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People => The Groove => Topic started by: Syd on May 14, 2008, 09:38:57 PM

Title: No drug charges for Amy Winehouse
Post by: Syd on May 14, 2008, 09:38:57 PM
Singer Amy Winehouse will not face charges over a video that purported to show her smoking a crack cocaine pipe, police have confirmed.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7400942.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7400942.stm)
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Post by: laughingwillow on May 15, 2008, 08:50:08 AM
I saw that video. I'm guessing a conviction would be tough to procure, as the pipe, apparently, isn't testifying as to what it held.

lw
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Post by: JRL on May 15, 2008, 02:49:54 PM
UNbeievable that they would even consider charges from a video. How do they know it was even her and not one of thousands of Amy Winehouse impersonaters out there. They are gonna hound my girl till shes dead, she prolly won't make it to the 27 club.

BTW I think Rehab is the best new pop song in years!!!!
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Post by: Stonehenge on May 15, 2008, 03:09:27 PM
No one should be prosecuted over a video but it sounds like 'your gal' is a crackhead. She is one of the legions of celebrity trash like Brittney, Madonna and the others. Some people can handle fame and fortune and some just can not. They become negative role models like the so called rap "artists". When kids act like hoodlems or whores, it's in large part because of who they look up to.
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Post by: JRL on May 15, 2008, 03:36:38 PM
Dude what is different about Amy is that she is talented and soulful. I think calling her trash is way of the mark. She is a great artist. I mean I really don't know a lot about music, but when I first heard Rehab I played it 10 times in a row with tears on my face.

To compare her to Brittney or Madonna show a lack of understanding and soulfulness. Amy is the real thing, dude, too good to get over in the pop culture world. The sad thing is every time she fucks up she makes another million dollars. So if you were her manager wouldn't you be handing her a crack pipe?

Fame IS a motherfucker, and I don't know of too many 23 year olds with the sensitivity to sing like Amy does that could handle it.

Again, Amys talent and honesty is apparent to me, but some of us like Kansas, Boston and Rush music that does absolutly nothing for me.
Bob Dylan said " a poem is a naked person" and Amy bares her soul Can't you feel the pain in the song??? I understand the frustration of addiction and I got nothing but empathy for her.
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Post by: JRL on May 15, 2008, 03:49:58 PM
BTW Stony, have you listened to Amy???

Also I really think America's favorite poison alcohol is her problem, but crack and coke are so much more "newsworthy".
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Post by: Syd on May 15, 2008, 08:13:47 PM
props to Amy, hope she LIvEs on past her 27th; did someone mention benzoylmethyl ecgonine =)
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Post by: Stonehenge on May 15, 2008, 08:46:19 PM
I'll admit I have not listened to Amy. I'm going by what I see in the papers which may not tell the whole story. However, be that as it may, talent or no talent, what I've heard about her sounds like trash. When I heard about the crack pipe bit, that did it for me.

"The sad thing is every time she fucks up she makes another million dollars. So if you were her manager wouldn't you be handing her a crack pipe?"

No, I would not, sorry. There are things you just do not do for money if  you have any integrity at all.

She may be a great singer, I wouldn't know. Maybe I should listen more to pop music. I'm more of a jazz fan. I care not for heavy metal, light metal or in particular for any sort of rap. Call me an old fogey if you wish.
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Post by: laughingwillow on May 16, 2008, 11:46:54 AM
I'm not sure what your musical tastes have to do with a lack of empathy for someone battling addiction, stoney.

lw
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Post by: JRL on May 16, 2008, 02:06:30 PM
Also if you like jazz you just might like Amy. She is jazz singer as much as anything. I just love the humanity and vulnerabilty in her voice. Like Billie Holiday or Janis Joplin she does nothing to hide the pain in her woman heart.

I think its the culture of instant fame we have today that has put her where she is as much as anything. I mean I don't she said "well my career needs help, I'll get strung out on dope for the publicity".  Her life might have been way different if she had paid her dues as a jazz singer, been mentored by the jazz greats. Even Jimi Hendrix spent several years on the road backing R and B greats and not so greats, before he became an over night sensation.
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Post by: JRL on May 16, 2008, 02:09:46 PM
"She may be a great singer, I wouldn't know. Maybe I should listen more to pop music. I'm more of a jazz fan. I care not for heavy metal, light metal or in particular for any sort of rap. Call me an old fogey if you wish."

Sounds like we got something in common, jazz is my biggest musical love. What kind of jazz do you favor? Lately I been digging soul jazz" like organ trios, Maceo Parkers solo records that sort of thing.
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Post by: Stonehenge on May 16, 2008, 03:25:03 PM
I like most kinds of jazz, latin jazz being perhaps my favorite sub-genre. The latin jazz project is a good one. Caribean and afro pop are good too. I like piano jazz and lots of drum solos. Big band jazz might be my less favorite but some of that is good too. Blues also is one of my favorites but it depends on the tune.

I wasn't commenting on Amy's singing abilities. I was talking mostly about the crack pipe bit and the general trashy behavior I'd heard about. I'll be the first to admit the news media seldom tells the whole story or tells it honestly.

I would have more sympathy for someone "battling addiction" if they weren't trying to hook kids on crack. That's the only assumption I can make from hearing about that video. You have to consider the effects on others of your own actions when you are a pop star or equivalent. And how is getting drunk almost every night "battling" addiction? Sounds like she gave up battling and joined the other side.

If Amy has talent, that at least sets her apart from trash like madonna. It puts her more in the catagory of Janis and Jimi who both died from a drug overdose. I liked both of them but if you are going to set yourself up as a role model you have to present a positive model or you will at the least face a lot of criticism. History is full of talented people who willfully crashed in flames and took others with them.
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Post by: laughingwillow on May 16, 2008, 04:24:32 PM
Hook kids on crack? Someone set up a hidden camera to catch her in the act. She wasn't smoking on camera on purpose.

I still see addiction as a mental health issue and not one for the criminal courts.

I guess ignorance and and opinions will never be mutually exclusive but am I the only one out of this collective getting exhausted by this particular bottomless pit?

lw
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Post by: JRL on May 16, 2008, 04:57:56 PM
Right, she is definitely not trying to hook kids on crack. I know many kids, students of mine, and most of them see what's happening to Amy as a cautionary tale. Enough said, let's just enjoy her music.
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Post by: Stonehenge on May 16, 2008, 06:31:07 PM
So the video was not made by her? No one mentioned that detail which does make a difference. Was it a hidden camera thing?

What the hell are you babbling about, lw?
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Post by: laughingwillow on May 16, 2008, 06:40:26 PM
Hidden camera in what appears to be the privacy of her own home.

lw
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Post by: JRL on May 16, 2008, 07:02:26 PM
If I was under that kind of pressure, I'd smoke crack too,
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Post by: Syd on May 16, 2008, 07:28:45 PM
i dont know bout no crack man
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Post by: Stonehenge on May 16, 2008, 08:27:31 PM
Oh, I thought it was a video she made herself. That's what happens when you make assumptions. I still think she is acting kind of trashy but not as bad as I thought.

What kind of pressure are you talking about, JRL? Being rich and famous is the kind of pressure a lot of people would like to have. Do you smoke crack?

When the highly visible people take up trashy habits, the young follow suit. Maybe the pipe smoking wasn't for public display but all the arrests for drugs and drunkeness, assault and so on do not sound good. She may be a tallented singer but so what?

I'm not saying she is totally worthless, not saying that at all. I'm saying that people in the spotlight have a duty to act a little bit responsibly. Look at the beatles, they smoked cigs but never in public because they didn't want to lead their fans into a bad habit. That's the kind of thing I respect.

What are the names of some of the good stuff Amy has done?
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Post by: JRL on May 17, 2008, 02:41:02 AM
Being rich and famous pretty much sucks from what I have seen. And the pressure on recording artist is huge. Don't think that its a bed of roses.

Amy(insert Jerry Garcia, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, John Lennon) did not set themselves to be role models, could that be a bit much to ask?? These people are creative artists and the machinations of big business is hard on them. I have studied these people my whole life and everyone of them struggles with it. The more sensitive and sincere they are the harder it is. David Bowies song Fame talks about it. One thing I know from having the limited local success  I have "enjoyed" is it puts you in a spot of not being able to trust anyone or believe a word they say. Here is what happens: people cater to your weakness not make stand up and get real. People don't see you they see your fame. Fame does not impress me but some people are drawn to it like a moth to a flame thrower.

My favorite Amy song is Rehab, but it might insult your sensibilties. Another good one is Me and Mr. Jones.
As far as smoking crack, you got some?
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Post by: OBODAOUR on May 17, 2008, 05:35:45 AM
Amy is totally great, her music really is heartfelt and deep and you can tell she never intended for it to make her famous, and idk how the fuck you can call Madonna trash??? She's not a drug addict, she's not a psycho, and is absolutely , positively nothing like Britney Spears!!!  She has been making music and doing her thing for over 25 years, she's tirelessly working on staying fresh and putting together a total package of entertainment. She has never claimed to be the best singer or song writer, she just does her best and still manages to have number one singles and albums. I've considered her a role model for ages, and she has stuck up for people like me long before most others had the balls to even think about it. Just thought I'd throw my 2 cents in, not that anyone cares!!!

Peace,
ObOdAoUr
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Post by: Stonehenge on May 17, 2008, 03:17:03 PM
Opinions are like belly buttons, everyone has one. I happen to think madonna represents a portion of whats wrong with american society. It's all surface image and manipulation. The way she implied having sex with a priest and other manipulative ripoffs turned me off. Plus the fact her singing is nothing special. If you like her, OB, that's fine. She is far from the worst. She works hard and keeps in shape.

JRL, I'm happy that you have enjoyed some measure of success. I think we all deserve that in some way or another.

"Being rich and famous pretty much sucks from what I have seen. And the pressure on recording artist is huge. Don't think that its a bed of roses."

LOL, yeah it's pretty sad being rich. And for being famous, it may be annoying at times but they asked for it. They didn't turn down many interviews or guest appearances. Then they get bugged for autographs and when they get drunk and start a fight the press reports it. Oh dear, but whose fault is that?

"Amy(insert Jerry Garcia, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, John Lennon) did not set themselves to be role models, could that be a bit much to ask??"

They set themselves up to be rock stars. It goes with the territory that role model is part of it. Did you catch my reference to the beatles? They weren't perfect people either but they made an effort not to steer people into what they knew were bad habits. Once they see that legions of (mostly) young people are looking up to them and copying them, they have the choice of acting like fools and hoodlums, projecting a positive image or perhaps going into seclusion a little bit.

"These people are creative artists and the machinations of big business is hard on them."

You have to learn how to say "no" and mean it.

"My favorite Amy song is Rehab, but it might insult your sensibilties. Another good one is Me and Mr. Jones.
As far as smoking crack, you got some?"

I'll try to look those up. If you choose to smoke crack, that's your decision. Just don't tell us that it's the stress and strain of the business that made you do it. We all have to make choices in life whether we are big time or small time.

What about business people who got a lot of success? They typically had to put in 12 hour days 6 or 7 days a week for years and years to get where they got. You talk about business machinations, they have to deal with government bureaucracy, taxes, employees and the competition. That's in addition to finding and developing products, market research, quality control and the like. They didn't just record a few songs, give a few BJ's to the right DJ's and next thing they knew they were a  big success.

Yes, I know there is a lot more to succeeding in the music world than that but there is also a lot more to succeeding in business than I mentioned. What kind of a work day does Amy put in? Maybe after I hear a few of her tunes I may be more charitable toward her but she sounds like a spoiled brat and that's how I call it.
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Post by: JRL on May 17, 2008, 11:31:03 PM
"They didn't just record a few songs, give a few BJ's to the right DJ's and next thing they knew they were a big success. "

You think that's what it takes to be succesful in music? Let alone have a multidecade career? Do think these great creations that we all find so much meaning in comes from people having shits and giggles? These are serious people Stoney, heavy deep creative. If it was easy more people would do it. The biggest thing that seperates the ones that "make it" from the rest of us mortals is a progidous work ethic, and a stubborn belief in their vision. Blood, sweat and tears doesn't begin to cover it. These works of genius are forged in the fire of creative intensity that consumes lives.
And to think that there is no pressure to be in that place? How would you be if your life was spending a couple of years of agonizing work and thousands of dollars on a very personel creation that was gonna be judged by everyone from Rolling Stone to lunch box folks like us. Like putting your children up for auction and seeing how much they would fetch.

You know I do feel like a success, though I labor in obscurity. I have spent my whole life with a guitar in my hands and there are worse ways to make money. People say, "joe you must be bitter because your not rich and famous" but I love where I am at. I get to play with a large number of super talented people every week that I consider friends bonded like blood. Not to many of us get to work with the people we love, it's a true blessing. After years of surviving I have come to a place where if I work as hard as I can every day, never turning down gigs or students I can make almost a living. Combined with my wife's income we are comfortable. I have had a great life I got no complaints. I did what I set out to do and how many can say that. I have gotten to meet and play with some of the best musicians in the world, some pretty damn famous. But its all about love for the art form, and fame certainly isn't a predictor of quality( in other words some of the best are unknowns and visa versa).

But I digress. I was reading Bob Dylans autobiography today and he was talking about how in the 60's his house was broken into EVERY DAY. So he moved back to New York City and when people found him every day people gathered outside his place with bull horns. telling him what they thought he should be doing. He did not set out to be the "voice of his generation" he just could write songs and wanted to take care of his family, have a good life.

LIke I said. I forever have read the life stories of the artists I admire, and what strikes me the most is how so much of what they do is a reaction to what fame does to life. Again, if you can't see that, look a little deeper, especially if you are a music lover.
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Post by: JRL on May 17, 2008, 11:32:40 PM
As far as Amy's work day, you got any idea how hard touring is and how demanding giving a great performance is?? Or how much time goes into making a record??

ps: I was kidding about the crack
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Post by: Stonehenge on May 18, 2008, 08:13:38 PM
JRL, the world is full of artists. It isn't just those who sing, dance, or play an instrument. In addition to painters and sculpters, there are graphic designers, auto designers, clothing designers, bridge designers and 1000's of other catagories. They are all important.

"As far as Amy's work day, you got any idea how hard touring is and how demanding giving a great performance is?? Or how much time goes into making a record??"

Is it harder than digging a ditch or doing a zillion other menial jobs in the hot sun? Is it harder than working 2 jobs a week just to stay alive? I don't think so.

And don't tell me that showing up and singing is the same as creating a Rembrant. I just do not buy that. There is skill in singing, there is skill in everything. Show me one profession that doesn't demand a lot of blood sweat and tears. Opening your mouth and belting out a song is not even in the same catagory as becoming a doctor, just for example.

Do you have any idea how much shit medical students have to go through? They have to put in 12 hour and sometimes longer days. They are required to work an occasional 24 hour shift. They put in an average of 11 hard years just earning that medical license and what goes with it. If a specialty, more years. That's before they earn even as much as a day laborer.

A broad who can not keep her nose clean for 5 minutes and made millions off her talent before she was an adult is not even in the same catagory. Having talent is not the same as being an artist.

And you tell me that being rich and famous is a terrible burden. One you would like to share, eh? What planet are you living on?
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Post by: laughingwillow on May 18, 2008, 08:19:49 PM
I feel sorry for the ditch digger hooked on crack, too.

You should have been a judge, stoney, instead of just playing one on an internet forum.

lw
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Post by: laughingwillow on May 19, 2008, 02:33:21 PM
Btw, stoney....... when did admiring an artist and a doctor become mutually exclusive?

And wtf do the merits of doctors and lawyers have to do with this conversation about a singer fighting addiction, anyway?

Ain't there bizznesman forums more up your alley than this here site, mon? Looks like you have been coming around just to tug on a few chains and I'm having a tough time distinguishing between your opinions and your asshole..

lw
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Post by: JRL on May 19, 2008, 04:04:14 PM
Well, I feel ike I'm oissing n the wind but here goes:

"Having talent is not the same as being an artist."

Same point I made earlier, what seperates artistry from talent is years of hard work.

"JRL, the world is full of artists. It isn't just those who sing, dance, or play an instrument. In addition to painters and sculpters, there are graphic designers, auto designers, clothing designers, bridge designers and 1000's of other catagories. "

Did I ever say music is the only art form or a better art form?? It's the one I happen to deal in but I ama appreciator of all of them



"Is it harder than digging a ditch or doing a zillion other menial jobs in the hot sun? Is it harder than working 2 jobs a week just to stay alive? I don't think so."

Certanly not physcaly harder but good anything takes all the energy and time you can give it.

"And don't tell me that showing up and singing is the same as creating a Rembrant. I just do not buy that. There is skill in singing, there is skill in everything. Show me one profession that doesn't demand a lot of blood sweat and tears. Opening your mouth and belting out a song is not even in the same catagory as becoming a doctor, just for example."

Being a performing artist is a lot more than just showing up and "belting out a song" BTW How well do you sing? But the 2 hours you see on stage is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. And you can compare making records to painting, they have a lot in common. Certainly the makers of great timeless records put that kind of effort into it. Like you think the Beatles just "showed up and belted" Sgt. Peppers?? Have you seen bands working in the studio??

You ever write many songs?? I am fairly medium as a song writer but I know what its like agonizing for weeks to find the right lines to finish a song.

Then what about hiring a band and rehearsing them so they can play your music as its intended.

Then what about the business side: The music business is big business these days, friends of mine with national touring acts talk of business politics and such as if they were Micro Soft execs.

Another clue is in the phrase "performing arts" When people spend good money on a ticket to see you perform they are expecting a monumentaly memorable performance. So the pressure is on the artist and musicians to give their very best in spite of what s happening wth them at the moment. You dig deep, kinda like Outward Bound, you find resources you never know you had, but it ain't easy.

"Do you have any idea how much shit medical students have to go through? They have to put in 12 hour and sometimes longer days. They are required to work an occasional 24 hour shift. They put in an average of 11 hard years just earning that medical license and what goes with it. If a specialty, more years. That's before they earn even as much as a day laborer."


Well my first wife was a nursing student and it looked pretty fuckin dard to me so med schools must be way worse. But at least they know they will be able to earn someday. Show business is a crapshoot.

"A broad who can not keep her nose clean for 5 minutes and made millions off her talent before she was an adult is not even in the same catagory. Having talent is not the same as being an artist."

If Amy "ket her nose clean' for 5 years there would still be paparazzi to snap it if she did fall off the wagon.

"And you tell me that being rich and famous is a terrible burden. One you would like to share, eh? What planet are you living on?"

Obviously not the same one as you. I have never chased fame and fortune. I never thought I was rock star material, I just wanted to be the real thing and to make a modest living at it. It brings me great happiness to live a life that is about creativity, more money would be nice but not at the price I have seen all these people pay.
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Post by: JRL on May 19, 2008, 04:17:27 PM
My friend Lew wrote a song about it:

                         Serious

I may not be to serious about the kind of car I drive
Don't care much for jewels and such
Just need what you need to survive
Like water off the butt of a duck I let it roll
Get it off my back
But when it comes to my ax let me tell you the facts
I'm serious as a heart attack

   I'm serious, serious Jack as a heart attack, I'm serious

I didn't go on to school but I ain't no fool
Been around for a number of years
I could play that gane but I don't need that fame
MTV ain't worth the blood, sweat and tears
Just me and my music and the music in me
About this I couldn't be more austere
Broke a lot of hearts getting here including my own
So excuse me while I crank up my gear

   I'm serious, serious Jack as a heart atack I'm serious

Serious as a junkyard dog
Serious as a blinding fog
I'm serious came to play
Don't know how long I got left to stay
Might just be a day

   I'm serious, serious jack as a heart attack I'm serious


Could be my story as well, if you can't feel the passion in that.........
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Post by: Stonehenge on May 19, 2008, 04:18:31 PM
JRL, you have some points. I'm not denying them. Being a performer is a lot of work same as many other things.

"what seperates artistry from talent is years of hard work"

There is something we can agree on.

lw, you can take a flying leap and I don't recall seeing you post much worth reading. If you don't like my opinions, don't read them. If you don't like me being around, go elsewhere. Maybe madonna's fan site?
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Post by: laughingwillow on May 19, 2008, 06:07:09 PM
Trust me, stoney, I don't read much of what you post. I stopped hoping to find a pony in that pile of shite a long time ago.

lw
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Post by: Stonehenge on May 19, 2008, 06:25:16 PM
lw, you have been warned several times about personal attacks. You keep doing snide remarks and so on. This is not helpful nor is it needed. I made no attacks against you in this thread or elsewhere. If you keep on it may be more than a warning next time even though you are a long time member.
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Post by: JRL on May 19, 2008, 11:49:46 PM
Play nice guys. I consider this a great thread, we haven't had this much traffic in the Groove for years.

Stoney, have you gotten a chance to hear any Amy Winehouse tracks??
Besides her soulful singing her tunes and production harken back to the days of Motown and Phil Spector brought into the 21st century.
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Post by: laughingwillow on May 20, 2008, 08:17:43 AM
Go ahead and put it on my permanent record stoney.

I'll leave the moderating to the big kids.

lw
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Post by: Syd on May 20, 2008, 09:23:44 AM
speaking of records, i just got pulled over!
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Post by: Stonehenge on May 20, 2008, 03:44:50 PM
JRL, no, I haven't heard any of her stuff yet. I don't want to go out and buy CD's of stuff I may not care for at all just to see what it's like. Perhaps streaming audio on the net? I don't know where to look for it and don't want to listen to hours of kid junk to hear one tune. Any suggestions?

The comparison has been made between Amy and Janis and others. Janis, Jimi and others died because they couldn't control their habits and drug use. I thought both of them were greats but we lost decades of music because of their personal failings. It's sad and tragic in a way. But when people act like spoiled children they have to pay the price and it becomes a tragi-comedy. We will watch the drama unfold with Amy.

I still don't buy the argument that wealth and fame are burdens. Fame is a somewhat double edged sword but money is what you do with it. If someone has a fast car and insists on speeding and getting into wrecks, the car was not the burden, their lack of maturity was. This is from someone who used to get their share of tickets so I know something about that. Don't blame the car, blame the person. Don't blame the wealth or fame, blame the person.
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Post by: Syd on May 21, 2008, 12:35:09 AM
Rehab - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD5sahXoj0U (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD5sahXoj0U)

http://www.myspace.com/amywinehouse (http://www.myspace.com/amywinehouse)
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Post by: JRL on May 21, 2008, 02:00:42 AM
Syd thanks for the links. I just love her voice, and the arangments and production. She is the real thing, fo sho.

And Stoney think what you like, I will do the same.  Your stand seems a bit lacking in compassion and understanding, and maybe I am just a sucker for soulful women singers. I don't think I ever said it was the "fault" of fame and fortune, what I have been saying is that fame and fortune often takes people by surprise and is very difficult to handle. People go down that path and are confronted with many elements that are difficult to control. It ain't easy and if you can't see that so be it.
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Post by: JRL on May 21, 2008, 02:28:17 AM
Her cover of this song tears my heart out, what a singer!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ludxpkyr ... re=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ludxpkyrab0&feature=related)
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Post by: laughingwillow on May 21, 2008, 09:57:34 AM
Thanks for those links, bro. Man, that sistah can sing. I sure hope she manages to get her personal act together..

lw
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Post by: JRL on May 21, 2008, 12:39:54 PM
She is a major talent for sure, I hope she has a long career and a good life.
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Post by: Syd on May 21, 2008, 03:40:32 PM
I just listened to 'Amy Winehouse - Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow' and I must say that is one helluva performance
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Post by: Stonehenge on May 21, 2008, 03:51:15 PM
I can never get the u-tube stuff to play for me. I will have to work on that, there must be a way.

JRL, where do you get off saying I'm lacking in understanding etc?

"what I have been saying is that fame and fortune often takes people by surprise and is very difficult to handle. People go down that path and are confronted with many elements that are difficult to control."

What I see is that it takes a little bit of maturity and self control. Why should I feel sorry for someone who acts like a fool? When I act like a fool I pay the price. No one is sorry for me when I screw up. Why should fame or talent mean that someone gets a pass on all that?

Fame can go to your head and make you think your shit doesn't stink but it still does. Money can make you think you can do anything you want. In what way is someone acting like a fool or spoiled brat worthy of compassion when the local drunk who ties one on and gets into a fight or gropes a woman and gets arrested gets treated with scorn and distaste? Same thing

Celebrities need to be held to the same standard as anyone else. JRL, life itself is "very difficult to handle". Why should Amy be held to a lower standard than the local drunk or crackhead? This applies to all celebrities who act like fools. I'm not singling out Amy as being especially bad.

No one makes a person do the things they do. If they have a drinking problem, other drug problem, sex problem, maturity problem or whatever, they need to work on it. Poor, non celebrities with those problems go to AA, NA, or other similar programs. They have to stop doing the things they are addicted to. Someone who keeps on drinking, smoking crack or whatever they are hooked on, are not "battling" the problem. They are abdicating their responsibilities. Life has a way of punishing that no matter how famous the person is. If you don't realise that, you may be the one lacking in understanding.
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Post by: JRL on May 21, 2008, 04:30:01 PM
Stoney you use I tunes? If so shoot me your email and I will buy you a few tunes. And I won't take no for an answer.

I don't think celebrities should be held to a lower standard, but is it fair to hold them to a higher standard? Would Amy have even been in court if some asshole hadn't planted a camera in her house??

I stand by what I said, a lack of understanding, compassion, experience or all of the above.

You ever have an addiction issue?? IMHO people that haven't have no business talking about it, unless they can come to the table with an open mind. Here is a hint: Law enforcment NEVER works.
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Post by: JRL on May 21, 2008, 04:34:20 PM
Syd isn't that an amazing version. She has a way of touching me in places I didn't know I had places.

I got to thank you Stoney, without this thread I wouldn't have delved so deep into Any's catalouge, and thus missed out on some great music.

If you don't like Amy Winehouse you got a hole in your soul.
Title:
Post by: JRL on May 21, 2008, 04:36:06 PM
PS another tune that deals with these issues is Dirty Laundry, by The Eagles or Don Henley.
Title:
Post by: JRL on May 21, 2008, 04:49:34 PM
BTW

"lw, you have been warned several times about personal attacks. You keep doing snide remarks and so on. This is not helpful nor is it needed. I made no attacks against you in this thread or elsewhere. If you keep on it may be more than a warning next time even though you are a long time member"

Leave the moderating of this forum to me and Fuzz please>
Title:
Post by: Stonehenge on May 21, 2008, 07:19:53 PM
I don't use i-tunes. I barely can get flash to work. Thank you for your offer. I will make a renewed attempt to get the latest version of flash. Last few times I tried, it just didn't do anything. The red "x" was lit showing somthing going on but it never down loaded.

"I don't think celebrities should be held to a lower standard, but is it fair to hold them to a higher standard? Would Amy have even been in court if some asshole hadn't planted a camera in her house?? "

I never said she should have been prosecuted for that nor did I say law enforcement was the answer to addiction. You are the one using straw man arguments and trying to put words in my mouth I didn't say. I simply said that each person must take responsibility for their lives, even celebrities. You keep dodging that issue. What else are you dodging?

I've had addiction issues, not serious ones like crack but anything is bad enough. I beat it by doing what I had to do. If it's booze, go AA and the 12 step program. There is help available to anyone who wants it but they have to really want to beat it. Not just go through the motions for a few days and then give in again because they are rich and can do anything they want.

You want to know who I feel sorry for? I feel sorry for the people who try really hard, who do all the things they are supposed to and still can't get anywhere because things outside their control messes them up. Things like getting fired from the job when the boss finds out they are a recovering drunk or addict. Things like mean probation officers violating them for nothing. You think being rich is a hardship? Being poor is the real hardship.

You are the mod here and no one has been second guessing your decisions. I am a site mod and my warning to lw stands. We do not make personal attacks here or nasty snide remarks. Anyone can get carried away and go a tiny bit over the line now and then. You like to take a few potshots yourself, don't you? Several of your comments to me have been borderline.

We all are supposed to observe the rules. If I started following someone around and harassing them, I'm sure I would get talked to about that. Why should I have to put up with it? I dont harass him. No one should have to put up with it. There are no privileged characters here. All anyone has to do is act halfway decent. Is that too much to ask?

If you want to discuss music and the issues, fine. If you want to turn it into an attack against me, I will bow out. So far it's been pretty good. I'm glad you discovered some things you had overlook because of this discussion. Hopefully I will learn something new about Amy and perhaps become one of her fans. I will still hope she shows some signs of maturity.
Title:
Post by: JRL on May 22, 2008, 04:28:56 AM
Sounds good. I admit I got carried away. I'd rather not dwell on the negative. And I would never say being poor is better than being rich, just that being rich brings its own problems especialy when complicated by fame and show business. Every life has its hardships and dangers, the rock star life has its own unique pitfalls, particulary given the types of  people that that involved with music as an art form. Its a slippery slope that most people can't climb.

But I would much rather talk about music, a subject of endless facination.
Title: More about Amy
Post by: judih on May 24, 2008, 04:26:34 AM
Report: Singer Amy Winehouse to undergo drug rehab in Israel  
 
By Haaretz Service  
 

Grammy Award winning recording artist Amy Winehouse is due in Israel "within weeks" to undergo a drug rehabilitation program, according to the London-based Jewish Chronicle newspaper.

The report quoted a senior official in the Israel Anti-Drug Authority, Eliezer Cohen, who said Winehouse will receive "medical care, which is a very short, intensive and effective treatment."

"They spoke to a renowned Israeli institution and an Israeli professor who conducts a very special and effective method," Cohen said. [Winehouse] has requested to come to him to do this method, since it's a method that is suitable for her."
 Advertisement
 
The Chronicle reported that the professor in question is Dr. Andre Waismann, whose "Accelerated Neuro-Regulation" method, whereby the patient undergoes an intense withdrawal period while under anaesthesia, produces a high success rate.

"All of my patients are discharged healthy and no longer dependent," Waisman, the head of the ANR clinic at Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon, told the Chronicle. "There is a misunderstanding about drug addiction. People think it is a social and psychological problem, but it's a neurological problem."

"Whether it's Amy Winehouse or anyone else, it is a privilege to be able to treat anyone who is opiate-dependent, and allow them to live a normal life," the Chronicle quoted him as saying.

Waisman introduced the technique 10 years ago, and offers the treatment to private patients from abroad for an estimated $12,700, according to the report.

Winehouse's hospitalization is expected to span three days, after which she is to be discharged to a hotel and encouraged to engage in physical activity to "enhance her mental state," according to the Chronicle.

link: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/986518.html (http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/986518.html)
may 24/08
_________________________________________________________
note from judih: This, apparently, is not the first time for Amy to get this treatment. It does in 24 hrs what the usual 5 day stint accomplishes - re-designing cellular structure to approximate healthy cells that are no longer dependent on the addicted substance.

Hope it works this time.
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Post by: JRL on May 24, 2008, 05:25:57 AM
"People think it is a social and psychological problem, but it's a neurological problem."

That is an understanding I am coming to agree with, it's in the very fabric of your being. I really hope it works.
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Post by: kemp on May 24, 2008, 08:41:40 AM
"People think it is a social and psychological problem, but it's a neurological problem." I read that quote and that just doesn't sound right.
I really think it's all those things, it's complicated.
Just like most depression is a combination of things.... not just a 'lack of serotonin' that many seem to profess. Although, it's possible that there could be just the one specific reason, I think thats rare.

I truly hope it works for her too... tho I wonder if Ibogaine might be a better alternative.
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Post by: laughingwillow on May 24, 2008, 10:51:13 AM
I'm with you, Kemp about the complicated nature of addiction..

I was thinking Ibogaine, too.

lw
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Post by: senorsalvia on May 24, 2008, 11:40:00 AM
I tend to think the problem is very complex, neurological, psychological, maladaptive sociological, ad infinitum....  I'm hoping the best for her.  Sounds like the treatment is exhobitant in expense though...  My own experience with heroin withdrawal and rehab was  a markedly different approach, though it was a sucess, and only cost about fifty bucks and took three days....  Ya see, when I got back from the service, and was a junkie, I knew damn well I did not have the job nor criminal skills to support a $250 USD a day habit...  What was I to do??  I scored myself an oz of Mary J. and a case of Bud.  I drove out to some remote farm road in the county and parked the car.  Through the rest of that weekend I slowly drank the beer and toked away as my withdrawal took place.  Hell, it musta worked...  It's been nearly 35yrs now, so I figure the kick was a success...  Either that, or I'm still in a shaky semi - remission :wink: ;  Your call :) -------
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Post by: Stonehenge on May 24, 2008, 03:57:01 PM
Sal, my hat is off to you for your successful rehab. It shows something I've been saying all along. The main ingredient is the person being determined to get over it. Many junkies have said that heroin was relatively easy compared to quitting cigarettes. They could quit the junk but not the ciggies. Others can't quit anything. Anyone who does it and stays dry for 35 years is a winner.

I think it's a combination of things; social, psychological and of course physical. To say it's all physical is a cop out. That gives a free pass to the person to go back to it again and again.

Some people complete physical therapy after a serious injury and do remarkably well. They are the ones who refuse to let pain stop them from doing what they need to do. It's easy to make an excuse and say it hurts too much and they are doing all they could. Then they end up partly crippled the rest of their lives while the ones who bit the bullet got better. Physical therapy = pain and torture or PT for short.

In life, the ones who succeed are the ones who bite the bullet and do whatever they have to do to get well, get over something, get training, or get a better life, as the case may be. The doctor or therapist can only do so much. The rest is up to the patient.
Title:
Post by: JRL on May 24, 2008, 04:01:29 PM
I guess you guys are right, it definitly is complex. Addiction is an ordeal and beating often takes heroic efforts. Has anyone seen a study of the long term success of ibogane users? Staying clean is the hard part, after the physical part is over the real work begins.
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Post by: senorsalvia on May 25, 2008, 01:24:30 PM
As far as the Ibogaine success rate:  From what I've read and guesstimated, I find myself thinking the sucess rate is 50-60%... Nothing to sneeze at...  It's so saddens me and grinds upon my sense of practicality to see so many governments hiding behind the WOD in matters such as this...  From medical MJ, to the vast array of naturally effective ethnobotanicals that work their magic on both spirit and mind; I find myself frustrated and angry that our benevolent rullers would roll the dice with " We 'Da Peeps " wellbeing...       As far as my own ahem, rehabilitation...  Well, I'd surely doubt that your average white Christian conservative Republican would find me to be "" well adjusted "", let alone will I ever be dressed in the cloak of ""Model Citizen"" :wink:   Guess some of us are destined to walk the path of  the  societal  deviant : :twisted:
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Post by: Stonehenge on June 02, 2008, 07:50:00 PM
You've all heard about this. After her so called "rehab" she shows up late, gives a lame performance and has cuts all over her arms. Her voice was said to be cracked and thin. If someone is determined to screw up their life, there is nothing anyone can do to stop them. I hear crack is really harsh on the throat and lungs. I wonder how much longer the fans will support her?

(LISBON, Portugal) Amy Winehouse, in her first concert since leaving rehab, showed up almost an hour late, appeared distracted and had visible cuts on her arm and a bandage on her hand.

Her performance in front of 90,000 people, at an outdoor performance at a music festival in Lisbon, Portugal, was brief, clocking in at 55 minutes.
Title:
Post by: JRL on June 02, 2008, 11:47:06 PM
She should talk to Sly Stone, see how far that kind of stuff got him.

A lot of times what happens is people like Amy or Jerry Garcia, being the cash cows supporting huge organizations, get rushed back to work way before they are medically or psychologicaly ready. Any one with an illness should have all the time they need to get better.

The thing about rehab, if you go back to the exact same circumstance you were in before you went into rehab, the prognosis is not good. Beating addiction is tough. I wonder if rehab would have made my struggles any easier. Bottom line is you need a reason, something that you want that continueing to use makes impossible.

I sure hope she gets it together, it's looking pretty bleak right now.
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Post by: laughingwillow on June 03, 2008, 07:46:23 AM
I'm guessing Amy's psychological issues go deeper than addiction.

lw
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Post by: laughingwillow on June 03, 2008, 08:16:43 AM
btw..... Amy's recent treatment for addiction included her being sedated for days on end. I wouldn't be surprised if that detail had more to do with her recent voice problems than smoking crack between the time she had her treatment and the last gig.

As far as her cutting herself, I'm willing to bet that the majority of young folks who practice that form of self-abuse don't smoke crack. She could be mutilating herself regardless of drugs, imo.

lw
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Post by: senorsalvia on June 03, 2008, 10:45:19 AM
Hmmm....  Not looking too good for Amy....  I fully agree with 'ya JRL, that the "cash cow" performers are constantly trotted out  to do the shows, regardless of the personal cost to said performers....  It is truly sad that she would appear in fronty of 90,ooo souls and show evidence of self mutilation...  I hate to sound so negative, but it's my bet that if she does not retire from the circuit for a season or so, and get into some major help;  she's prolly gonna end up on the obit page.........
Title:
Post by: laughingwillow on June 03, 2008, 12:51:11 PM
I don't think that's being negative sal. Realistic would be more like it, imo.

lw
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Post by: Syd on June 03, 2008, 01:21:17 PM
She is 24, not too far away from 27, but that club is exclusive.
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Post by: JRL on June 03, 2008, 01:39:15 PM
Yeah sal. I agree on all counts. And the more I listen to her the more my awe at her talent grows. Show business chews up and spits out sensitive souls.

The honesty in Amy's music is what blows me away. I hear great pain and sorrow in that voice. She seems to be seriously depressed. Fame will isolate you from real human contact, inspite of the popular view of it. I could see OD, suicide or severe health problems just around the corner for her. And we will be left with her 2 records.

On a more positive note, in the song Rehab, she is singing about RAY Charles and Donny HATHAWAY(just figured it out). Makes me love her more. And Ray was a junkie and Donny jumped out a window. But they were both the epitome of smart soulful music.
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Post by: Stonehenge on June 03, 2008, 03:37:05 PM
It's like I said, if the person wants to quit and to straighten out their lives, they will do it. If they do not have any such commitment, then no amount of time in expensive rehab is going to make a bit of difference. Don't blame her handlers for putting her out there unprepared. Put the blame right where it belongs. Like Sal said, she will be dead soon if she doesn't clean up her act. No one can do it for her.

I will admit that if I had millions of dollars and a fan club when I was a teenager I might have gone a little crazy too. But to still act like a teen when you are 24 shows gross immaturity. When all you have to do to make big money is show up on time, open your mouth and do your thing, that is a sweet gig. She couldn't even be bothered to do that. Be glad you have recordings because the future output looks bleak. The ripped off fans may forgive but when money is tight fewer and fewer will take a chance on her in the future.

The Olsen twins are richer than Amy and act fairly mature even though they are not yet adults. Don't blame the drugs, the money or the fame. Blame the person.
Title:
Post by: JRL on June 03, 2008, 05:09:13 PM
Often it isn't the handlers so much as the artist caring about the people on the payroll, wanting to keep them employed.

You are dead on about rehab, if you aren't ready nothing will work.  But even if you have made a lot of progress, if you go right back where you were it's gonna be tough. Anyways, I was not too great at making decisions at 24 were you? And I didn't have a huge crowd of people with vested interests in those choices around me, nor huge amounts of cash. No matter what you say, that's gotta be a tough row to hoe.

I was listening to some tracks from Back to Black last night and I was thinking same as you, this might be all the Amy we get.  It will stand up as great art long after the gossip is forgotten, she is just that good. First new poplular artist to really get me in many years.
Title:
Post by: JRL on June 03, 2008, 05:17:29 PM
Anyways, I am not sure I am blaming anyone. It's the confluence of her body chemistry, psycholocal make up and  the circumstances of her life that have gotten her in serious trouble, believe me it can happen to anyone. At this point she has a disease, way beyond reaching with "just say no". I don't think it can be fixed by logic or information. Did I know what I was doing to my receptors and nuerotransmitters accuratly at the time,and if I did would that have stopped me?? It's not that I didn't now hard drugs were bad for you, I got eyes, it goes way deeper than that.
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Post by: Stonehenge on June 03, 2008, 06:12:27 PM
JRL, I go along with you up to a point. Yes, having a lot of cash is a temptation to do crazy things. Yes, having people guiding your career can be good or bad. I'm just saying, do not blame the drugs or the money, it's the person's character that counts. I was exposed to the drug scene long before 24. I had enough dough to plunge in. If I did and headed straight to ruin would that mean it was the drugs fault or the fault of the money I had? No, it would be my fault.

I'm not saying it isn't hard to get off of addictive substances but millions of people have done it. I just object to your 'another poor soul chewed up by show business' line of reasoning and saying fame and fortune are "difficult". Poverty and lack of opportunity are really difficult, not fame and fortune or show business. Life is difficult but the nobodys don't have fans making excuses for their bad behavior.

It's her lack of character that is leading to all this, not the fact that drugs are available.
Title:
Post by: laughingwillow on June 03, 2008, 07:22:43 PM
Lack of character, eh? I don't think this issue in particular nor the world in general are that black and white, stoney.

Is it lack of character that makes native americans susceptible to alcohol abuse? (I think not.)

I'm guessing Amy's problems are deeper than what you are getting out of the tabloid stories.

Btw, I'm guessing jrl knows more about the music bidness from a first-hand basis than the rest of us combined. And I'm guessing that the view out of that fishbowl is a completely different perspective than looking in. JRL appears to be showing compassion due to what he has witnessed concerning the machinations of those inside the music bidness.

From the outside, I'm guessing many "fans" are jealous of performers who have made it to the top and don't really see the accomplishment nor the perils nor the obligations faced on a daily basis by those living under a microscope.

I wouldn't want that life. And I'm not sure many are prepared for all it entails.

Btw, is mental illness a character issue, stoney?

lw
Title:
Post by: laughingwillow on June 04, 2008, 08:17:24 AM
Now look at them yo-yo's that's the way you do it
You play the guitar on the MTV
That ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Money for nothin' and your chicks for free
Now that ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Lemme tell ya them guys ain't dumb
Maybe get a blister on your little finger
Maybe get a blister on your thumb

We gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators
We gotta move these colour TV's

(See the little faggot with the earring and the makeup
Yeah buddy that’s his own hair
That little faggot got his own jet airplane
That little faggot he’s a millionaire)

Gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators
Gotta move these colour TV's

I shoulda learned to play the guitar
I shoulda learned to play them drums
Look at that mama, she got it stickin' in the camera
Man we could have some
And he's up there, what's that? Hawaiian noises?
Bangin' on the bongoes like a chimpanzee
That ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Get your money for nothin' get your chicks for free

We gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchens deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators
We gotta move these colour TV's

Look a' here
That ain't workin' that's the way you do it
You play the guitar on your MTV
That ain't workin' that's the way you do it
Money for nothin' and your chicks for free
Money for nothin' and chicks for free

Money for nothin' and your chicks for free

Look at that, look at that

Money for nothin' and your chicks for free
I want my, I want my, I want my MTV
Money for nothin' and chicks for free

(Fade)
I want my, I want my, I want my MTV - Mark Knopfler/Dire Straits -
Title:
Post by: senorsalvia on June 04, 2008, 11:39:12 AM
Quote from: JRLAnyways,  It's the confluence of her body chemistry, psycholocal make up and  the circumstances of her life that have gotten her in serious trouble,      it can happen to anyone.     she has a disease,  I don't think it can be fixed by logic or information.       Did I know what I was doing  at the time,      and if I did would that have stopped me??    It's not that I didn't now , I got eyes, it goes way deeper                                                                                                                                                      Those are some well reasoned words bro..........It's easy enough for all us peeps to look down our collective noses at others, but I gotta acknowledge the countless times I have let myself slip in one small, or one gigantic manner or other...  To classify Amys' diffulculties as a "character flaw"  seems somewhat unrealistic at best, and a sort of knee jerk reactionary and dismissive statement that would be made by a W.O.D. monger....  I must say Stony;  I'm sort of surprised....  I can hear within your words, the hearfelt passion you have for people to step up, to be self realized, and responsible for theirselves, but on the other hand;  to blithely chalk her up as another "spoiled, errant drug fiend" seems to gloss over so so many issues.....    In the final analysis,  I wish her well, and I urge us all to view her tale as an oppurtunity to look within and recognize our own foibles as well......
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Post by: JRL on June 04, 2008, 02:11:06 PM
You as well Senor. You are a commpasionate man with deep understanding. And lw, perfect song choice.

I think people need to back off of Amy until they have walked a mile in her fuck me pumps(sorry I can't resist a joke like that). Fishbowl is a good word lw. I think "everyones" dream of fame would scare the fuck out of them if it came true. And check out an average tour itenerary for a major artist and then tell me that it's a cush job. And whose idea was it to rush her from rehab to a concert in front of 90,000 people?? I woner how many of them were there because they love her great music and how many were hoping to see her go down in flames??

It's just sad, it's hard enough to deal with these kinda deep human issues in the best of circumstances. And I am not too worried about kids taking her as a role model. Most kids I know are too sharp to not see where this has gotten her.

God bless Amy Winehouse, I hope to be digging her 10th album sometime down the road .
Title:
Post by: laughingwillow on June 04, 2008, 02:19:30 PM
Right on, mang....

Where are the Beatles when you need them?

lw
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Post by: JRL on June 04, 2008, 02:42:09 PM
Well you can't say that fame didn't kill John Lennon now can you?? But you gotta look at this: you know the intro to Come Together? I never realized it until lately, but what he is saying is "Shoot me"

So Johns death was basically a prank and a comment on fame. He was one that got totally mindfucked by Beatlemania. George handled it better, but he wrestled with it to the end, including getting knifed by an intruder if I recall correctly.

Stoney, regardless of what you think, these amazingly briliant, creative geniuss had real problems with fame and fortune. The Olsen twins don't count, they are a media creation, not world class artists, and didn't one of them have a serious eating disorder?
Title:
Post by: laughingwillow on June 04, 2008, 03:54:08 PM
LOL I kinda forgot about the olsen twins making their way into this conversation.

lw
Title:
Post by: Syd on June 04, 2008, 07:40:59 PM
Quote from: "JRL"The Olsen twins don't count, they are a media creation, not world class artists, and didn't one of them have a serious eating disorder?
Not to mention the drug problems.
Title:
Post by: laughingwillow on June 04, 2008, 07:55:54 PM
Man, I need to read the tabloids more!

lw
Title:
Post by: Stonehenge on June 04, 2008, 08:22:35 PM
If you don't like calling it a "character flaw", call it something else. What difference does it make? My basic point is that people create their lives by the choices they make. No one makes them do those things, they do them for their own reasons. The junkie who gets off the stuff or drunk who gets dry did it because they decided to do it. Most of you seem to be saying 'poor little Amy' because she has all that nasty wealth and fame which we all know is a terrible burden.

"And whose idea was it to rush her from rehab to a concert in front of 90,000 people??"

Another variation on the theme of "it's not her fault" No one put cuffs on her and dragged her there or put the pipe in her mouth. Sal, you seem to wonder why I'm down on her. Didn't you have 1000 chances to go back to addictive substances since you quit? Couldn't you have made up dozens of good sounding excuses? When you are down and life keeps handing you more and more bad breaks, that's when its easy to slip and go back. When you don't have to worry about the rent, food, transportation etc, it's much much easier. No one made her do whatever it was that put her in the shape the fans saw in that last concert. No one forced her to be late or sing with a cracked voice (pun intended). It was all her own choice.

Rehab takes away the withdrawal symptoms but it can't make you decide to quit and straighten out your life. You have to decide that for yourself. When you do things that are clearly your own choice and legions of fans say in various ways "it's not her fault" then they are co-enablers to her problem. They are not helping.

Some addicts go into rehab or detox just so they will get a better high and enjoy it more when they get out. They were planning to do that the whole time they were in. A few do it because the substances got too expensive and a lower tolerance makes it cheaper. Make all the excuses you want, it's still her choice.

The Olsen twins "don't count"??? JRL, you flip flop on your logic from one post to the other. First it's money and fame at a young age is so very difficult. Then it's something else. It always comes back to some variation of it's not her fault. It is her fault and only she can fix it.
Title:
Post by: laughingwillow on June 05, 2008, 07:06:59 AM
Talk about flip-flop and an inability to stay on topic. This thread is about the problems of a recording artist. The music bidness if you will. The Olsen twins are not part of the scene we have been discussing. Imo, they would belong in a thread concerning the troubles of Paris Hilton way before any thread found in the groove.

lw
Title:
Post by: laughingwillow on June 05, 2008, 08:08:29 AM
And speaking of red herring.....

I'm old enough to know that the vast majority of parents 40 YEARS AGO, didn't see the Beatles as good roll models for their children, regardless of the fact that they refrained from smoking on TV 40 YEARS AGO.

lw
Title:
Post by: senorsalvia on June 05, 2008, 11:12:17 AM
Yeah, I guess I have had many many chances to indulge in the hard drug scene, but I think that for me, it comes down to something a bit short of having some sort of 'exemplary character'...  I'd say that I have a certain character composition that has a large dose of realism attached...   By that, I mean that I knew full well that I did not have, and was not going to have, the financial means to be a junkie...  In that sense, the fact I quit was just a pragmatic acceptance on my part;  not some form of enlightened actions on my part.... Hell,  I've watched countless peeps fall victim to uppers; meth, coke, crack, but I never had to worry about that.  Not because I'm so serenely centered, but just because I have always totally despised uppers.. Tried 'em all a couple of times each, and just could not wait till the buzz subsided...That's just my own physiology...  On the other hand,  I have always had a certain affinity for downers...As such, I've lost jobs/gals/places/been in jails/hospitals/financial ruin from them....  Yeah, I quit Heroin 'cuz of the money I did not have, but it took a real social embarrassment of waking up with a catherter getting removed from my cock, me nude on an emergency room table, the death certificate already signed, before I swore off downs. like Tuinol, Seconal etc...  Hell, how much more did I have to experience before I fianally 'got it'.??...  The bottom line for myself, is that, upon reflection,  I finally came to realize that as far as a 'BUZZ' went,  I  really always felt  like the 'head' buzzes, (smoke, 'cid, shrooms, etc) were  safer and more easy on the user than the other alternatives....   In the final analysis,  I have the distinct feeling that it's not so much a matter of personal fortitude that saves one from what can be the "ravages of drugs', as much as it is the personal psysiological makeup of the individual....  Some peeps truly come into the "drug scene" with a 'losing hand' to begin with...  Then, add the pressures of fame/finance/etc.  It's not for me to cast aspersions, that's 'fer sure............
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Post by: Stonehenge on June 05, 2008, 02:44:10 PM
Yeah, it may take a near death experience for Amy to quit. I'm not sure even that would do the job. I am sure that it's up to the person to decide for themselves.
Title:
Post by: JRL on June 05, 2008, 02:51:06 PM
" "And whose idea was it to rush her from rehab to a concert in front of 90,000 people??" "

Hey, it might have been her idea. Her decision making is obviously not that good. Regardless, it doesn't seem like a wise choice. But my point also was: do yu think 90,000 people would be there to see her on the strength of her music? Her music is way sophisticated, beyond what usually has mass appeal.

I hear you Senor. My therapist talked about the "cost" of using a substance, not just monetary but the costs to health, mental health, work,relationships. In reality I think people get clean because the cost becomes to much, not because of any moral imparitive. If you are a celebrity you are sheltered from the cost.

Addiction is just not that simple, but if I bought into the character flaw theory why would I ever want to clean up? Addicts and artists both tend to be antiauthoritarion to a fault.

"Some peeps truly come into the "drug scene" with a 'losing hand' to begin with.." Most definitly, there are vast differences in body chemistry.

"Then, add the pressures of fame/finance/etc. It's not for me to cast aspersions, that's 'fer sure." From what I've seen it's more than most people can handle, and if I had my druthers I would be like Tom Petty "You get to be famous I get to be rich"
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Post by: JRL on June 05, 2008, 03:06:00 PM
Who knows what its gonna take. She seems to me like someone who is living out a script, the one that says the star must die. I know this: she won't turn it around because anyone else wants her to. Maybe a near death experience, maybe if she makes it through the next couple of years she will just grow out of it. I think it's gonna be hard for her to get it together n the glare of the spotlights. she should dissapear for a couple years away from our inquiring eyes. Some of it depends on her business situation, what kind of deals she has made. No matter what anyone thinks, sustaining a career like Amy's is really hard. she seems to be in no shape to move it forward. The pressure on her to top her first two records is gonna be huge, inspiration has it's own agenda and the focus required to create something great is intense beyond description. Of course she is talented but at some point she must have been a brilliant relentless worker. Digging that deep to bring up those emotions that the music is forged from takes its toll, sometime the hardest thing is to shut it off. The temptation for seeking "inspiration" in substances is very real.

So much is riding on her every move, millions of dollars, the livelyhood of people she is connected to, her own artistic pride. More pressure than I would want......
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Post by: senorsalvia on June 05, 2008, 04:28:50 PM
I was thinking about the fact that she's one of the rare ones to have won 5 grammys...  There's gotta be an almost insurmountable heavy weight to that...  Everyone will be looking for her to surpass what is already something incredibly rare....  Talk about pressure to preform / Jeez!!!----  Yeah, If I was her handler I'd pull her off the circuit for a year...  She could cool out. do interviews write new stuff etc....  What with her grammy count, her audience would still be there for her return....
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Post by: JRL on June 05, 2008, 04:47:23 PM
That would make sense for sure, maybe the hoopla would die down. You know the vultures will be following her everywhere, it's hard to have secrets these days.

Not a lot of people have more than one or two albums in them. THey shoot their wad  on the first one and end up chasng themselves. Maybe Amy could have collaberators, Stevie Wonder maybe? Or Harry Connick?
Or the Neville Brothers? What about a girlfriends record with Queen Latifah? Have you heard her jazz cd? Maybe Amy could a thing or two about staying sane from her.
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Post by: senorsalvia on June 05, 2008, 04:58:53 PM
If she's gonna hook up with someone:  How's about some of the heavy hitter wordsmiths????  A Jonathan Prine maybe??  If she goes duet with a female, how about Rickie Lee Jones???........ Amazing the permutations one can think about eh???
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Post by: JRL on June 05, 2008, 05:15:13 PM
Well Amy's got her own way with words. Ricki Lee ones is intruiging, they share the jazz thing for sure. I saw Ricki on the cable recently, she seemed a bit unfocused.

Everyone like to play fantasy baseball, how about Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder and Prince?
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Post by: laughingwillow on June 05, 2008, 05:42:16 PM
I think Amy and Prince would have potential.

We really like John Prine, but Amy might be a little "quick" for him. (The last couple of times we've seen JP he's appeared lit up to the point of pairing well on duets with southern belles with lilting drawls.....

Phil and jackie would be something with Amy. (until Phil's old lady found Amy's rigs and threw her off the tour. j/k)

lw
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Post by: JRL on June 05, 2008, 05:53:16 PM
Amy and Phil. hmmm. You know I had to kick Joan Osborne to the curb when I discovered Amy.
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Post by: JRL on August 22, 2008, 02:57:14 PM
I heard that Amy is gonna play one more show and then take an some extended time off. That sounds promising.

Truley, the more I hear from her the more my admiration grows. She is the new Queen of Soul to my mind. Another comparison is Billie Holiday, just like Billie she lays the open sore of her soul out for all to see.
Title: Re: No drug charges for Amy Winehouse
Post by: JRL on October 26, 2008, 02:10:47 PM
Apparently Amy is staying out of the tabloids these days. Good for her.

But still, when I bring her up I get two reactions, one from people that love her, and then the ones that are outraged and really surprized when I say she is my favorite new artist.

Invairiably the second group is comprised of people that have not heard her at all or just heard Rehab.

I guess to know her is to love her!
Title: Re: No drug charges for Amy Winehouse
Post by: Syd on October 27, 2008, 07:33:49 AM
You may have spoke too soon....

"Amy is in hospital being checked out for a chest infection. She is not back in rehab. She should be fine and is expected to return home soon." -MTVN among many others.

This was reported on the 26th so let us see what transpires through the next few hours/days....
Title: Re: No drug charges for Amy Winehouse
Post by: JRL on October 27, 2008, 12:02:54 PM
Yeah I saw that. Nothing worse for your lungs than smoking crack except maybe smoking heroin.