New Knopfler!

[Silence Dogood]

I'm 48 and I never got the grunge thing, even though it was during my high school years. I never really had the anger to fuel my interest in the music. I distinctly remember a girl in high school crying when she heard that Kurt Cobain killed himself, and I didn't care at all.  Later on in my 20's I listened to it and liked and appreciated the music for itself, but I wouldn't say that it "defined" my youth. I was too busy listening to classic rock and 60's "oldies" Motown on the Philadelphia radio stations in high school. I liked that a whole lot more. 

I liked the 60s music a lot since my mother played it in the car all the time.  There was a local station that had a morning segment called "The Beatles for Breakfast" that I recall fondly. I would listen to all that stuff while being driven to kindergarten, first grade, etc.  My thing in high school was what became known as "hair metal."  I loved it all then and still (unapologetically) love it now. The image was pretty silly oft times but the musicianship of those bands was and is still top-notch.   

I thought it was sad that Cobain so recklessly threw his life away, not for his fame but because he let behind a grieving family.  Fame is nothing compared to a little girl growing up without her dad. 

[Silence Dogood]

Interesting post and food for thought, thanks.

The lens I view this stuff now is to imagine what happens to the egos of super successful rock stars as they settle into old age. I recently saw 2 biographies, Steve Martin and Paul Simon and what they had in common was their vibe at 70 & 80 years old where they clearly bought into the high estimation of them by "pop" culture and the media and felt somehow deserving of it. And while I can't argue with the overall accomplishment of filling huge stadiums with fans, neither of them cured cancer or fed the starving - they simply were excellent entertainers.

Neil Young was in my top 3 going thru college and in my early twenties and I soaked in much of my guitar playing style copying his songs. Of the aging dinosaurs still touring, I admire him the most as he still goes out there and gives his fans what they want, yet his music peaked for me 40 years ago. So while I see he's performing near me soon, I wouldn't dream of attending simply because I'm not that 20 year old anymore. I've moved on, but he hasn't.

Neil Young has some great songs.  I even play one now and then on the guitar when no one is listening.
 

  It's not so much that I disagree with his views as that I just don't want to hear them.  I don't even want to hear the views of some artist I might agree with over and over again.  It's very wearisome to me, and very arrogant for some artist to believe his views so important that they have to be broadcast every time a mic is turned on. It's also hard for me to listen to rich and powerful people whine about rich and powerful people. 

[Queequeg]

I thought it was sad that Cobain so recklessly threw his life away, not for his fame but because he let behind a grieving family.  Fame is nothing compared to a little girl growing up without her dad. 

As I understand it, Kurt Cobain suffered from clinical depression which is a very serious illness.
There is some indication that depression is hereditary.
Apparently two of his uncles also died by suicide.

[Silence Dogood]

As I understand it, Kurt Cobain suffered from clinical depression which is a very serious illness.
There is some indication that depression is hereditary.
Apparently two of his uncles also died by suicide.

I don't doubt that at all, and I wouldn't casually minimize his pain: but while suicide might alleviate the suffering of the one who is depressed, it only begins the pain and suffering of those left behind. It's an "everybody loses" situation.  I understand suicide if you're trapped in a burning building (e.g., 9/11) and your choices are jumping or burning to death, or if you're about to be captured in wartime and taken prisoner by merciless enemies, but that's about the only time I think it's a solution.  YMMV.

[Queequeg]

I don't doubt that at all, and I wouldn't casually minimize his pain: but while suicide might alleviate the suffering of the one who is depressed, it only begins the pain and suffering of those left behind. It's an "everybody loses" situation.  I understand suicide if you're trapped in a burning building (e.g., 9/11) and your choices are jumping or burning to death, or if you're about to be captured in wartime and taken prisoner by merciless enemies, but that's about the only time I think it's a solution.  YMMV.

Clinical depression can be every bit as crisis-inducing as a burning building.
My wish for you is that simply reading this is as close as you ever come to believing or witnessing or experiencing it.

[Silence Dogood]

Clinical depression can be every bit as crisis-inducing as a burning building.
My wish for you is that simply reading this is as close as you ever come to believing or witnessing or experiencing it.

I've been plenty close, believe me. 

[StringPicker6]

I wonder what Mark Knopfler would say if he knew that his new album sparked a discussion on clinical depression.