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| From | Not Lame <popmusic@notlame.com> |
| Subject | Last on Adams |
| Date | Wed, 17 Dec 2003 09:35:14 -0700 |
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Ahh, my good friend Mike.......you always come up w/ a fresh angle to think
about!
> The problem with Ryan's antics over the past couple of years is that they
> aren't just a self-indulgent guitar solo or ponderous concept album
> performance -- they are indicative of either a degree of narcissism and/or
> self-destructiveness that is staggering or a high level of contempt for his
> audience. Or both.
Well, if the later, "so what", I guess I would say. Remember The Sex
Pistols?
With the former, such debates as this, which in the internet age DO get
passed onto the artist, can help friends of the artists, management and the
artist himself(since he *does* apparently read much of his press) to pull it
together, eventually. In the meantime, right now, the last three years,
he's been a troubled, but truthful display of all that is special about
him..........
It's his life, in public because of his vocation(and for all accounts, he's
a shy guy so all the attention is not a natural state for himself), to be
all of the above. Folks who hav e a problem w/ it, of course can pass on
supporting his records and/or tour dates. For those who don't take the
pass, the Caveat is well displayed.
>>
>> W/an artist like Ryan Adams, most folks know the risk, it appears. So
>> when
>> he does a dud, well......it happens. But caving into what folks expect of
>> him, the pressure to deliver 'greatness' every night(which many of his
>> acolytes do), how can he not react negatively at some shows.
>
> But the risk isn't from Ryan Adams taking risks. While his best work shows
> that he has a lot of talent, so far, he has only proven that he is a highly
> skilled craftsman. But so many of his songs seem to be dashing poses (or
> dashed off poses) rather than expressions of ideas or feelings that he is
> personally engaged in. The only thing edgy about Ryan Adams is when he
> cracks his head on the corner of side table when he's trying to answer the
> third or fourth wake up call of the day from his road manager.
Good point, but I'd present(uh, not that confidently, granted) that he's
proven an ability to keep his audience guessing and uncertain when his
occasional greatness will show up. That's a talent. An odd, troubled
one, but it is one nonetheless.
He's got a body of work that is the *real* deal for me when it comes to
song-writing.
>
>>
>> He's flawed. But so aren't we all. How would most of perform in such a
>> backdrop, if we made same career decisions to create music and found
>> ourselves touted as another Dylan and friends w/ Elton.
>
> Some would fuck up, some would succeed. Most 'next Dylan' managed not to
> crack up, many faded away, one succeeded (The Boss) and a few persevered
> (Elliot Murphy, Steve Forbert). Most friends of Elton end up getting a one
> album deal with Rocket Records or tend garden for Liza Minelli.
:-D who tends garden for Liza?!?
I am hoping he'll turn the corner and settle down a bit-----but, at the same
time, I think he always gets a raw, raw deal w/ a lot of the press as I
don't think is behavoir is *that* bad or even questionable----it's not like
he's in the league of Eddie Cochran or child/cousin marrying Jerry Lee
Lewis. For that matter, James Brown thru much of the 70's and 80's who never
bothered to show up at half his concert dates and hated his audience.
Point: all this imbroglio with Ryan is very, very tame, folks. Certainly,
by rock 'n roll standards. .......that said, there's a volatility in his
character and background that is not unlike Kurt Cobain and that truly
troubles me. I'd take him into my home in a heartbeat.
Kiki Dee, where are you,
Bruce
@ Not Lame
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