Jim Morrison is widely considered to be one of the most iconic performers in rock and roll history. Paired with the instrumentals of The Doors, his haunting lyrics and chaotic performance style struck a chord with audiences of the 1960’s and elevated him to “Rock God” status. Morrison undoubtedly lived his life in a way to live up to that title: in his short lifetime he was arrested a total of 6 times and most of his adult life was consumed by copious amounts of sex, drugs and alcohol. Of course, all of this indulgence only led to tragedy, Morrison was often prone to self-destructive and abusive behaviors. Oliver Stone’s 1991 film The Doors as well as James Farr’s essay “'The Lizard King or Fake Hero?”: Oliver Stone, Jim Morrison, and History …show more content…
At the beginning of his career the part of the music he cared most about were they lyrics and their meanings. When he first meets Ray Manzarek the sample of poetic lyrics Morrison shows him are what prompts them to start the band in the first place. However, once Morrison gets on stage and adopts his iconic “Lizard King”(a name taken from his own poem “The Celebration of the Lizard King”) persona it is something that he obsesses with constantly. The “Lizard King” was what is generally considered as the quintessential rock star persona: a brooding, soulful musician, a bad boy who defies authority and who constantly surrounds himself with partying, sex, alcohol and drugs. Morrison was consumed with holding up this persona. Throughout the movie he acts out with anti-authoritarian behaviors, such as keeping the lyric “we can’t get much higher” in a live performance of “Light My Fire” on the Ed Sullivan Show despite being told to change it to avoid getting in trouble with the FCC, or by inciting riots at a live show by recounting the story of a police officer not recognizing him backstage and getting aggresive to the point of spraying him in the face with a can of Mace. These sorts of behaviors appealed to the fans of the band who tended to worship him even more intensely after incidents like these, which served to make Morrison obsess more about himself and his public
Jerry Garcia was born as Jerome John Garcia on 1 August, 1942 in San Francisco, California (“Garcia”/’Grateful Dead”). Garcia learned to play folk and rock & roll when he was 15 even though the third finger on his left hand was missing because of an accident as a child. In 1959 he served in the U.S. Army for a very short period of time (“Garcia”/Erlewine_). J.J. Garcia, also known as Captain Trips, was a diabetic heroine addict and was arrested on charges of heroine possession in 1985(Erlewine_/”Grateful Dead_ Rockhall”/”Garcia”). While in a Forest Knolls, California drug treatment center, Garcia died on 9 August 1995(“Grateful Dead”). Some of his ashes were scattered in the Ganges River not long after he died, and the rest were scattered into the San Francisco Bay in the second week of April 1996(“This Is the Week That Was”E7). The effect of his death was equivalent to those of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., Elvis Presley, and John Lennon. When Garcia died “The press was largely in agreement, concerning that a major talent in the world of music had passed on (either that or all the news editors on daily newspapers are all 40-something ex-hippies.)”(“Grateful Dead”) The “pied piper” was and is now no more than a legend in many people’s eyes. The band name as well went down with Jerry as a unanimous agreement among the band members(“Grateful Dead”).
Rock n’ roll gave people the voice they did not have in the early years. As the genre of music became more wide spread, people actually began to speak out. Altschuler touches on the exploration of how the rock n' roll culture roughly integrated with replaced and conflicted with preceding cultural values. Many of these values were very touch topics. Besides black civil rights, sexuality were one of the most sensitive t...
Fame, flashing lights, screaming fans. Poverty, neglectful parents, no real feeling of having a home. Even though these words paint two very different pictures, they both have one thing in common, a story of resilience. In the autobiography Facing the Music and Living to Talk About It by Nick Carter and Jeannette Walls’ memoir The Glass Castle, Carter and Walls both have internal and external factors that are the basis of their struggles, but their mental and emotional resilience helps them to overcome their hardships in an unfavorable environment.
Living up to his name, Hard Rock is shown to have a hard demeanor and appearance. “Split purple lips, lumped ears, welts above/ His yellow eyes, and one long scar that cut/ Across his temple and plowed through a thick/ Canopy of kinky hair” (lines 3-6). Knight presents Hard Rock as someone who has been abused often through the numerous thick scars on his face, as well as adding that he was “known not to take no shit” (line 1) to add to the imagery of Hard Rock having a tenacious
...rotect residents from acts of police brutality,” at times resorting to violence in order to achieve their goal (Brittanica). Additionally, Morrison clearly models Guitar after Malcom X. Not only do they share similar ideals, but even share the same birth year and state of origin. Earlier in life, Malcom X did not support integration of black and white society, rather supporting the idea of black supremacy and separation. Guitar’s belief that white people are unnatural and evil parallels Malcom X’s early stances. Guitar and The Seven Days are Morrison’s reminder that violence and revenge are never appropriate responses. Guitar begins as a likeable and essentially good character, but falls from morality and allows hate to consume him. Though the reader can sympathize with Guitar and understand the source of his hate, it is clear that what he is doing is wrong.
When first reading “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin, it may initially seem that the relationship between musicians and drugs is synonymous. Public opinion suggests that musicians and drugs go hand and hand. The possibility lies that Sonny’s passion for jazz music is the underlying reason for his drug use, or even the world of jazz music itself brought drugs into Sonny’s life. The last statement is what the narrator believes to be true. However, by delving deeper and examining the theme of music in the story, it is nothing but beneficial for Sonny and the other figures involved. Sonny’s drug use and his music are completely free of one another. Sonny views his jazz playing as a ray of light to lead him away from the dim and dismal future that Harlem has to offer.
McLeese, Don. “The Spirit of a Rocker.” New York Times. 18 October 1987. Web. 11
Adolescents and young adults have been disregarding the rules of the older generation and sparking up arguments since time could tell. One of the forerunners for this teen-angst filled defiance was none other than the king of outcasts, Kurt Cobain, lead singer and songwriter for Nirvana. Cobain was a trailblazer ready to defy the Baby Boomers and all that the tired generation saw to be important; Cobain pushed against many traditional structures but few more relevant than sexism and the mainstream music industry. Cobain rallied his army of misfits, labeled Generation X, to also stand against the sexists and the money-grubbing music bosses. Although Cobain didn’t do so by leading rallies or picket-marches, he found his rebellious essence through writing strange, contentious, and confusing music. With this in mind, it’s easy to say that Kurt Cobain was a model for Generation X; however, he is most notable as a rebel writer that expressed his resistance to sexism and to the music industry through his unconventional writing, mixed-music styles, and controversial songs.
...he essence of a grief-stricken generation, exhibited an unyielding emphasis on the importance of piercing passion over musical intricacy, and introduced the world to a vast array of gifted musicians who did not deem music as a tool to achieve recognition or financial stability. In turn, the decades that followed the rise of alternative rock have been inundated with so-called musicians whose main goal has been to get their faces plastered on magazine covers and achieve maximum public exposure, rather than devoting themselves to their craft. Consequently, the world has been left with nothing but an endless parade of shocking behavior, skimpy outfits, and mediocre music. Unfortunately, if the current state of affairs is any hint of what the future holds for music audiences, the magic generated by the nineties alternative rock will not be matched in years to come.
This article investigates the relationship between biography and authenticity of grunge musician Kurt Cobain. Focusing on Cobain's lyrics involving the human body, the article argues that his idea of the 'sick body' was a metaphor in his various works.
Kurt Cobain soon realized that in the media he was considered as the “spokesman of a generation” and the band was often referred to the “flagship band of...
“Hotel California” by The Eagles has been the recipient of much speculation since its release in 1976. Although many other interpretations exist including some which claim this song to be referencing drugs, much evidence suggests that “Hotel California” is, at least partly, making a statement about the lifestyle of drug and alcohol users particularly in the large cities of California. As with many songs, duality of meaning exists in “Hotel California.”
Cameron Crowe’s film Almost Famous, released in 2001, has been praised as a love letter to rock and roll. The film centers around William Miller, a 15-year-old aspiring journalist who has been hired by Rolling Stone magazine to write an article on the fictitious band Stillwater as they tour North America in the spring of 1973. While on the tour, William’s eyes are opened to the realities of the rock scene and he soon realizes that many members of the scene are obsessed with their image to the point that they let their personal relationships fall apart. William also realizes how false Stillwater’s supposed love for their fans is, as they trade one of their biggest fans, a groupie named Penny Lane, for fifty dollars and a pack of beer as soon
Scissors, Paper, Rock! For my first cultural event, I attended the University Performing Dancers rendition of “Scissors, Paper, Rock!”. This dance performance took place in University Hall here on campus. This performance is considered a cultural event because the game Rock, Paper, Scissors is an ancient game that many different cultures have claimed to invented.
Rock bands of the 1980’s carried certain stereotypes and upheld less than respectable reputations. In opposition to mosh pits, screaming females, and smoky venues, came U2 - an alternative rock band that upheld morals and dignity. Perhaps one of the most notable musicians of the 80’s was U2’s Irish lead singer, Bono. Bono gains the world’s respect time after time with his drive and commitment to avoiding clichés and maintaining a sound persona. Through his undeniable talent in the music industry as well as his political involvement and unending work towards world betterment, Bono proves his heroism an innumerable and continuous amount of times.