I TRIED A NEW WALK ROUTE YESTERDAY and ran into singer Amy Winehouse. “I thought you were dead,” I said. “I am, Gramps. I’m just a figment of your imagination,” she said, sneering at me. We were walking down Bevin Boulevard, which has a wide sidewalk. “You’re a member of that famous 27 Club, aren’t you, where all the members are mostly singers who died at the age of twenty-seven?” “So what? Don’t make a big deal about it,” she spat. “But it is a big deal,” I insisted, “because its members include Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and Kurt Cobain. You’re in good company.” “Just a bunch of dumb druggies,” she said, frowning. “Well, that may be,” I pointed out, “but you died of alcohol poisoning yourself.” “Yeh, but they were much worse,” she argued, continuing that “Joplin died of a heroin overdose, Hendrix choked on his own puke while high on barbiturates, Cobain was a known addict who shot himself, and Jim Morrison supposedly died of a heart attack in the bathtub. Right! Lucky for him the French didn’t require an autopsy.” We were approaching a stop light. “That’s a lot of lost music,” I offered. “So you say,” said Winehouse, “but I’m the only one who could actually sing.” “I don’t think having a good voice is a requirement to be a rock star,” I countered. “I’ll give you that,” she replied, “and I know I wasn’t no Barbra Streisand, but I’m a lot better looking.” She fluffed her hair. I was by this time tiring of the conversation. “Well, I’m going this way,” I told her, and I turned at the light. “See ya,” I called after her. “Just call me Valerie,” she yelled back, and broke into song.
What a stroke of good fortune, Henry, meeting Amy Winehouse, but really those happenings you have described are totally inexplicable. The suicide of the American chef and author Anthony Bourdain particularly so. A graduate of Vassar by the way. His death had something to do with his love affair with Asia Argento the Italian actress. She was in a film called "The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things." A love affair between an older man and a younger woman hardly ever turns out well. I never missed his shows, "No Reservations" and "Parts Unknown." Helen Rosner in the New Yorker: " It's been three years since Anthony Bourdain died, by suicide, in June of 2018, and the void he left is still a void" and on the film "Roadrunner" based on his life, "It builds up a devastating argument for Bourdain as both the hero and villain of his story." Morgan Neville who made that film has this to say: "Bourdain was given everything he always wanted: money, and a chance to travel, and freedom. Does that find him happiness? Of course, it doesn't, because happiness does not come from external things.". Perhaps that is true of all the other sad stories you have described here.
Inner peace is a rare thing in this world and getting more scarce every day . Modern societal pressures are intensifying this scarcity for so many people . Success in financial life does not mean that this inner peace is any easier to achieve and inner contentment is like a puff of smoke in a breeze , it can quickly drift away even if it is achieved . Two Irish rockers ( and many more ?) Pulled the same trick on life and left the stage around 27 ...took the search for inner peace a bit too far . Phillip Lynott ( Heroin ) , Rory Gallagher( Booze ) . Rory ( Guitarist rocker admired by Hendrix ) could not perform without a bottle of "Jack" , like Janice Joplin , in hand for liquid courage , he was notoriously shy , not ideal for a Rocker !! Their talents never matched their personalitles I think . " Whereever you are ....there you are " escape from inner turmoil and conflict is only temporary . When the sun rises and the cheering crowds are gone ...There You Are !!! ..ready to run for cover again . Been in that dark hole myself , hoping it would get better and eventually it did , happily !!!
These unfortunate souls deserve some empathy because many of us today are walking in those same shoes and just one disaster away from throwing in the towel and joining them . They remind us that life is worth the pain and the struggles we have to contend with .
Magoo ☘🤠☘
PS: I saw an interview with Amy and she hinted that her record company would not allow her to perform the "Unplugged " music that she preferred . She could only record what her company approved . She sang and played on an acoustic guitar and was just brilliant , no gimmicks or costumes , just beautiful music , I had never heard her music before that Doc but she was quite impressive .
Now Lady Gaga seems perfectly suited to her show business personna . Saw her movie about the Gucci family , good movie . Not as much " girlie movie" as you might think , given the subject matter .!! Worth a look ☘
Magoo ☘
Hi all lets not forget mama cass elliot from the mamas and papas who died an untimely death at 32, what a great voice she had and the harmonies of the group.
Amy was a true talent, and I was very sad when she died. She was apparently a very gentle and sensitive soul, with a lot of self-doubt, a common theme in many of these famous musician's deaths from substance abuse.
Terry
I was a huge Bordain fan as well. I was as shocked as anyone at his death by suicide, but I'm not sure there has ever been any real explanation for the reasons behind it. His best friend, chef Eric Ripert, who probably knew him better than anyone, has said he still doesn't understand it. He was someone who appeared to have everything, and yet it wasn't enough to prevent him from making that terrible, irreversible decision. Perhaps there was some undiagnosed mental illness, such as depression, going on. We'll never know. But, what a waste! My husband and I always looked forward to every new episode of 'No Reservations' and 'Parts Unknown'. I still miss him.
Terry
