After his first few albums Mellencamp added his true surname to the mix and turned out some respected, respectable hit albums with fist-pumping songs in support of the Little Man, the Truck-Drivin’ Man, the Farmer, and the Multigenerational, Racially Mixed Community of Rural Folk Playing Jugband Music on a Dusty Porch. Then he dropped the early cheeseball manager–foisted “Cougar” altogether and wandered the earth as John Mellencamp, Man of the People. He attempted to adopt an air of Fogerty Syndrome, but The People still wanted to raise their fists in unison when he sang “R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.”
He played one of those steel guitars that acoustic slide players prefer, but he couldn’t resist dabbling in painting his model wife.
He trimmed his beautiful, Bon Jovi-esque locks and then even applied pomade to his distinctive forelock, using his middle-age status to settle into a cool, John Garfied Look, but The People still called for The Big Statement—accompanied by a pounding beat!
Mellencamp has done his damndest to buck those requests. He’s gone smaller yet, recently releasing an album in mono, recorded on an Edison cylindar with power generated by hamster running in place on a wheel. Sadly, his second marriage, the one to the model, dissolved after 20 years and a couple of kids. Most likely he’s on the prowl for an integrity-restoring waitress at a local diner.
The Boss, who started on the Artist path, beat him to the punch at every turn. Despite making nothing but catchy, well-intentioned, spirited rock ‘n roll records, say the name Mellencamp to a rock snob and see if he or she doesn’t snigger. Mellencamp’s earned more points for artistic integrity than anyone could have imagined, but his Cougar beginnings haunt him like phantom limb.
Completely unrelated…
John just seems like an angry man who is not happy with his commerical or artistic successes or failures. I was his #1 fan in 1982 and was a big fan until 2001 ( I did not care for Cuttin Heads much). I still buy his records but I never play them (the new ones). Saw him twice, both great shows (1986 and 1991) and he played the HITS all night for both of these shows.
I think he wants to be Guy Clark but the Crublin’ Down video has frozen him in time (of 1985).
His heroes (Dylan, Springsteen, Neil Young, Willie Nelson) have all somehow been able to get past the 1980’s and he is still stuck as the mental poster boy for MTV’s “Paint The Mother Pink” contest and 80’s video hour on VH1 Classics.
I’m not sure any rocker has ever needed a wedgie more.
Don’t the Beatles and the Stones disprove Guy Clark’s rule?
Good point, BigSteve, although it could be argued that predates the days when rock musicians thought of themselves as Artists, not to mention when whatever kind of musician Rodney Crowell and colleagues consider themselves thought of themselves as Songwriters.
Nice! You should add him to this list, for the public record:)
https://www.rocktownhall.com/blogs/index.php/talented-rock-artist-you-d-most-like-to/
the Beastie Boys were stars who became artists.
Now THAT disproves Guy Clark, although to be fair Guy said he didn’t know if it could be done.
Great post Mr. Mod — thanks. He’s no longer a poor man’s Bruce in my book. As much as I like Bruce, I still play Mellencamp more often — and it could be my “Midwest” bias.
I first saw JCM on The Lonesome Jubilee tour — in Omaha — and it remains one of my Top 5 shows ever. Lisa Germano was on board and when she started up the fiddle — on Check It Out — it brought down the house. Scarecrow, Lonesome Jubilee, Big Daddy, Whenever We Wanted, and Human Wheels are really good records.
I can see why people think he’s full of it and now he’s split with his second wife (horror! she also a golfer!) and hanging with Meg Ryan. But you know, with Willie and Neil he’s done a lot for people through Farm Aid. A few years ago he was on a family vacation in an RV and was doing free shows for people at the campgrounds he’s was staying at.
I don’t mind the Cougar years, but I enjoy where he’s at now more. I’ll see him next Tuesday in at Constitution Hall DC and keep an eye out for Meg. I think I’m in the eighth row.
That’s cool, funoka. I’m fine with some of his music, and I think he’s for real about wanting to be taken more seriously. I’m just amazed at the uphill battle he’s faced. Now, I don’t think he’s half the Artist he wants to be, but after hearing that Rodney Crowell go on about his Art the way his mom went on with her faith healing nonsense I’d listen to “Check it Out” or “Cherry Bomb” (or whatever that song’s called) any day of the week over the “Art” of Crowell and his cronies.
On the unrelated Rodney Crowell issue. I have to defend him a bit— He really has written some good songs — Ashes By Now (for Emmylou) Shame on the Moon (for Seger) and Ain’t Living Long Like This. Crowell’s entire Diamonds & Dirt album is a classic, but that was 20 some years ago. I am going to download the Fresh Air podcast to see what Crowell songs they played. (My wife is reading his book on her Kindle this week! She finds his memory of events that happened when he was 2 or 3 or 4 years old a bit hard to take)
I’ll stick up for Diamonds & Dirt too. Great album. I think both he and wife at the time Roseanne Cash pulled back after breaking through for personal as well as artistic reasons. Both of them ended up going towards Art with a capital A but ended up with very different styles.
Speaking of Guy Clark and books, I’m right in the middle of the authorized biography of another of his acolytes, Steve Earle. I’m coming up on the scariest part right now. Man that guys was really out there even before he bottomed out.
I like Mellencamp more when he walks the line between rock and folk. Just like Springsteen, when he goes all the way in the faux Okie direction he loses me.
Maybe they were artists who became stars quickly. I think Guy might have meant that you can’t first become an artist after already having become a star without being one.
That truck ad he did was a major Rock Crime, amplifying the jingoism of that crappy “Pink Houses” song.
Randy Newman makes fun of him on his latest record, and rightfully so.
I’ve got to get that book. At one Steve Earle show I saw in 1995 – he did a one off gig at the Birchmere in DC — he showed up an hour late — and was so out of it I couldn’t believe it. Just him, his guitar and skinny as rail. He did songs off Guitar Town on muscle memory alone, I think.
1995 really? He got out of jail in 1994 and was supposed to have been clean by then.
The book I’m talking about is Hardcore troubadour : the life and near death of Steve Earle. I’m right at the point where he’s going to switch from heroin to crack. Good times.
I am probably wrong — it was just before he went to jail — so probably 93 — the guy I went with keeps all his ticket stubs, so I’ll check.
You buy the new records but don’t listen to them?
He’s certainly an easy target, but I got to give it up to him for introducing me to Lisa Germano. Just for that move alone he’s atoned for “Pink Houses.” (shudder)
That was hard to write!
You’re a better person for having done so:)
I have gone from actively disliking him to passively not minding him to simply paying no attention to him whatsoever, which may represent a progression of some kind, though I am not sure at this point. I still get irritated when I hear Jack and Diane and probably would still tap my foot if I heard Lonely Old Night, if that means anything.
My skin crawls whenever “Jack & Diane” comes on. Sucking on chili dogs indeed.