Celeb obituaries.

[danforth]

The latest widely reported deaths were, afaik, Pete Seeger, and now Philip Seymour Hoffman.

In each case, my guess is the vast majority of the English speaking world said.......... "Who?"........

Well, we'll be told at great length how talented they were, what a sad loss it is, and how they inspired or influenced millions.
Strange then, that most haven't a clue who they were. The last looks vaguely familiar, that's all.

I watch a film, it's a couple of hours of entertainment, that's it, life goes on as before.
The same applies to music, longer lasting, but the lyrics, well, who really listens?
The world even managed to survive the demise of Michael Jackson.

You could argue they provide a service, but so do the uncelebrated people who empty my dustbin.
Why do we allow the entertainment business to value itself so highly, with incestuous annual awards, obituaries etc, and lots of money?

 

[janner]

Mostly agree , apart from Pete Seeger - if you've ever heard/sung "We shall overcome" you know his work ; he towers over people like Bieber

 

[Him Her]

You ate a dodgy caper? lol

Okay, I know who Pete Seeger is but (I wasn't gonna admit it), Philip Seymour Hoffman? No idea.

Know what you're saying though.

 

[danforth]

Mostly agree , apart from Pete Seeger - if you've ever heard/sung "We shall overcome" you know his work ; he towers over people like Bieber

Did we overcome though, that's my point!

As for Bieber, you'll drive me into the Rant Room!

 

[Him Her]

Did we overcome though, that's my point!

As for Bieber, you'll drive me into the Rant Room!

Most diplomatic lol

 

[janner]

Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We shall overcome someday.

 

[danforth]

Most diplomatic lol

I'm trying, probably won't last !:Biggrin2:

 

[Him Her]

I'm trying, probably won't last !:Biggrin2:

I'll help you. Bieber is an example of evolution, an offshoot, an aberration. Soon to be extinct

 

[Spectre]

I'll help you. Bieber is an example of evolution, an offshoot, an aberration. Soon to be extinct

He's the best argument I can come up with for human cloning. That is so I can watch him being physically beaten to death with a copy of himself.

 

[Him Her]

There you go @danforth - even admins hate the little plonker lol

 

[danforth]

He's the best argument I can come up with for human cloning. That is so I can watch him being physically beaten to death with a copy of himself.

Maybe a 3D printer could do the job? At least that's my theory about where the "other" Jedward came from!

 

[D 8 RCS]

@danforth , I sort of see your point as I had no idea who Philip Seymour Hoffman was although my wife did. Pete Seeger wasn't that well known by name outside the USA but I am sure that most people know one of the songs that he wrote which included such songs as already said "We Shall Overcome" , "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" , "If I Had A Hammer" , "Guantanamera" , "This Land Is Your Land" and "Turn, Turn, Turn" among many others.
I do agree with you about the self gratifying Award Ceremonies and the growing popularity of the celebrity public laments from other "close friend" celebrities many who have only ever encountered the decreased once or twice previously.

 

[nara]

I take danforth's point about celebrity, but I think some of our members need to expand their musical and cinematic horizons.

Seegar was a major influence in 20th Century American music, and I'm amazed that several people didn't know who Hoffman was.

 

[Him Her]

... I'm amazed that several people didn't know who Hoffman was.

Well, I did IMDB and I can see he has a great body of work but to expand my cinematic horizons would take intervention on a Biblical scale (like parting the Red Sea).

I haven't been to the cinema since around 1990 and have never rented a film. Not to say I don't enjoy them when I find myself exposed but it just wouldn't occur to me otherwise.

Sorry, just not my thing

 

[danforth]

@danforth , I sort of see your point as I had no idea who Philip Seymour Hoffman was although my wife did. Pete Seeger wasn't that well known by name outside the USA but I am sure that most people know one of the songs that he wrote which included such songs as already said "We Shall Overcome" , "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" , "If I Had A Hammer" , "Guantanamera" , "This Land Is Your Land" and "Turn, Turn, Turn" among many others.
I do agree with you about the self gratifying Award Ceremonies and the growing popularity of the celebrity public laments from other "close friend" celebrities many who have only ever encountered the decreased once or twice previously.

I have heard these songs, ok as "background" music, but would hardly call any of them inspiring. Maybe I'm just not easily inspired.
I think it's fair to say they were not influential either, if you judge by results.
But, they did give Pete Seeger something to do, and made a lot of money for all concerned.

I take danforth's point about celebrity, but I think some of our members need to expand their musical and cinematic horizons.

Seegar was a major influence in 20th Century American music, and I'm amazed that several people didn't know who Hoffman was.

A thumbnail of my artistic appreciation:- Music.

Jazz..........................Musical scribble.
Classical.....................Technically clever, but long winded and mostly boring.
Opera........................Singing when they should be talking.
Rap...........................Talking when they should be singing.
Protest......................Ineffective.
Post 1985..................Commercial fodder, mostly noise or limp wristed rehash.
Anything by Bubble......Avoid like the plague.
Ballet........................Completely lost on me, and so it shall remain.

"The singer not the song"................The wrong way round.


Expand my horizons? Maybe, when I get much older, and have nothing else to do. I'm thinking about Harp music.:Biggrin2:

 

[Him Her]

Where do I start? My musical horizons are as wide as my cinematic are narrow! This could rapidly get long so I'll cherry-pick.

Jazz, technical scribble? You've never heard Dudley Moore play piano? Or Sacha Distel play guitar (Youtube with Louis Armstrong)? Stephane Grappelli & Django Reinhardt?

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Clapton crosses a few musical boundaries but best live, Steve Vai (post 1985), exceptionally fluid mix of scales giving the 'Vai' sound (strays into classical regularly). Tommy Emmanuel - any genre.

Vanessa Mae - post 1985 AND classical!

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I could go on

 

[trevortron]

@danforth Thank you for starting the thread, it can take a bit of courage to admit that the king is in fact starkers. Some 'celebs' are truly talented and if they can milk that to their advantage, fair enough. If the mass public like the product and are prepared to pay for it, I see no harm in that. Nobody forces them (us?) to buy records/go to cinema etc. etc.
But the self-congratulatory back-slapping award ceremonies to me sum up everything that is wrong with the industry.
Hopefully the Biebers of the world will succumb to Darwinism.

 

[danforth]

Jazz, technical scribble? You've never heard Dudley Moore play piano? Or Sacha Distel play guitar (Youtube with Louis Armstrong)? Stephane Grappelli & Django Reinhardt?

I could go on

Yup, pretty much what I meant, down to personal taste I suppose ! Dudley Moore was just an indifferent straight man for Peter Cooke.

The first 5 seconds of Dudley Moore on the piano was repeated until the seemingly interminable end! A display of manual dexterity, not music.

I much preferred Les Dawson! I will concede the violinist was decorative, but my opinion is otherwise unchanged.:Biggrin2:

I'll try an ear full of the others later, seem to remember some of Clapped Out wasn't too bad. The post 1985 was a broad generalisation, some exceptions,

but not many, and again, just my taste. I'll not confuse the issue by going on to films, yet.:Biggrin2:

Just realized I missed one off my thumbnail:- Punk...........Self descriptive.

 

[nara]

The first 5 seconds of Dudley Moore on the piano was repeated until the seemingly interminable end! A display of manual dexterity, not music.

Lol, I think we can write you off as a lost cause musically. :LOL:

 

[danforth]

Lol, I think we can write you off as a lost cause musically. :LOL:

I remember when I was compelled to torture people with a recorder, I was eventually given a triangle.

Wait while I start on films!:Laugh: