Re: (TV) Arthur Lee

["Jeffrey Germaine" <jpg@sirius.com>]

I only speak from personal experience.Perhaps my way is too insulting for
some. I'm just a very candid person. I've been a drunk,etc.. Been there,
done that.
Honestly, I have great difficulty "idolizing" some of these pathetic cats.I
can appreciate their past efforts but I'm not going to "love" their disease.
----- Original Message -----
From: Joe Hartley <jh@brainiac.com>
To: <tv@obbard.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2000 8:37 AM
Subject: Re: (TV) Arthur Lee


> 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
>
> --------------
> To post: Mail tv@obbard.com
> To unsubscribe: Mail majordomo@obbard.com with message "unsubscribe tv"
>

--------------
To post: Mail tv@obbard.com
To unsubscribe: Mail majordomo@obbard.com with message "unsubscribe tv"