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Gerinski 
Prog Reviewer
Joined: February 10 2010
Location: Barcelona Spain
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 Topic: Loosing it
Posted: July 18 2014 at 18:08 |
This wonderful song from Rush Signals talks about the artist who has enjoyed inspiration and grace and at some point in his/her life looses it. "Sadder still to watch it die than never to have known it".
The song is actually about loosing the muse, but it may also apply to losing the fame and status not just because you loose the inspiration but because the market stops listening to what you have to say as an artist, even if you still have good things to say. That might be even sadder.
It makes me think for example of Carl Palmer, who after having flown in dedicated ELP jets, being driven in limousines, lodged in top-luxury hotels, hailed as the best drummer in the world for years etc... and a couple of years ago I watched him loading his drums in a van himself after a gig in a tiny venue in Germany where no more than 80 people were present, later to find out that he was lodging at the same very-cheap hotel I was.
It must be really hard having experienced fame and glory and then having to leave it all behind and live simply like any hard-working mortal, don't you think?
What musicians do you think have gone through this kind of "from the top to the bottom" experiences, what do you think it must be like, and in which cases do you think it was really due to losing the inspiration or just due to losing the market attention? |
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rogerthat
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Posted: July 18 2014 at 23:04 |
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Well, a lot of prog rock musicians who made it to the top tier in the 70s must have gone through this top to bottom experience, right? Except those like Genesis who adapted to the 80s and became even more successful. Renaissance were cut down to small venues in the 80s. They are probably a bit better off now than in the 80s albeit by playing very few gigs in a year. And I wouldn't be surprised if they are not exactly flush with money.
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zachfive
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Location: Kitsap WA
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Posted: July 19 2014 at 00:10 |
Also, I don't think it is necessarily about "losing the muse" as you say. The first verses about the dancer are clearly about losing the physical ability to preform, she clearly is inspired to dance, but simply can't the way she use too.
As for artists who have "metaphorically lost it", I can't think of many right now but you are right in acknowledging that some people who once wrote inspiring pieces have in their later years "fallen from grace", if you will. And I'm sure that once knowing how it feels in the limelight then being out of it for the majority of your remaining years could take a toll on people conceded with how they are perceived by others... but I think Carl is fine playing small gigs and cashing in on Asia/ELP royalties, some rich people are still surpassingly frugal. (perhaps that is why they are rich)
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rogerthat
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Posted: July 19 2014 at 01:48 |
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^^^ Yeah, I am not sure any of them went through a meltdown and crashed when they lost those big arenas and publicity. Some were probably thankful as they wouldn't have to live up to unrealistic expectations and could just do their thing.
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rogerthat
Prog Reviewer
Joined: September 03 2006
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Posted: July 19 2014 at 01:50 |
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A lot of prog rock musicians sound even a bit better now than in the 70s. Steve Hackett is Exhibit A. The ones who are starting to look washed up are actually quite successful. e.g Some of the Yes members. The ones who got relegated in the 80s have by and large aged well, hard pressed to think of any who didn't.
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Mormegil
Forum Senior Member
Joined: January 03 2010
Location: NE PA
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Posted: July 23 2014 at 10:19 |
 rogerthat wrote:
A lot of prog rock musicians sound even a bit better now than in the 70s. Steve Hackett is Exhibit A. The ones who are starting to look washed up are actually quite successful. e.g Some of the Yes members. The ones who got relegated in the 80s have by and large aged well, hard pressed to think of any who didn't. |
Well said!
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Welcome to the middle of the film.
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richardh
Prog Reviewer
Joined: February 18 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 26108
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Posted: July 24 2014 at 01:00 |
Gerinski wrote:
This wonderful song from Rush Signals talks about the artist who has enjoyed inspiration and grace and at some point in his/her life looses it."Sadder still to watch it die than never to have known it".
The song is actually about loosing the muse, but it may also apply to losing the fame and status not just because you loose the inspiration but because the market stops listening to what you have to say as an artist, even if you still have good things to say. That might be even sadder.
It makes me think for example of Carl Palmer, who after having flown in dedicated ELP jets, being driven in limousines, lodged in top-luxury hotels, hailed as the best drummer in the world for years etc... and a couple of years ago I watched him loading his drums in a van himself after a gig in a tiny venue in Germany where no more than 80 people were present, later to find out that he was lodging at the same very-cheap hotel I was.
It must be really hard having experienced fame and glory and then having to leave it all behind and live simply like any hard-working mortal, don't you think?
What musicians do you think have gone through this kind of "from the top to the bottom" experiences, what do you think it must be like, and in which cases do you think it was really due to losing the inspiration or just due to losing the market attention? |
in Carl Palmer's case I think he just does it for enjoyment. He knocked ELP on the head after High Voltage because it wasn't going anywhere and presumably wasn't that enjoyable anymore
I can't think of too many examples of musicians that now settle for small venues having played stadia. In many cases the musicians that play small venues (ie less than 200) were never that big in the first place or they have a pet project that is virtually a hobby. I've seen Steve Howe play Swindon Art Centre (150 max) a couple of times with his son and another guy as the Steve Howe Band. He struggled to sell that venue out depressingly. However its just a nice little thing to do for him and more of an intimate atmosphere. That's why its fun presumably. Both he and Carl strike me as people that have never got too far ahead of themselves doing the rock star thing. They both have nice balanced family orientated lives I expect.
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HackettFan
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Joined: June 20 2012
Location: Oklahoma
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Points: 7946
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Posted: July 24 2014 at 08:23 |
Mormegil wrote:
rogerthat wrote:
A lot of prog rock musicians sound even a bit better now than in the 70s. Steve Hackett is Exhibit A. The ones who are starting to look washed up are actually quite successful. e.g Some of the Yes members. The ones who got relegated in the 80s have by and large aged well, hard pressed to think of any who didn't. |
Well said! |
Indeed. And I was thinking that smaller venues allowed some musicians to get the effect of still being in the "underground" and all the freshness that comes with it.
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Rednight
Forum Senior Member
Joined: January 18 2014
Location: Mar Vista, CA
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Points: 4807
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Posted: July 25 2014 at 11:38 |
rogerthat wrote:
A lot of prog rock musicians sound even a bit better now than in the 70s. Steve Hackett is Exhibit A. The ones who are starting to look washed up are actually quite successful. e.g Some of the Yes members. The ones who got relegated in the 80s have by and large aged well, hard pressed to think of any who didn't. |
Naw, I like Hackett's original output after ditching Genesis better than that of the modern day. And as for your ambiguous rundown on "some" of Yes' members being "successful", well, who might that be: 1. Steve Howe: his little side band isn't exactly playing stadiums. 2. Alan White: occasionally tours small venues with his band of unknowns. 3. Chris Squire: appears/plays at the infrequent benefit but is said to be happy just to be holed up as an expatriot in Santa Barbara. 4. Jon Anderson: Who knows when he'll be around the States next? 5. Rick Wakeman: Ditto! (Come on Rick, give us a break.) 5. Geoff Downes, Jon Davison, Benoit David: Who cares?
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Loosing it