Drugs in the Music Industry
The Music World-glamorous, fast paced, and a world most of us will never be part of. But if we knew what it entailed, would we still want to be? The whole world seems to be building itself around drugs more and more every day, and music industry isn't immune. In fact, music is one of the most influential art forms of today's society, and drugs, especially to today's youth, just add to the attractiveness of it all.
In the last two or three years, drugs, especially heroin, have risen in use dramatically. Kurt Cobain was the most high-profile drug-related rock star since the 1970's and was still battling heroin addiction when he committed suicide in 1994. Along with him, his wife Courtney Love made it fashionable to be a "junkie". In the last year, Stone Temple Pilot's singer Scott Weiland and
Depeche Mode singer David Gahan, among others, have been arrested for cocaine or heroin possession. The number of top bands that have been linked to heroin through a member's overdose, arrest, admitted use or recovery is staggering:
Smashing pumpkins, Everclear, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Dr. Dre, Blind Melon, Red Hot
Chili Peppers, The Breeders, Alice in Chains, Sex Pistols, Sublime, Iggy Pop, the list goes on and on. Together, these bands have sold more than 60 million albums(Newsweek pgs 50 & 53).
Since kids emulate popular musicians, what is there to keep them from emulating their drug use? Moreover, what's to keep the majority of the population from doing the same? In the 60's and 70's, drug use was never spoken of nor did anyone admit that it was a problem. Nowadays, there is not a person in the world who hasn't heard about the rising drug use. But what are they doing about it? Back in the 80's, higher prices, the fear of contracting AIDS, and lower purity kept drugs out of the mainstream. Now, drugs are cheaper and easier to get then ever, being imported into the country at double the rate it was in the 1980's. Unfortunately, the outsider's view of drug use isn't the harsh reality. Janis Joplin, Billie Holiday, and Charlie Parker are among the many to die from heroin and other drug addictions. Drugs seem to make you a funnier, wiser, cooler person, but what the younger generation fails to realize is that they are fatal.
Despite this, drug...
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...are easy because they are wealthy, popular, and sublimely happy. Being rich and famous isn't all it's cracked up to be. They lead normal lives, have kids and pay bills just as we do, but this is still no excuse to put your life into your own hands.
The music industry may be finally facing up to the truth that drug abuse has become a serious problem, though. The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences gathered in 1996 to discuss what could be done about it. The sense of crisis has been growing since Kurt Cobain committed suicide, blamed at least partly on his heroin abuse.(Time p57)Expressions of concern are easy to come by, but the chances for meaningful industry action are less clear. Record executives refuse to be drug police, especially in a society where drug abuse has long been accepted, and even condoned, as part of the creative process.
Geffen Records has retained a drug counselor for it's musicians who seek help. (Time p 58). But the industry must recognize that pressure from the label to keep tutoring and recording can blow a drug problem out of proportion.
It is a minimal step, but at least a start toward trying to keep musicians healthy, productive, and alive.
First, Rudy’s family didn’t believe in him. Rudy’s background was a struggle, because his family, especially his father, didn’t expect much from him, coming from a common family in a small town. His father expected for him to get a job at a local factory after his high school graduation and follow in his footsteps. He doesn’t believe Rudy will achieve his dreams. When Rudy returns home to see his family, they mock him for ...
That being said, drugs and alcohol, can cause ones to lose their lifestyle and even their loved ones. Using and abusing drugs and alcohol can also lead to addiction. This creates a whole different empire in one’s life. Some may even steal, lie and cheat, just to obtain their ability to get there next fix. Sometimes getting their next fix can even create a door way to putting them in jail or prison. Even to the point of no return, this could create the loss of one’s own
The use of cocaine had reached a worrying numbers in contrast to that of the early 1970s.
The movie Rudy took place in Chicago in the 1970’s. Most young men in this time period grew up to work at the local steel mill; a job that requires little to no education. However, Rudy’s dreams were far beyond the small town he resided in. He dreamed of playing football for Notre Dame. But, in order to do so, he needed to improve his grades. The decisions he made and the dedication required to make his dream come true were ones that ultimately changed his life forever. In order to get his grades up, Rudy attends Holy Cross College, a community college nearby and saves up his money. In the long run, his actions paid off. He finally gets accepted to Notre Dame and successfully joins the football team. Although he never played a single second, he fought his urge to quit the team and stick it out for the rest of the year. After a season of riding the bench, Rudy at last went in for the final two plays of the Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech game. He became the hero of the season when he sacked the opponents quarterback, allowing Notre Dame to take the win. Rudy declares, “Most people allow struggles and fear of failure to stop them. The key is to learn from your struggles and move on. Failures will make you stronger and give you the information you need to reach your Dream. Struggle will prepare you for success. Without struggl...
there were still many people who were not free from our rule. One group of
Since the earliest days of human civilization music has been a key tool for communication of stories which carried emotions through them. If we think back to our youngest years of life music has surrounded us whether it was from our parents singing us lullabies or from some sort of toy that played music we can say that musical melodies have helped shape or lives one way or another. Once we start growing up and figuring out who we are our musical preferences change; some people like classical and some like punk. We start to befriend people who like the same music as us and eventually we may attend a musical event. Our lives somewhat revolve around the music that we listen to.
While drugs are seen as a divisive issue today, in the 1960s they were much more accepted and widely available. It is during this time period that drugs that are highly illegal now were available and used daily in many cultures around the world. Many of these drugs, such as cocaine, were seen as a “cure-all” and supposedly helped with a variety of ailments. These are the reasons I find drug culture in the 1960s particularly interesting. I also think it is interesting how drugs such as acid and marijuana, while not technically illegal at the beginning of this time period, were still considered taboo and people who did these drugs were looked down upon. This disapproving opinion could also be due to the fact that it was often hippies doing these drugs and hippies were often looked down upon by mainstream society in general. One question I still have regarding the drug culture of this time is how
...nd put down due to collectivism or just as an individual they will always claw and fight for their own freedom and the individual will always declare his or her own purpose in life.
Drug abuse has changed over the years due to the trends that Americans face from the encouragement of different cultures. The abuse of substances creates many health problems. The following will discuss the past and current trends of drug use and the effects these drugs have on the health of the individuals who abuse the drugs.
offensive CD's. After all of this is said and done, the albums are still selling millions of
Robison, Jennifer. “Decades of Drug Use: Data from the '60s and'70s.” 2 July 2002. Gallup, Inc. 28 March 2011.
"New Data Show Rise in Prescription Drug Abuse." Targeted News Service (USA) 11 Apr. 2011,: NewsBank. Web. 6 Dec. 2013.
Drug abuse is part of everyday life, most of us know someone who is or was abusing drug at some point. A way to simplify a difficult time in our life, we find an exit in a product that numbs our brain to the surrounding. People find addiction through drugs, activities and action that creates chemical reaction within our bodies. Whether you love jumping off the empire state building or inject yourself with a drug, you are looking for a high that your body enjoys. The body creates chemicals which stop our self-control. According to the CDC website, “Deaths from drug overdose have been rising steadily over the past two decades and have become the leading cause of injury death in the United States.” (Birnbaum HG, web).
to be or told we should be represented. There are too many cases of the individuals soul being
The use of illegal drugs in the United States is considered by some to be the biggest problem in our society. Over 40% of high school seniors use some kind of illegal drug, and in a recent 1999 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse showed that the three most common drugs are Marijuana used by 11,100,000 people, Cocaine used by 1,500,000 people, and inhalants that is used by 991,000 people nationwide.