The romance of insanity and self-desctruction in artists

[I. Spaceman]

Courtney's a cool chick. Really. He was passive-aggressively the controller in that situation.

[Reverend Joshua Sloane]

Why people look at their relationship and see Courtney calling the shots is beyond me.

Since when was Cobain some controllable dweeboid?

[Mitchell]

Rivers Cuomo's getting a reputation for some eccentric behaviour. It's not an allure, but it certainly adds to the fun of following the band.

I should point out that I got into the Beach Boys via the hits (which I totally loved and still do) and only later did the whole Pet Sounds/SMiLE trip. When I got into SMiLE, the whole myth part was a draw to me, but I really got caught up in it once I read LLVS and got into the timespace of the band at the time. It was how Brian was so pumped about everything he was doing and having fun and being creative with his buddies that I related to the situation. Sure, he was being a bit off the wall, but he wasn't holding back and, I should emphasize this, he was having FUN. So for me, it's not that he "went insane" or anything, it's the sheer unbridled creativity to which I was drawn. The fact that the music was beautiful just made it work.

[cabinessence]

[I. Spaceman]

The long-form video Todd made to go with that LP is a great exposition on this subject.

[Chris D.]

Why people look at their relationship and see Courtney calling the shots is beyond me.

Since when was Cobain some controllable dweeboid?

Hell yeah.  He's the same guy who broke up with a girlfriend over the radio.

[Reverend Joshua Sloane]

I've never heard about that.

Which girlfriend was it?

All i've read about his breakups were that he was crushed and would randomly vomit at the thought of the girl and the split.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

Question:  What do you people suppose the rate of male to female "tortured self-destructive possibly insane" artists?  I'm struggling to think of any female versions of, say, Syd Barrett.

[I. Spaceman]

Marianne Faithfull, Judee Sill.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

There we go.

[smackdaddy]

Fiona Apple, kinda-sorta but not any more.

[Boxer Monkey]

Sandy Denny? Nellie McKay (like, maybe if she died)?

[Chris D.]

I've never heard about that.

Which girlfriend was it?

All i've read about his breakups were that he was crushed and would randomly vomit at the thought of the girl and the split.

It was Mary Lou Lord, his girlfriend before Courtney Love.

[Daniel S.]

I don't think people dig their music because they're "insane" or "self-destructive," its because they made outsider music that other misfits can relate to. If the music sucked there wouldn't be any interest in them, it has to be relatable. Not everyone who is a loner is a "genius" but I think they can appreciate where the songwriter is coming from.

[cabinessence]

Sandy Denny? Nellie McKay (like, maybe if she died)?

Whitney Houston? (like maybe if she made music like she makes tabloid covers, or still had a career even. No tears or admissions leak out of her:

First of all, let's get one thing straight. Crack is cheap. I make too much money to ever smoke crack...I'm not sick, Diane. I am not sick. Let's get that straight. I'm not sick. Okay? I've always been a thin girl. I'm not going to be fat, ever. Let's get that straight. Whitney is not going to be fat, ever. Okay?

Better examples. Billie Holliday and Judy Garland were classic pre-rock tortured torch singers whose real life troubles were part of their late career act, persona, popular appeal

 

[henrymoon]

Great post, Alan. Maybe I was a bit harsh. But I can't help but feel that even if you have "had enough," it's not an excuse to take your own life. I know Curtis struggled with health problems, but the bleak outlook in his music -- and despondency is a part of the human condition; I accept that, and it's certainly valid in art -- coupled with his sad end is so devoid of anything positive that I find it difficult to rally round the cause.  Just not for me.

Well its been building up inside of me
For oh I don't know how long
Deep down inside
I can't stop thinking
Everything is going wrong
When she looks in my eyes
She doesn't realize
But she says "It's not you, baby"
It's not me, baby
I would never take my own life
It's not me, baby

I guess I should've kept my mind shut
When the voices said, "You've not got long"
At first I turned a deaf ear to them
While my friends warned me that drugs were wrong
I can't stand being alive
So I just wanna die
Though she says "It's not you, baby"
It's not me, baby
I would never take my own life
It's not me, baby

Now all the doctors come and ask me
If I've shut the door on suicide
Psychosis causes an imbalance
And prevents you seeing from outside
Now drugs are history
The rest is up to me me
She was right: "It's not you, baby"
It's not me, baby
I would never take my own life
It's not me, baby