Musical Icons

Initiated by:
• Ceit

Details

There are two ways to go with this particular term, or maybe more, but we only spend a couple of hours on these things. One kind of icon is the talented performer or composer, often tormented, often taken from us too soon. We could list Cornell (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuUDRU9-HRk), Winehouse (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUmZp8pR1uc), Staley (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm72DPJCX58), Cobain (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEMm7gxBYSc), Lennon, Hendrix, Joplin, Morrison and a long, long etcetera. Some died through their own poor choices and some through accident. At least one was a victim of murder (oh, artistic conspiracies, we'll see you another day). How have these artists affected your life? Does their music attract you in spite of their human failings - or do those add something extra? Would they have achieved such legendary status if they had been able to continue developing their work, probably making a lot of things that did not please their fans as much as their early stuff? The other icon is the voice that cries out for a better world. Obviously, one need not be a musician to be this kind of icon, but in the 20th century they became a common sight/sound. Cobain and Lennon could straddle both lists, while other activist or messaging icons have not had their lives cut short, living long and productive ones in quite a few cases. Here we might include loudmouth Woody Guthrie (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jANuVKeYezs), preaching Pete Seeger (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8eK9ZXf-Ow), pacifist Joan Baez (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLUDJlx5jEc), raging Zach de la Rocha (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scyC9A6o_Ts), riotous Kathleen Hanna (the source of the title for "Smells Like Teen Spirit", apparently)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUYxV4rECt0. Are my lists very US or Anglo-centric? Yes, yes they are. But we live in the worlds we live in, and only with difficulty and effort do we venture out of them. I am vaguely aware of other countries' artists, making their mark as best they can: South African Miriam Makeba (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fqdcz0eYLSQ); Russian Pussy Riot (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaZl12Z5P7g); Chileans Violeta Parra (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov3tQ-RX3Jw) and Víctor Jara (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0X7QV1zB6Y). It's easy in this day and age to idolize anyone with a platform, be it speaking, singing or image making. We can argue about whether people use the platform responsibly or if we as fans are too generous in our admiration. We cannot deny, however, that artists inspire. They can inspire a fight, a change, or just a feeling that makes life worth living, if only for as long as the song lasts.