Photo courtesy of: AFP/Getty Images/File/Rober KisbyAmy Winhouse kicked off a tour last night and pissed off 13,000 fans in the process according to news reports. For disturbing and hysterical details of what happened, go here.
When I first heard Amy Winehouse’s album earlier this year, I must admit, I was taken aback at the genuine and soulful voice he tiny body could project. She’s a throwback from a few decades past where a simple vocal could send shivers down your spine. However, she’s gone off the deep end this time and she needs to realize that this drama is doing nothing but hurting her and threatening 13,000 fans with the threat that her husband will kick all of their asses is a bit comical and in the end, sad.
Amy is really an extraordinary story, not for the drama behind her life, but because she can sell 13,000 seats based on one album. We’re living in a day and age where those with talent can’t find a way to be heard and those without talent have the tools but fail at engaging the masses because everyone has come to realize it’s all very calculated. Amy was a shining light earlier this year and for some, they helped redefine their faith in music. However, at this point she’s one step away from being Pete Doherty, another lost soul who threw his talent away. What happened to creating music and elevating hearts and minds? What happened to being thankful to your fans who allow you to have a career in the first place?
As I previously wrote about, Amy Winehouse is an immense talent, but her antics are hindering her long term development as an artist. She is one of the few artists to emerge in the digital age whom I thought could have a long term career, but she’s shaping up to be a one-album wonder.
Amy is really an extraordinary story, not for the drama behind her life, but because she can sell 13,000 seats based on one album. We’re living in a day and age where those with talent can’t find a way to be heard and those without talent have the tools but fail at engaging the masses because everyone has come to realize it’s all very calculated. Amy was a shining light earlier this year and for some, they helped redefine their faith in music. However, at this point she’s one step away from being Pete Doherty, another lost soul who threw his talent away. What happened to creating music and elevating hearts and minds? What happened to being thankful to your fans who allow you to have a career in the first place?
As I previously wrote about, Amy Winehouse is an immense talent, but her antics are hindering her long term development as an artist. She is one of the few artists to emerge in the digital age whom I thought could have a long term career, but she’s shaping up to be a one-album wonder.
10 comments:
T: it is selfish to expect other people -- much less strangers -- to "lift our hearts and minds," when, they are all too human themselves.
Winehouse is good, she's no Billie Holiday, Grace Slick (or Jones, for that matter) or Janis Joplin, nor should she have to be.
But to think or imply that life is squeaky clean, or that people choose to live the opposite tack because they wanna cheat you from having a "transcendental" type of blues, is downright naive and self-serving.
You bring up good points...but she has the world in her hands and she's throwing it away. And threatening 13,000 people WHO PAID to see you is ridiculous...even moreso when one would think that her husband could take all 13,000 of them on.
No one can live a clean life, but having the world in the palm of your hand and to throw it away is not just sad, but doing this hand in hand with disrespecting the fans...those who put her where she is...is almost unforgiveable IMO.
xT
Fair enough, but, fans globally or locally be damned, isn't it Winehouse's talent, hardwork and mgmt that's ultimately responsible for getting her where she is?
Really - that's like saying, "oh, I didn't work hard and put that food on the table, but God did."
No -- you did it.
And, so did Winehouse.
(God analogy is meant in general, and not pointed at you etc.)
One other thing... when a person is all fucked up and/or all strung out, forget about respecting fans: that person is having a a hard enough time respecting him or herself.
Does she have talent? YES.
Is she backed by a major label, great PR team and a really good manager? YES
But she acts like a 5 year old...and I can think of a dozen better artists who would have done so much more with the same kind of attention and push Winehouse received.
She'll be a nobody in 5 years.
I hope I am wrong...but does anyone even remember that Pete Doherty was in the Libertines?
Tony wrote:
But she acts like a 5 year old...and I can think of a dozen better artists who would have done so much more with the same kind of attention and push Winehouse received.
T: really, how many rock stars - or any performers - of a more youthful
age do you know of who are the epitome of maturity (at least, according to your definition?)
She'll be a nobody in 5 years.
And, if you think Butch Walker's a better talent than Amy Winehouse, I think you have to layoff of that testosterone-laced Kool-Aid you've been swilling.
Tony wrote:
"I hope I am wrong...but does anyone even remember that Pete Doherty was in the Libertines?"
Sure: fans of music who listen to more than arena and stadium rock bands.
You seem to define success in terms of albums and tickets moved and sold. If popularity were the true measure rooted in merit -- and I believe music must reach the largest audience possible (but belief is different from reality), then, it would've been the NY Dolls who sold millions (and had millions served) and not 3rd tier bands such as Poison and Warrant (as fun as they can be), 2nd tier bands like Aerosmith (as fun as they can be), and Guns 'n' Roses (as much as they were never fun) fans would pray that the NY Dolls continue to record and tour, and not GnR: since the latter is not in the realm of possibility, as well as the fact that, the Dolls made these bands.
Before you know it, you're gonna be telling me that Green Day is more important than the Ramones.
No one tops the Ramones, let's start there.
I think success can be good...I think that at least two of the Ramones would still be alive today is they had even had one platinum album. Their lack of mainstream popularity I think killed them deep down.
But back to Winehouse, she's talented and I understand she's young, but please, she's not 5, she's in her 20's. It's one thing to not handle your success well and it's another to show up to a show (which people paid good money for) loaded, drunk and so out of it you can't even perform.
it's the ultimate sign of disrespect.
For the record, give me Butch Walker everyday of the week over Wineho...he treats his fans with respect and I don't think she could create anything as personal and intimate as "Letters".
My 2 cents...
Butch is a very generous, even if over the top, performer: no one can take that away.
But, that doesn't mean his songs are good, and that it doesn't look like he's on an open audition call to be the successor to the lead role in Highlander.
As far as immaturity, fucked up, and in one's 20s, remember the Rolling Stones at that age?
and I don't think she could create anything as personal and intimate as "Letters".
no - she's only living out her life onstage.
that's not personal at all ;-)
or, at least, not manufactured.
Jack bauer said...
"As far as immaturity, fucked up, and in one's 20s, remember the Rolling Stones at that age?"
Yes I do...and one of them didn't make it to 30...hell he didn't even make it out of the 60's.
It's a shame because he was brilliant...
I don't want the same fate for other acts.
Post a Comment