The needle and the damage done

Times Herald ^ | 8/27/06 | Gordon Glantz

[qam1]

When Syd Barrett died earlier this summer, you would've thought I was a personal friend or relative. My wife called. Co-workers asked if it was going to inspire a column. Old friends sent e-mails. If you don't know - which is no crime, trust me - Barrett was a founder of the classic rock band Pink Floyd in the mid-1960s.

He only stuck around for one full album before a drug addiction made him an impossible creative partner for a group that went on to do tremendous things in his stead. Some of Pink Floyd's best work - songs like Wish You Were Here and Shine On You Crazy Diamond - were inspired by Barrett's purported deep psychosis spurred by excessive LSD use. All you have to do is hear the song See Emily Play to know Barrett had potential, but he sold himself - and many others - short.

They say he somehow influenced other rockers with musical gibberish released on a pair of hurried solo albums, but that's a major reach born out of the mystique of his unfulfilled potential. It's kind of like when a bunch of ersatz art experts go to see some modern art that stinks and everyone says it's great because they either feel compelled or don't want to break ranks and risk sounding dumb.

While I was flattered to have been the immediate classic-rock go-to guy when Barrett's tortured existence came to an end this July, I could barely manage a shoulder shrug. I try to pride myself on not being easily cast under unworthy spells. I see the undeserved mystique we attach to people who have not upheld their ends of the unspoken contract they sign with those who help put them in the driver's seat of life's Rolls Royce and, well, it makes me want to vomit.

Don't get me wrong. I appreciate the collective works of Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Tim Hardin, Phil Ochs and countless others. But each loses points on my scorecard for depriving us of their magical skills for the long haul.

Another example for the generation more or less after mine would be Kurt Cobain, the front man for the grunge band Nirvana. Once upon a time, I had a good ear for emerging talent. The first time I heard U2, I knew they were special. Ditto for REM. I have obviously since lost my touch, as I can't understand why this Pete Yorn kid isn't a deity and why hip-hop is considered music, but I digress.

The first time I heard Nirvana, I heard great potential. Nothing more, nothing less. Greatness was years away. And that potential for greatness went through the 27-year-old Cobain's brain in the form of a self-inflicted gunshot in 1994. Calling Cobain a tortured artist is giving him too much credit. He was just a heroin addict who took his life, leaving behind a growing following starved for a lead voice that was not borrowed from the record collection of their older siblings or even their parents.

The reaction to Cobain's deadly action was for music critics and assorted others to attach a ridiculous mystique to his memory. He has been called the John Lennon of Generation X. If true, I truly pity that generation. Actually, I pity the dimwit who tagged him as such. Because it's not true.

He was, at best, the Syd Barrett of his generation. Some of you older folks - assuming you made it this far into a column strewn with names you don't know - are not immune.

The wife and I recently dialed up the movie about Johnny Cash, Walk The Line, on Pay-Per-View. It was a little too long, but a good flick. I give it three Stars of David out of a possible four. It included outstanding performances - particularly by the darling Reese Witherspoon, who deservedly won the Oscar for her portrayal of June Carter Cash.

But it only confirmed my belief that the myth and legend that swirls around Johnny Cash are largely unwarranted. Many ardent admirers of Cash may not realize that he didn't even write a lot of his most noteworthy songs and, considering how drugged up he was most of the time, it's no wonder.

But since he dressed in all-black outfits and played concerts at prisons - thus, adding to the overall mystique the falsehood that he was some hardened ex-con - there is a disproportionate aura. I'm not saying Johnny Cash was a bad guy. His heart was in the right place, but give me a break. A lot of younger people have oddly fallen under his spell, too.

There was a former editor here - an exceedingly bright young lady - who would go on and on about how Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young are old and tired and should never write or sing another word.

I may be blinded by the light when it comes to Springsteen, but he steered clear of drugs for the stated reason he didn't want to risk losing everything he had worked so hard to achieve. Guys who were in some of his early bands have recounted how they would be in one room partying while he'd be in another writing songs.

Young's song The Needle and the Damage Done is one of the best anti-drug anthems ever written and was inspired by the drug-induced deaths of a band member and a roadie. Young, whose lyrics were quoted in Cobain's suicide note, also eulogized Cobain in the song Sleeps With Angels. But Springsteen and Young should hang up their guitars and go home to their rocking chairs?

"OK, what about Johnny Cash?" I asked.

No hesitation.

"Oh yeah, he's cool," she said.

True story.

I'm not saying we should start a bonfire with works of art from those who compromised their abilities through fatal addictions. But understand that they broke a bond with society because they could have and should have given us more.

[Lx]

Ahhh, Pearl Glam, one of the most overrate banda around. Next time you hear one of their songs, just sing Yeahhhh, yeahhhh over it and it sounds just as good. Eddie Vedder started taking himself WAYYYY yo seriously.

Oh even flow-YEahhhhhh!

[ihatemyalarmclock]

Want a real songwriter with a real mystique?

Hank Williams

He died at age 29, and was a true influence on American country music.

[Hoodat]

I don't know just where I'm going
But I'm gonna try for the kingdom, if I can
'Cause it makes me feel like I'm a man
When I put a spike into my vein
And I'll tell ya, things aren't quite the same
When I'm rushing on my run
And I feel just like Jesus' son
And I guess that I just don't know
And I guess that I just don't know

I have made the big decision
I'm gonna try to nullify my life
'Cause when the blood begins to flow
When it shoots up the dropper's neck
When I'm closing in on death
And you can't help me not, you guys
And all you sweet girls with all your sweet silly talk
You can all go take a walk
And I guess that I just don't know
And I guess that I just don't know

I wish that I was born a thousand years ago
I wish that I'd sail the darkened seas
On a great big clipper ship
Going from this land here to that
In a sailor's suit and cap
Away from the big city
Where a man can not be free
Of all of the evils of this town
And of himself, and those around
Oh, and I guess that I just don't know
Oh, and I guess that I just don't know

Heroin, be the death of me
Heroin, it's my wife and it's my life
Because a mainer to my vein
Leads to a center in my head
And then I'm better off and dead
Because when the smack begins to flow
I really don't care anymore
About all the Jim-Jim's in this town
And all the politicians makin' crazy sounds
And everybody puttin' everybody else down
And all the dead bodies piled up in mounds

'Cause when the smack begins to flow
Then I really don't care anymore
Ah, when the heroin is in my blood
And that blood is in my head
Then thank God that I'm as good as dead
Then thank your God that I'm not aware
And thank God that I just don't care
And I guess I just don't know
And I guess I just don't know

-Velvet Underground-

[Finny]

Although I'm a child of the era, Pink Floyd never caught my fancy. Perhaps there are one or two songs that I love, but just am not aware that they're Pink Floyd classics, but overall -- I remember everytime I was around folks who wanted to listen to Pink Floyd, it was MAJOR DOWNERSVILLE, man. Spooky. Tragic. Cold. Icelandic. Pink Floyd gave me the creeps, for all their musical sophistication.

[Screamname]

No, not the Knack, it was MTV that destroyed disco. It took disco and made even worse disco with Madonna, bad disco that continues to this day with the likes of former Mickey Mouse club members (literally) Jason Timberlake, Britney Spears and Christina Aguelera and their pilot microphones.

"Who's the leader of the club That's made for you and me M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E Hey! there, Hi! there, Ho! there You're as welcome as can be M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E Mickey Mouse! Mickey Mouse! Forever let us hold our banner High! High! High! High! Come along and sing a song And join the jamboree! M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E Mickey Mouse club We'll have fun We'll be new faces High! High! High! High! We'll do things and We'll go places All around the world We'll go marching Who's the leader of the club That's made for you and me M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E Hey! there, Hi! there, Ho! there You're as welcome as can be M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E Mickey Mouse! Mickey Mouse! Forever let us hold our banner High! High! High! High! Come along and sing a song And join the jamboree! M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E "

[KevinB]

If you haven't already seen it, check out John's "Live Peace in Toronto" video. That shows a John Lennon who is obviously severely messed up.

I'm a huge Beatles fan and subjected my kids to a steady diet of them when they were little, including the movies. My kids loved them. When the kids got a little older I showed them the "Live Peace in Toronto" video and told them that John was an example of what drugs can do to you. It scared the heck out of them.

[Tokra]

Yeah but before Cobain, punk rock was pretty much still an underground music that really hadn`t been pushed to it`s limits.

Sorry - but Iggy Stooge singing 'Cock in My Pocket" in 1969 had already pushed punk rock as far to the limits as it could go. Johnny-come-latelys like Cobain were merely copying what had been done 25 years earlier.

[Skooz]

I just caught the Hank bug this weekend.

I got a wild hair two days ago and bought about 50 of his songs online.

Excellent.

[Zon]

I'm not saying we should start a bonfire with works of art from those who compromised their abilities through fatal addictions. But understand that they broke a bond with society because they could have and should have given us more.

That many people idolize artist for other than the merits of their art is as bad as saying an artist has a responsibility or obligation to society to continue producing art. Granted, art consumers are left without new art from their artist(s) of choice but the artist creates art for himself or herself, not out of responsibility or obligation to society. The responsibility and obligation is to themselves. And they may change that at anytime. As it is, business, science and art continue to advance not out of responsibility or obligation to society, but rather, to each individual self. Individuals and society benefit from the freedom-of-association arrangement of each person acting in their self-interest.

[GoLightly]

punk rock was pretty much still an underground music that really hadn`t been pushed to it`s limits.

Much of it is still underground & it is still pushing the limits. My kiddo's latest album has a song with a real rock-a-billy flavor, least I think it's the latest album. They're sharing a single with a Japanese band & I'm not sure if it's out yet or not.

Punk is not to my taste, though there are some "moments", mostly break through tunes, like some of Blondie's stuff.

I agree with you about Nirvana, a much needed breath of fresh air.

[Screamname]

From the top right, that is Justin, below him is Christina, and below Christina is Britany. This is what rules music today, the Mickey Mouse club. Can it get any lower?

[grellis]

I think the "major downersville" that repels you is what draws most of their fans. A lot of people are drawn to somber music. Floyd's music wasn't all that somber, but the themes were.

Actually, their music wasn't always like that. The further Barrett travelled into insanity, the more depressing Floyd's themes became.

[ozzymandus]

I never really considered neil young to be anti-drug, since he's stoned all the time.

[murdoog]

had a secretary in the '80s who came in fired up about this "new" song by Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks - "Needles and Pins".

A while back someone in the school paper where I teach refered to "Come Together" as an Aerosmith song.

[KevinB]

I like the babe in the middle. Why isn't she famous?

[hosepipe]

[ I have obviously since lost my touch, as I can't understand why this Pete Yorn kid isn't a deity and why hip-hop is considered music ]

or RAP being humans merely acting like chimpanzees..

[djf]

I saw them live in the Kingdome on "The Wall" tour.

Greatest sonic experience I ever had, bar none.

[Tokra]

Iggy in 1968. Now - THAT'S punk!

[Screamname]

She probably couldn`t sing in the required Mariah Carey acrobatic style of singing.

[evets]

Dear Gordon Glantz,