Hear me out on dead musicians

[Patrick Chewing]

So I was reminded by a Facebook post today that today would have been Layne Staley's 56th Birthday, and that got me thinking, could a person like Layne Staley and other musicians like him even make it to 56? With a history of drug use and depression, someone like Layne was almost destined to die young. And then it also got me thinking about all these musicians that have died young like Layne, Kurt, Chris Cornell, Randy Rhoads, Cliff Burton, Dimebag Darrell, Tupac, Elvis, Hendrix, Biggie, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Selena, John Lennon, and even Freddie Mercury. And here's the part where I want you to hear me out on, but I think these guys are more popular, have more mystique, and a bigger aura around them because they died young. Am I crazy? I think Freddie might be the exception because Freddie's career had already peaked and he was beyond famous, but for all the other artists, it's almost like a young death is befitting of who they were and only added to their story and fame.

[RRR3]

Pretty much every musician mentioned would hate you fatrick, that's what's so funny. I guess dimebag would like you but that's about it.

[JohnnySic]

Agree generally but Cornell was 52 when he died; well past his Soundgarden peak.

[Patrick Chewing]

Agree generally but Cornell was 52 when he died; well past his Soundgarden peak.

Yeah, definitely. Chris is probably my favorite vocalist of all time, and I was sad as hell when he died and learned that it was by suicide, but then I was like, "Yep, that would fit someone like Chris." And in a weird way, I felt like, it only adds more to his mystique. I honestly can't picture guys like him making it to their 60's and 70's. He was part of that sub culture where a combination of drug use, depression, and angst wrote some of the best music ever, but following his career like I did, I don't think he was a happy person inside. Even with a wife and kids, it wasn't enough to keep him around. And it's befitting that he's with guys like Kurt, Layne, and Andrew Wood.

[TheMan]

Most of those musicians died because of their self abuse, others like Rhoads, Burton, Selena, Dimebag, Tupac, Biggie, Lennon died from other causes not by their own hand. I think those are more tragic. But yeah I agree, dying young does add to their mystic, ****ed up as that sounds.

[TheMan]

Your OP got me thinking, needless to say, drugs are horrible, such a long list of musicians that still had great music to offer that died because of their addiction, Keith Moon, Jon Bonham, Mick Jones, Bon Scott, Scott Weiland, Bradley Nowell, Sid Barrett (he didn't die of an overdose per sé but lost his mind on psychedelics), Shannon Hoon, Amy Winehouse, Sid Vicious, Steve Clark, Hillel Slovak, Phil Lynott...that's just off the top of my head, many others. Such a waste.

[ArbitraryWater]

For sure.


There isnt anything particularly cool or intriguing about seing these guys try to do tours at 75.

[Overdrive]

So I was reminded by a Facebook post today that today would have been Layne Staley's 56th Birthday, and that got me thinking, could a person like Layne Staley and other musicians like him even make it to 56? With a history of drug use and depression, someone like Layne was almost destined to die young. And then it also got me thinking about all these musicians that have died young like Layne, Kurt, Chris Cornell, Randy Rhoads, Cliff Burton, Dimebag Darrell, Tupac, Elvis, Hendrix, Biggie, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Selena, John Lennon, and even Freddie Mercury. And here's the part where I want you to hear me out on, but I think these guys are more popular, have more mystique, and a bigger aura around them because they died young. Am I crazy? I think Freddie might be the exception because Freddie's career had already peaked and he was beyond famous, but for all the other artists, it's almost like a young death is befitting of who they were and only added to their story and fame.

Adding to their mystique? Some yes, alot not. Just look at Ozzy, Lemmy or Keith. They have a larger than life aura to them. Doesn't matter that they got old. Some have it, some don't.

I don't see that for Staley or others who died kinda young, but still already showed us all their prime material.

It defintely boosted Morrison and Joplin for example. As much as I like both, there was no indicator that they got more to offer than they showed, but their early death gave them an aura of "what could've been", while I think they'd just have faded away doing gigs infront of seventysomethings at state fairs.

[Jasper]

I think you are crazy Patsy.

Great great artists are a diamond in the rough , and were super popular when they were alive ...

Doors , even M. Jackson.

People feel sorry for the lose of a star , and sales continue or even go up.

[Patrick Chewing]

I think you are crazy Patsy.

Great great artists are a diamond in the rough , and were super popular when they were alive ...

Doors , even M. Jackson.

People feel sorry for the lose of a star , and sales continue or even go up.

Yeah I don't think you quite understand what I'm saying. There's a difference between popularity and (I'll keep using the same word cause I can't think of anything better) mystique. To me, a guy like Jim Morrison lives on more because of his early death. Hendrix was on the precipice of super stardom. But he died young. Can you imagine Hendrix and his signature distortion living on through the 70's just as Heavy Metal was about to explode? So it's more about the what if's with some of these artists that kind of add to their memory and aura about them. We all know these people are popular, but I think their early demise whether by murder or suicide only adds to their fame.

[Baller234]

John Lennon & Elvis were already icons before their death.

[Jasper]

Yeah I don't think you quite understand what I'm saying. There's a difference between popularity and (I'll keep using the same word cause I can't think of anything better) mystique. To me, a guy like Jim Morrison lives on more because of his early death. Hendrix was on the precipice of super stardom. But he died young. Can you imagine Hendrix and his signature distortion living on through the 70's just as Heavy Metal was about to explode? So it's more about the what if's with some of these artists that kind of add to their memory and aura about them. We all know these people are popular, but I think their early demise whether by murder or suicide only adds to their fame.

yea I know what your saying ... but I actually think the music dominates the sales instead of the name.
To a degree early deaths have a bearing , but say for example a performer was playing better than average music , and when he dies his sales are going
to go up : because of his death , don't think so.. the music is the driving force.
Doors for example had their lead die (we will say early) but to this day the Doors music lives on , because the music is great.

For Hendricks case .. .he would of been the father of heavy metal.. IMO no looking back for him , he was a super star and like Michael Jackson (a real crumb) his music still lives on. my point not the artist it is the music.
Other types of music are great examples , Bach , Jazz , folk technique and style ,, and many times I have had people say who is that , then the artist name comes up , and they go : ' Ohh I never heard that ' or a comment : ' man know I know why he is famous'

First rock band I heard was the Edgar Winter Group.... my ears where ringing with their technique. To this day if their music plays .. it still works.

[bison]

Of course dying young helps their mystique. Dying young means we never get to see them age, become washed up and put out sh1tty new albums that are nothing more than cash grabs (see guns n roses and RHCP). Instead they are frozen in their youth and frozen at their peaks for eternity.

[TheMan]

For sure.


There isnt anything particularly cool or intriguing about seing these guys try to do tours at 75.

While I don't disagree with this, there are younger generation of fans who appreciate legends like Paul McCartney and want to have the chance at catching him live in concert, even though it's been decades since he put out anything new worthwhile. People still want to see him play his hit songs.