’ criticisms and feedback!
The “your Janis” comment wasn’t directed at you Mr. Moderator. My comments were a premeditated shot across the bow at senior townspeople who have little patience to discover newer bands. I’ve already heard the comments Funoka was talking about, and the generation lines have been drawn in this debate. I enjoyed your piece Mr Mod. It may be time I visit the doctor to check out my sensitive knee.
Cool. I was probably once like one of those fuddy-duddies who Funoka recalled regarding Nirvana. I now see why that band meant so much to folks when they didn’t mean much to me until their last album, when my wife and I were living in Hungary and the “Heart-Shaped Box” video was such a necessary shot of “our” music, which was hard to get on Euro MTV at that time, during the height of those friggin’ Pet Shop Boys videos and stuff much, much worse 🙂
I am not particularly a fan of Winehouse’s very small body of work, nor do I think it is without merit. Anyway, I am sorry I have nothing much to say more profound than that her screwed up life and death are depressing. I can extract no greater wisdom from it.
I bet you, misterioso, like me, are a bit saddened that Russell Brand, who wrote a thoughtful piece on Amy on his website, has come out looking like a good guy in all this.
http://www.russellbrand.tv/2011/07/for-amy/
And, perhaps, you will be saddened, as I was, in a way, that I had to look up who Russell Brand is; and even after doing so, I think my only exposure to him was from seeing commercials for Get Me to the Greek.
I’m delighted that you have managed to be nearly oblivious to him!!!
“…and the healing has begun…” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u92E-e0t5HY
Thanks for the link Mr. Mod. The last 36 hours of defending AW has clearly left me pissy and wounded.
I went to bat for Winehouse after hearing “Black.”
But her lack of follow-through was disappointing. Certainly, if she had produced, something would’ve come out by now.
There’s been very little in the press about her efforts to write / record in the wake of the sensation that occurred around her after “Black’s” success.
I may be talking out of school (lord knows, I have before) but I thought that what little discussion journalists had given to the question indicated that she hasn’t done squat in the studio.
Though she spoke of a “new album” at her Belgrade concert in June, and urged the crowd to buy it when it comes out, she didn’t preview any new material, and was scheduled to play shows in spite of not having a record even close to completion. I thought the label decided to put her on the road to refine the new stuff, not premier it. There was no release date, was there?
I think the mod’s claim that she didn’t produce since “Black” is a pretty fair one. Surely, there must have been some point in the last five years when she could have written and recorded an album’s worth of material. The label must’ve been dying to cash in on the momentum, and then, after a few years, the comeback.
Your 1st thread on Winehouse was pretty tremendous, Saturnismine. My wife had Black to Black and this convinced me to listen to thing closely. It’s a hell of a work, right there with Janis.
She put out one great record. That’s more than most people accomplish in their lives.
True, and just because the press chose to concentrate on the uglier side of her life doesn’t mean she was doing absolutely nothing as far as creating new music.
The Brand thing (much to my surprise, as I’ve never been a huge fan of his act) was probably the most clear-headed and honest tribute I’ve seen, and hit on the biggest problems when dealing with addiction – no one else has the power to stop the addict, and often times they can’t stop themselves before it’s too late (I’ve been through this with six friends in my life, and it played out the exact same way, just not in front of the eyes of the tabloid-loving world). One thing I don’t think he mentioned is how easy it is for many to slide into addictions, and how much of a monumental bitch it is for most to kick them.
Yeah, it’s become a cliché at this point for a musical performer to go like this, but she was also just a young girl living in a very strange world (fame can do a number on some people, as we’ve seen time and again). I can’t offer any conjecture regarding what she would have done in the future, but re-listening to her two albums yesterday….she really was a pretty great, unique singer. She did have something special there, regardless of the packaging and presentation of her live act. It’s a shame that things turned out this way and she didn’t have that moment of clarity to see her own worth and get help with her problems, though I can’t bring myself to judge her for not doing so…people are more complicated than that.
I think it’s best to acknowledge her as a once very promising young talent, look at the good work she did, and leave it at that. She wasn’t the savior of anything, but, before the fall, she was pretty damn good at what she did – better than most these days. There’s also little point to knocking her now – she’s gone. Game over. R.I.P., A.W.
Shucks. Thanks, K..
Before I wrote that, I had been listening to a lot of Bettye Swann as well, and had put the Winehouse albums into the shuffler too. And to my ears, there was no drop off when the Winehouse stuff would come on. That’s sort of transition with no drop in quality made me pay closer attention.