2023 Obituary

[17thfabn]

It is sad regardless, he was relatively young. You see so many stars die young or unexpectedly, and very often when the final results come out it is alcohol or other drug related.

[Ssnake]

43 minutes ago, TrustMe said:

I saw a media report years ago that he went to rehab for a prescription painkiller addiction.

Per internet sources, 65 successful rehab stints.

The parody potential aside - it's sad, really. What makes me angry is how the entertainment industry is doing a really terrible job at preparing young people for fame, and its side effects.

[Stuart Galbraith]

Its not even a new problem. Raymond Chandler was talking about a 'Dr Feelgood' in 'Lady in the Lake'. Thats some 80 years ago now.

Heck, its 46 years ago Elvis died from substance abuse.

[17thfabn]

6 hours ago, Stuart Galbraith said:

Its not even a new problem. Raymond Chandler was talking about a 'Dr Feelgood' in 'Lady in the Lake'. Thats some 80 years ago now.

In the U.S. the widespread opiate / heroin / fentanyl problem started getting bad about 15 to 20 years ago. 

Before that the biggest opiate problem was when grandma accidentaly double up on her meds. 

Yet randomly some rock star would OD and die from heroin. Curt Cobain of Nirvana was said to have so much heroin in his system that the self inflicted gun shot wound was superfluous. That was 1994. Almost 30 years ago.

"Johnny's life passed him by like a warm summer day, if you listen to the wind you can still hear him play" (Shooting Star, Bad Company). 

Edited October 30, 2023 by 17thfabn

[R011]

54 minutes ago, 17thfabn said:

In the U.S. the widespread opiate / heroin / fentanyl problem started getting bad about 15 to 20 years ago. 

Before that the biggest opiate problem was when grandma accidentaly double up on her meds. 

Yet randomly some rock star would OD and die from heroin. Curt Cobain of Nirvana was said to have so much heroin in his system that the self inflicted gun shot wound was superfluous. That was 1994. Almost 30 years ago.

"Johnny's life passed him by like a warm summer day, if you listen to the wind you can still hear him play"

Go back a generation:  Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Keith Moon, Jim Morrison, Cass Elliot . . .

[17thfabn]

1 hour ago, R011 said:

Go back a generation:  Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Keith Moon, Jim Morrison, Cass Elliot . . .

You can go back even further.  Hank Williams in 1953, 29 years old. Heart attack caused by drugs including opiates and alcohol. 

Edited October 30, 2023 by 17thfabn

[Rick]

 

I'm not on Facebook, but for those of you who are, a story my wife found. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2545874928614&id=1306000993&set=a.1137879009596&sfnsn=mo&mibextid=Na33Lf

 

 

[Stuart Galbraith]

17 hours ago, 17thfabn said:

In the U.S. the widespread opiate / heroin / fentanyl problem started getting bad about 15 to 20 years ago. 

Before that the biggest opiate problem was when grandma accidentaly double up on her meds. 

Yet randomly some rock star would OD and die from heroin. Curt Cobain of Nirvana was said to have so much heroin in his system that the self inflicted gun shot wound was superfluous. That was 1994. Almost 30 years ago.

"Johnny's life passed him by like a warm summer day, if you listen to the wind you can still hear him play" (Shooting Star, Bad Company). 

Well it was a little more common than that, and it clearly made the popular culture at the time. This was 1965, and apparently a protest against the availabity of Valium, and the obvious hypocrisy about the non availablity of less harmful drugs like Cannabis presumably.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother's_Little_Helper

I wouldnt disagree that it has really boomed with the fentanyl problem, you are quite right about that. But look at Johnny Cash, he never really had any problem getting pills. That never has been a problem for the rich and famous.

I didnt know that about Cobain. Sounds like the poor little bastard wanted to make a proper job of it. Another very talented man.

Edited October 31, 2023 by Stuart Galbraith

[17thfabn]

The U.S. had a Heroin problem during the Vietnam War and after for a while.

It never totally went away, but was fairly low key through most of the 80's and  90's. 

I knew plenty of people who did drugs in the 70's and 80's. Pot was common. Cocaine some what common in the 1980's. But every one I knew was scarred of heroin.And no one wanted to stick a needle in their arm.

Of course those in the music scene seemed to always have a problem with all kinds of drugs.

[Ssnake]

Which is why I think that the entertainment industry's base process is best described as "feeding talent into a meatgrinder". They shed crocodile's tears for everyone lost to substance abuse, but do nothing to prepare young talents for the shock of potential sudden fame, and the kind of predators that it attracts.

[DB]

It's because they're the main predators.

[bojan]

For them it is not a bug, it is a feature.

Edited November 1, 2023 by bojan

[seahawk]

On 10/29/2023 at 6:16 PM, Ssnake said:

Per internet sources, 65 successful rehab stints.

The parody potential aside - it's sad, really. What makes me angry is how the entertainment industry is doing a really terrible job at preparing young people for fame, and its side effects.

But the industry attracts are certain type of people. Mostly extroverts who are suckers for attention.

[Stuart Galbraith]

17 minutes ago, seahawk said:

But the industry attracts are certain type of people. Mostly extroverts who are suckers for attention.

Im not sure I agree. Its for sure manypeople with talent thrive on the attention. I can point to others, not least Kate Bush or David Bowie, who do everything they can to maintain their privacy because it is indeed a meatgrinder. Even Clapton has been distinctly reticent about how much of himself he puts out in the public.

Or here is another example, Pink Floyds Syd Barrett. People think he had the breakdown AFTER he took LSD. its pretty clear listening to interviews with the other members he was having trouble with the fame, which is presumably why he went for the drugs to cope.

its not just musicians. How many sportsman have we seen go the same way? Maradona, Paul Gascoine, George Best.

[Ivanhoe]

The entertainment industry attracts psychologically damaged people, IMHO. Folks in that condition, when subsequently integrated into a stressful job, are going to be vulnerable to addictions. 

Pro sports, at least here in the US, has a similar problem. Pro football being the worst, opiate painkillers being handed out like candy. I vaguely recall a statement from a retired NFL player along the lines of "it takes two Percocet to get me out of bed in the morning."

As for the rise in addiction, if we set aside the whole "opium den" thing for a minute, it is useful to recall the morphine addiction problem in the US after the ACW. 

 

[Ivanhoe]

Astronaut Frank Borman, 95;

 

https://apnews.com/article/astronaut-frank-borman-died-at-95-ed5eb4edf26a4076a2fef6cc31881aff

 

 

[Rick]

The ole' be careful what you wish for...

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/RmYAhEK_C6c

[Stuart Galbraith]

Not to mention Jim Weatherby In Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

[Ssnake]

He also portrayed the top villain in Lethal Weapon 2, and had a memorable appearance in one of my favorite heist movies of all time, Flawless.

[Stuart Galbraith]

'Diplomatic Immunity!'

'Revoked!'

 

[BansheeOne]

You've lost another fine actor?

[lucklucky]

Richard Jordan was excellent there.

Also not with us anymore.

[Stargrunt6]

On 11/1/2023 at 8:09 AM, Stuart Galbraith said:

Im not sure I agree. Its for sure manypeople with talent thrive on the attention. I can point to others, not least Kate Bush or David Bowie, who do everything they can to maintain their privacy because it is indeed a meatgrinder. Even Clapton has been distinctly reticent about how much of himself he puts out in the public.

Yeah, many are "theater kids" and others are, well, theater kids (I was one,  I'm one to talk).

Sade and Hope Sandoval of Mazzy Star.  The latter is not so much a closed book but still in packaging.

On 11/1/2023 at 8:09 AM, Stuart Galbraith said:

Or here is another example, Pink Floyds Syd Barrett. People think he had the breakdown AFTER he took LSD. its pretty clear listening to interviews with the other members he was having trouble with the fame, which is presumably why he went for the drugs to cope.

Then there's the opposite. Motley Crue members said they did drugs to still have the feeling of being onstage.

On 11/1/2023 at 8:09 AM, Stuart Galbraith said:

its not just musicians. How many sportsman have we seen go the same way? Maradona, Paul Gascoine, George Best.

 

[Stargrunt6]

On 11/1/2023 at 9:42 AM, Ivanhoe said:

The entertainment industry attracts psychologically damaged people, IMHO. Folks in that condition, when subsequently integrated into a stressful job, are going to be vulnerable to addictions. 

Pro sports, at least here in the US, has a similar problem. Pro football being the worst, opiate painkillers being handed out like candy. I vaguely recall a statement from a retired NFL player along the lines of "it takes two Percocet to get me out of bed in the morning."

As for the rise in addiction, if we set aside the whole "opium den" thing for a minute, it is useful to recall the morphine addiction problem in the US after the ACW. 

 

A typical NFL running back goes through the trauma of a bad car accident.   So I can definitely see why.  

 

The idea of having to go play full-contact tag with Julius Peppers, Shaun Merriman or Cortez Kennedy is enough to give me arthritis.

[Ivanhoe]

2 hours ago, Stargrunt6 said:

The idea of having to go play full-contact tag with Julius Peppers, Shaun Merriman or Cortez Kennedy is enough to give me arthritis.

I've posted this quote before from Lawrence Taylor;

“When you get old, everything is hurting. When I get up in the morning, it sounds like I’m making popcorn.”

And he played at 230-240lb, hitting 200lb running backs.