MuchMore.ca

This week’s Matt Tracks are inspired by all the very UNinspiring debates happening in the universe right now about the “27 club”. The people have created this ridiculous legend surrounding the 27 club myth, it’s the bloggers and media types who feel the need to make this some sort of morbid clique as to be able to argue over what dead musician is cool enough to be included. I get it, I see the INSANE coincidence of artists passing away at this age, but if anything it should spark more of a commentary on drug use in the music industry and how it has taken the life of some very talented and young artists rather than a debate over who is worthy of being mentioned along side who.

You Know I’m No Good – Amy Winehouse (2006)

In the wake of Amy Winehouse’s death there has been the typical sort of sensational reporting and blogging we have come to except in 2011. Predictably most of the debate has been her inclusion in this infamous 27 club and whether or not she deserves to be mentioned alongside people like Cobain, Hendrix or Joplin. Whatever the circumstances surrounding her death might I suggest to let the music speak for itself….there is a reason she became so popular so quick: great music, great voice and great songs.

In Bloom – Nirvana (1992)

The death of any successful musician or actor exaggerates everything about them; James Dean died young and became an instant legend with a seemingly flawless body of work while someone like Mickey Rourke has struggled for many years between legendary roles which has cast a shadow over his career. Kurt Cobain died at the age of 27 so we can only measure his work up to that point, and his death (at that infamous rock and roll age) has given him legend status which has been debated for years. The word legend is thrown around a lot and perhaps has lost the weight it once originally carried, but in the case of Cobain NOBODY can question the impact he had on music at a very young age.

Love Me Two Times – The Doors (1967)

Coming out of the massive number 1 hit “Light my Fire” from their debut album it seemed like The Doors were going to take over the airwaves with their 2nd album “Strange Days”, but it didn’t quite happen that way. Remember, 1967 was a very different time in an ultra conservative America and thanks in part to the attention focused on Jim Morrison’s arrest after an on stage rant in New Haven against police who found him backstage with a young girl…this song and its “suggestive” lyrics could only make it as high as #25.

All Along the Watchtower – The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1968)

When you think about the musical legacy that has be forged by both Boy Dylan and Jimi Hendrix, it’s hard to imagine that either musician could ever feel self conscious about their own work, but the song “All Along the Watchtower” illustrates that they both did. Originally written by Dylan, he has gone to say that he likes the Hendrix version better than his own and for the past 40 years has performed the song based on that recording. Jimi Hendrix said in an interview shortly after recording this song that he didn’t feel confident as a songwriter and he wished he could write words like Bob Dylan.

Ball and Chain – Janis Joplin (1967)

Near the end of the 1960’s and very near the end of her short life, Janis Joplin appeared on The Dick Cavett Show for a performance and a chat; she was actually on his show a few times during her career and the conversations are pretty amazing ….they are funny, comfortable and really illustrate how humble and down to earth one of the biggest voices in the history of music was. During this particular chat she explained how her singing comes form the bottom of the music, from the soul of the music, whereas most woman of that time (she felt) fluttered somewhere on top of the melody. This particular song was written and originally recorded by Big Mama Thornton who also famously recorded and released a version of Hound Dog that inspired the Elvis Presley version and his subsequent break through success with it.

Share.This.Music
thanks for listening,
=mw