Re: (TV) Arthur Lee

[Joe Hartley <jh@brainiac.com>]

jpontrelli@nallmiller.com wrote:
> JPG wrote:  Sounds like another pathetic loser.
> 
> The man responsible for the first three Love records was no pathetic loser.  
> "Forever Changes" is on an equal plain with "Marquee Moon."

I find JPG's attitude amazingly harsh.  I have known people with drug and
alcohol problems, and have broken off dear friendships because of it, and have
had friends die because of this.  There is a big difference between JPG's
smug moral superiority and necessity of pushing someone away because they
either need to get better or worse.  I wonder whether JPG has ever 
personally known anyone seriously addicted.  Doesn't sound like it.

Artistic genius is often coupled with psychological problems that draw
such people to drugs (including alcohol) like a moth to a flame.  On
a very simplistic level, such people can be said to "feel" more strongly
than the average "normal" person.  How people react to this varies with
each person.  Sometimes purging themselves through their art is 
sufficient, sometimes it's not.  The drugs come into play because they
dull that feeling.  Some people can control it, others can't.  The drugs
that are most often abused to the point of addiction by artists are
opiates and alcohol.  This isn't a coincidence - these are the drugs that
are most effective at toning down these feelings.

You can look down your nose at the people who can't handle the reality
(or the drugs), but there's a fiendish circle at work against the artist.
The feelings help put the genius in the art, but make the artist feel
that he (or she) is not really in control.  Oddly enough, the drugs at
first make the artist feel in control.  Used often enough, though, the
physical addiction will rear its head, and then there's a whole new
problem to deal with.

I'm fortunate; I don't feel so out-of-balance that I need strong drugs
on a regular basis to help me feel in control.  A beer or a toke from time to
time does fine, and I won't go nuts if I don't have it.  I also don't have
the spark of creativity to be a good musician or writer or any other type
of artist.  I enjoy playing guitar, but I have no personal "voice" and
don't write my own music.  I don't mind; I understand the tradeoffs. 

Yes, there are people who can make music and don't really seem to have
demons to fight.  Their music is usually dull and boring.  Even people
with their demons can make dull music - there are no hard and fast rules.

When I hear stories about people like Arthur Lee, I'm saddened to think
of the losing battle against keeping balance they're in.  Of all the
feelings I have, contempt is not among them.

Much of this message came from a looong conversation I had with a friend
of mine, one of the best guitarists I've ever heard, at a time when he
was off heroin and seemed to have a handle on his life and career.  Sadly,
koyaanisqatsi (life out of balance) took hold later and he OD'ed just as
his career seemed to finally be taking off.  We'd gotten onto the topic
when I casually remarked I'd give anything to play as well as he did, and
he replied he'd glady give it up if he could get control of things.

Paul, I still miss you.

-- 
======================================================================
       Joe Hartley - UNIX/network Consultant - jh@brainiac.com
     12 Emma G Lane, Narragansett, RI  02882 - vox 401.782.9042
Without deviation from the norm, "progress" is not possible. - FZappa

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