Tuesday, February 21, 2012
The recent “untimely” passing of Whitney Houston has caused me some…mild confusion if you will. I had a conversation with my friend Julie last week about the somewhat strange aspect surrounding celebrity deaths…specific to those individuals that lived troubled lives (during the end of their existence anyway). Now honestly speaking, I’m struggling a bit in attempting to convey this thought…without unintentionally sounding like a complete insensitive jerk…so, bear with me. That being said though, sometimes I guess if the shoe fits…you’ve gotta wear it! Why is it exactly that the media and society in general has a tendency to vilify these troubled individuals while they’re still living…yet as soon as they die, it’s suddenly as though they’re next in line for sainthood? Now before I go any further, I’m in NO WAY challenging the personal talents and musical contributions of these artists…but, the reality of these individual’s existences at the time of their death seem to consistently be…maybe consciously overlooked? Michael Jackson and Amy Winehouse are another couple stars/musical artists that come to mind. Both lived very troubled existences fueled by substance abuse…yet at the time of their passing, it seemed as though all their personal issues (especially with respect to Michael Jackson) were intentionally…overlooked? Specific to Whitney Houston, we have an R&B singer who exploded onto the pop scene in the mid 1980’s (at a relatively young age) experiencing a phenomenal amount of success over approximately the next decade. However at the time or her death, Whitney had been struggling with substance abuse/addiction for the better half of 20 years! Again, not that I mean to take anything away from her talent…but, the outpouring of shock and emotion over Whitney’s death I find a little perplexing. The reality is that for all intents and purposes…Whitney was a long-term addict. And as unfortunate as I admit it sounds…the surprising reality is that she didn’t die years ago from her addictions! Granted, irrespective of the circumstances surrounding her death…a life lost is a lift lost and Whitney’s passing should unquestionably be mourned and her life celebrated accordingly. From a perspective of sheer talent…one could pose a strong argument that Whitney Houston was one of (if not the) greatest female singers of all time. But that being said, as callous as I readily admit that it sounds…I so desperately want to hear someone in the media call a spade a spade if you know what I mean… I happened to be flipping through channels on the TV last week and came across an interview with Nikki Sixx on “Piers Morgan Tonight”. While superficially Nikki Sixx seems like the last person who should be giving advice on substance abuse…the reality is that his years of experience and struggles with personal drug addiction can provide some interesting insight. I found it incredibly refreshing (and valid for that matter) to hear Nikki call out Whitney’s close friends and “posse” for in effect sitting idly while she spiraled out of control…ultimately dying. Needless to say, I don’t know the extent to what these individuals may’ve attempted to help Whitney…and that being said, it seems obvious that addicts looking to truly change their lives often need to come to that conclusion of their own accord…but, I’d be willing to bet heavily that certain friends, acquaintances, managers, industry contacts etc. consciously opted to turn a blind eye to her personal issues, likely in the interest of the almighty dollar! That was definitely the case with respect to Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” concert series. It was beyond apparent that the “King of Pop” was in no physical condition to complete the booked concerts. Even during rehearsals for the shows various dancers, musicians and production staff commented on Michael’s condition and inability to perform at the level necessary. Yet again, the almighty dollar prevailed though; too much money was on the line… So the above being said, what are your thoughts? When these troubled stars pass…should we just overlook their personal issues and celebrate the positive accordingly? Or, is also it warranted in discussing their issues posthumously? While I readily admit I have no immediate/valid suggestions…I truly wish something ultimately positive could come as a result of these stars deaths. Be it some form of charitable donation to a relative cause…or, maybe even some form of revised law where those that consciously allowed and enabled these individuals to die as a result of their addictions could have some partial/legal accountability (however extremely difficult to prosecute and potentially farfetched I admit). On a final completely unrelated note, as a follow-up to a piece I had published a few weeks ago regarding the issues surrounding the reunion of the original Black Sabbath line up…rumors are now circulating that the pending reunion tour has been cancelled (with the exception of the Download festival appearance) and all booked dates are being replaced by Ozzy Osbourne’s solo touring band. Should that actually be the case, then I’m beyond thrilled to hear it! Maybe there’s still hope that the right path will be exercised and Bill Ward will be offered his due share to participate. Until next week… “Buy the ticket…take the ride”