Amy Winehouse

[JohnRogers]

BBC News had a piece on an Amy Winehouse biopic. The word icon was thrown around a couple of times. My impression is she was a one hit wonder, with a substance abuse problem. Is this somebody who’s catalog I should be looking deeper into?

[Nova Carmina]

It couldn't hurt to listen to more of her catalog, but I don't know you'll find many revelatory gems in there. She had a style ("gimmick" if you're feeling uncharitable) and much of her work is in that vein.

 

It is that style, though, that made her larger than the sum of her songs; her look, the "tragic artist" trope; her being "of the moment" when mid-century was having a revival (early Adele, Mad Men, etc.), the possibility of really good drag looks -- she was famous in a way that transcended just the music.

 

My $.02.

[goose]

22 minutes ago, Nova Carmina said:

It couldn't hurt to listen to more of her catalog, but I don't know you'll find many revelatory gems in there. She had a style ("gimmick" if you're feeling uncharitable) and much of her work is in that vein.

 

It is that style, though, that made her larger than the sum of her songs; her look, the "tragic artist" trope; her being "of the moment" when mid-century was having a revival (early Adele, Mad Men, etc.), the possibility of really good drag looks -- she was famous in a way that transcended just the music.

 

My $.02.

Pretty much sums it up.  A great vampy persona and intriguing tone coupled with a wicked drug habit made her an NY media doll.  Not my cuppa, but I get the love.

[JohnRogers]

48 minutes ago, Nova Carmina said:

It couldn't hurt to listen to more of her catalog, but I don't know you'll find many revelatory gems in there. She had a style ("gimmick" if you're feeling uncharitable) and much of her work is in that vein.

 

It is that style, though, that made her larger than the sum of her songs; her look, the "tragic artist" trope; her being "of the moment" when mid-century was having a revival (early Adele, Mad Men, etc.), the possibility of really good drag looks -- she was famous in a way that transcended just the music.

 

My $.02.

 

23 minutes ago, goose said:

Pretty much sums it up.  A great vampy persona and intriguing tone coupled with a wicked drug habit made her an NY media doll.  Not my cuppa, but I get the love.

I appreciate you both chiming in. I’m still not sure it’s worth my time. Then again I’ve recently spent time listening to Beyoncé and MC5. I suppose if I found two tracks other than Rehab that would be cool. 

[treeduck]

She lived up to her name!

[Maverick]

She was more of the "how big she's going to be" and now "how big she could have been."

 

It was five years since her last album until she died. 

[Segue Myles]

10 hours ago, JohnRogers said:

BBC News had a piece on an Amy Winehouse biopic. The word icon was thrown around a couple of times. My impression is she was a one hit wonder, with a substance abuse problem. Is this somebody who’s catalog I should be looking deeper into?

She was pretty much an icon here in the UK. Her substance abuse didn't detract from her music being massive here. When she died, it wasn't a shock but it did really sting. Amy Winehouse has fantastic albums. I feel she paved the way for Adele, who was constantly compared to her in her early days.

 

Winehouse was a huge presence on our radio before she died, so when she passed, it's hard to know if they played her more or just carried on as normal.

[bluefox4000]

I LOVED her album Back to black(i think it was called) sure it was a bit gimmick-y it but that album was huge here for a reason.  LOTS of good tunes.

 

Unfortunately she became known as oh that drunk chick more and more.....showing up hammered at award shows. and looking a minute away from her heart stopping.......the reaction to her death was.....it's sad but what did we all expect. i don't know if she was getting help or even tried but it was a sad case of talent mixed with self sabotage.

 

We'll never know if she would have be huge or if Back to Black was all she had.  either way it's a sad ending.

 

Mick

Edited April 9, 2024 by bluefox4000

[zepphead]

I agree with Segue Myles .... she was huge in the UK.

 

She wasn't my cup of tea but Back to Black is regarded of something of a classic album.

Sadly it was so evident that she had her finger over the self destruct button that when her death was announced (another entrant to the 27 club), it was no great surprise.

 

A career of two studio albums isn't really enough to gauge how good she could have been.

[thizzellewashington]

Both of her albums are great. Insanely talented singer and stylist.

[treeduck]

3 hours ago, zepphead said:

I agree with Segue Myles .... she was huge in the UK.

 

She wasn't my cup of tea but Back to Black is regarded of something of a classic album.

Sadly it was so evident that she had her finger over the self destruct button that when her death was announced (another entrant to the 27 club), it was no great surprise.

 

A career of two studio albums isn't really enough to gauge how good she could have been.

She's like the Randy Rhoads of pseudo soul singers.

[zepphead]

15 minutes ago, treeduck said:

She's like the Randy Rhoads of pseudo soul singers.

But, but, ... Paul slips his rose tinted glasses on ...... Randy was a guitar god, Amy was a p*sshead.

[JohnRogers]

3 hours ago, bluefox4000 said:

I LOVED her album Back to Black(i think it was called) sure it was a bit gimmick-y it but that album was huge here for a reason.  LOTS of good tunes.

 

Unfortunately she became known as oh that drunk chick more and more.....showing up hammered at award shows. and looking a minute away from her heart stopping.......the reaction to her death was.....it's sad but what did we all expect. i don't know if she was getting help or even tried but it was a sad case of talent mixed with self sabotage.

 

We'll never know if she would have be huge or if Back to Black was all she had.  either way it's a sad ending.

 

Mick

I'm listening to that album. While I'm not super-impressed. If I walked into a little club and she was performing that material, sounding real close to that, fronting a three piece jazz unit, I'd be ordering a few more rounds. Telling people on social media during her set break where she could be found.

[treeduck]

13 minutes ago, zepphead said:

But, but, ... Paul slips his rose tinted glasses on ...... Randy was a guitar god, Amy was a p*sshead.

It's just the two albums thing though actually.

[Todem]

Eh......like Nirvana......eh.....far more hype than bite for me. 

 

To each his/her own. 

[bluefox4000]

15 hours ago, Todem said:

Eh......like Nirvana......eh.....far more hype than bite for me. 

 

To each his/her own. 

 

 

oh i'll always agree with nirvana bashing

 

Mick

[JohnRogers]

17 hours ago, Todem said:

Eh......like Nirvana......eh.....far more hype than bite for me. 

 

To each his/her own. 

 

1 hour ago, bluefox4000 said:

 

 

oh i'll always agree with nirvana bashing

 

Mick

Yeah, not a big fan either.

[goose]

Agreed that both are overrated in terms of their musical output.  Nirvana put out a great album, Winehouse a great song. 

 

But Nirvana at least inspired a generation of musicians, where Winehouse inspired a generation of addicts