I can't get the video thing to load - so you are meant to listen to this track as you read this OK.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=UgleColDNpw
I know we have to die - I actually practice dying. I think I am kind of OK with the actual 'not existing anymore' bit of it. I guess the tough bit is not so much your own death as other peoples. That can be a bit of a bastard for sure.
Anyway, I was just thinking about a few of my heroes that have died. Before I list them, I just want to say, I don't have heroes OK, but these are a few people who I would have liked to see what they would have done if they'd stayed alive a bit longer.
John Lennon - I guess he's top of my list. I loved that guy. I know he was flawed, but who the fuck isn't.
Frank Zappa - Just so brilliant and so cool. Go on youtube and watch him being interviewed. One of the cleverest guys ever. And who could play the guitar so well and be such a cool dude at the same time.
Can't think of any others right now, can you?
I'm Eighteen and I Like It
7 months ago
Howdy!
ReplyDeleteI would have loved to have partied with Frank Sinatra...he seriously made the best music and seem like such fun.
Janis, you daft bugger.
ReplyDeleteWow, you really laid your credibility on the line with those two. If you'd added Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix and Mama Cass you'd have what is known in the industry as a full-house.
ReplyDeleteYou might as well asked, "what cliche are you?", well here's mine. I would have liked to have hung out with Charles Bukowski, although I don't like whisky and actually believe he would have been unbearable to be around.
As for "is it just cos they died", I think we all know the answer to that one. If HS Thompson (another of my so-called heroes) had died during a drugs binge in the late seventies, he would be a legend, but now he's a washed up suicide nut. Can't blame him for sticking it out though, eh?
Most musicians who died young were over the hill as far as creativity goes - I wish they were still alive, though.
ReplyDeleteSports - The Man Utd team which died at Munich. Would have liked to have seen what they would have done. And of course Bobby Moore because he was my all time hero and I would have liked to have seen him live to an old age.
Well, I wouldn't incude anyone who does themselves in by overdoing things - that doesn't really score any points for me. I did kind of get to know what Lennon and Zappa stood for, and I guess they would still stand for the same today, if not for some daft twats bullet and the dreaded cancer.
ReplyDeleteYou can come and see me anytime whether it's for a blatant favour or not.
ReplyDeleteGo to www.videocure.com and put a search in for a band or song that you particularly want. When you find it, play it as they don't always work. When you find one that does, scroll halfway down the page 'til you see a 'Generate Video Code' button. You'll need to tell it whether you want it to automatically play or loop. A new window will open with the html code which you can then paste into your template wherever you want it to go. Give me a shout if you want any help with it.
There are other sites which let you do this. Youtube, videocodezone.com etc. I couldn't work out how to resize them and they threw my sidebar out completely whereas the smallest setting on videocure is just perfect.
Oh! And how the devil are you, Darling Darling Tom? Please add me on Facebook, not that I use it much, and then you can ask me whatever you like whenever you like.
Alexander The Great and Ernest Hemingway.
Haha, yes quite. Just re-read what I wrote and it sounds like I was saying he would have been a legend for dieing during a drug binge. What I meant to say is if he had died, and then speculated as the the probable cause of said death. Instead just ended up sounding like I was pro-od's. Haha.
ReplyDeleteTommy my love, how does one 'practice dying'. I mean apart from reading vicus'blog?
ReplyDeleteAwa - you are soooooo 'Sinatra'. I reckon i could have guessed that.
ReplyDeleteVicus - sorry she's disqualified for ODing.
Henry - welcome to my blog, please feel free to coment as much as you like - it's appreciated. I know I only hang out in very shallow popular culture, so I take your point about the full-house, but see above.
Geoff - That is so true about the musicians who die young. and the ones who stay alive too. They nearly always peak and then fade don't they. (not like me of course - still anticipating peaking sometime in the next 20 years)
Cherrypie - so nice to see you babe, but I can't fall in love with you all over again - only just forgotten you, and now you're back. Oh my, here we go.... And Pammy has been so much more settled since you left too.
Pammy you're a hoot. Well, Vicus's blog is a good place to start, hehehe. Seriously though, practising dying .... do you really want to know?
When I expire I would like to hang out with the celestial remains of my heroes: Groucho Marx, Oscar Wilde, Paul Lynde and Don Rickles..I know Don is still here but the odds are that he will beat past the wire.
ReplyDeleteNow I don't necessarily believe in the traditional sense of the afterlife but I am hoping that there is a place where smart alecky people get to kvetch and gossip for eternity. That would be the best way to spend infinity.
do they have to be dead?
ReplyDeleteKinda like a role reversal of the Luke-Vader reveal, in case you hadn't figured it out, Tom, I am your son. And as for the welcome to the blog, I've been waiting all my life for that level of acceptance. Thousands of pounds of therapy bills saved. Hurrah!
ReplyDeleteZiggi - nah, they don't have to be dead.
ReplyDeleteHE - nah, it's a great big black hole!!
Henry - yeah, I clocked you Hen. I welcome all here, even my own kids. Mind you, if my Mum or Dad showed up I'd squirm a little.
My mom once stumbled upon my blog. She thought it was funny. I was a bit perturbed but eventually she forgot the web address.
ReplyDeleteWas going to write something but I'll save it up for a proper post in a short while.
ReplyDeleteYes Tommy, I do so want to know how you do it.
ReplyDeleteOops .. I fell here from a Spanish blog, hope not to be intruding and apologize in advance for my English -just in case some Spanish trace showed-. All of them are great, of course (Lennon, Zappa, Morrison, Sinatra, Janis, Hendrix ... btw you forgot including Lou Reed in your list). Unfortunately I'm one mini-generation behind, but grew up with that (mom+dad used to listen to this music+French protest songs). I'm not the marketing girl, honest, but may I call your attention and drag you to the 90's and 2000's music scene? Evolution is great and simply natural, believe me. :-))
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_in_music
http://www.inthe90s.com/music.shtml
Pammy, I am happy to tell you what I think about this and how I practice, but maybe not here - struggling enough with the ratings as it is without going on about death too much.
ReplyDeleteLeni, Thank you for commenting on my blog. You are always welcome. And yes, I am well aware that I am a bit stuck in a time warp as far as music goes, and lots of other stuff too. I do get to hear some more contemporary music occasionally, and generally enjoy it.
Tom- your last sentence made me laugh out loud! 'I do get to hear some more contemporary music occasionally' implies-'I am aware of these new fangled bands and don't mind the likes of Duran Duran and Dire Straights'...
ReplyDeleteI think that you need to sit down in front of a copy of Smash hits and catch up on the pop parade.
Ah Tate, you're getting to know me too well.
ReplyDelete