Sunday, March 17, 2019
Did You Ever Want to Be a Rock Star?
LUCY BURDETTE: Oh let me first assure you this is never going to happen--I have a minimal amount of musical talent and I'm really quite a homebody and I can't stay up past ten PM. As for drinking and drugs, one glass of wine generally does me in. However, there's a little part of me that yearns to be a rock star. And that part was awakened this past year by two movies that I loved, A STAR IS BORN and BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY. Watch this clip of Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper singing Shallow, and tell me you don't want to be Gaga...
And then along came Queen and Bohemian Rhapsody. Did you watch that one? I was a fan of Queen's music but I didn't even realize it. Wasn't the rise of Freddie Mercury amazing? (Of course, his fall was equally spectacular and tragic.)
And years before those came out I was obsessed with the movie ALMOST FAMOUS:
I think it's the yearning of these characters to be successful and happy and famous, and the adulation of those enormous crowds set in what's ultimately a terribly destructive environment that feels thrilling. I know it wouldn't be thrilling in reality, and I promise I won't run off. Even if Brad comes calling...
But how about you? Any secret rock star yearnings? Or favorite movies about rock stars and singers?
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I love music, and those were great movies with wonderful music . . . but I’m not wishing to be a rock star.
ReplyDeleteAs for movies about singers, “I Walk the Line” is one of my favorites . . .
Oh yes, I've absolutely had rock star or just famous lady singer yearnings. I just don't think I could have handled the pace that comes with performing and being on the road. I do favor the jazz singing gigs, the piano and sax playing along to vocals that are smokey and creative. When I was a young college girl, I wanted to be Joan Baez or Carole King. And, I do have that secret buzz going on imagining myself twirling down the street and singing a number. I've watched way too many musicals with people breaking into song in public. Hahaha!
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to think of a favorite movie about a singer. I'll pipe back in later about that.
It's a really hard life. I can't claim to have ever worked with the big stars, but I've worked concerts at the other end, where it's just a guy and a guitar, and a lot of worry about whether his truck will hang together long enough to get him to his next gig, followed by the worry that the money he earns at the next gig will be enough to fix the truck if it dies. And those are the successful guys, who have a name and get regular gigs.
ReplyDeleteIt's the show side that I fell in love with, many many years ago. I love the part where I pull all the pieces together and put them in place so the guy or the girl or the group can go out there and be brilliant. The audiences love them, and they love the audiences; the energy generated by all that love is the best part, and soaking it all in keeps everyone onstage and offstage going back for the next gig and the next. But did I ever want to be the soloist out front? Not so much. It's a really hard life.
I'm sure even those movies make it look easier than it actually is! But I love your description of putting the shows together Gigi
DeleteMy only yearning would be to have a lovely singing voice, not to be a star. I can carry a tune, but that's about it. I'm always astounded when certain regular people (who don't sing for a living) open their mouths and these beautiful waves of harmonious sound float out. A former tech-writing boss had a voice like that. What a gift!
ReplyDeleteWe went to hear a concert of early music last night--we'd met the players and singer at .a dinner just by chance. She had a nice speaking voice, but we were wowed when she began to sing! It is an astonishing gift...
DeleteNope, that is one dream I never had. Without thinking too hard this early I'd say my favorite movie about a singer is "Ray," about Ray Charles.
ReplyDeleteHaven't seen that one but will take a look!
DeleteI grew up listening to the soundtracks of Broadway musicals. I wanted to be able to sing like Marni Nixon. Her's was the voice you heard when a famous movie star couldn't sing and the sound track had to be dubbed. I didn't want to be on stage. I just wanted to sing. Truth be told, I still wish I could sing.
ReplyDeletethat's so interesting Lyda--a whole different side of performing that I hadn't considered. I'd love to be able to sing like that too!
DeleteI'm a little too pragmatic to have those kinds of dreams--but I would like to put the music together for a movie--did this for a college writing assignment and it was interesting how finding the right music elevated the scenes--imagine Santana and Hemingway :-)
ReplyDeleteYou should do that Flora! Someday you’ll have to tell us about your college music assignment…
DeleteI crank up some tunes when I'm in deep cooking mode: Joni Mitchell and Gracie Slick. I wish I could sing bebop.
ReplyDeleteI’d say music and cooking go very well together
DeleteOmigosh, Lyda, I always wanted a voice like Marni Nixon, too! Failing that, I also love Linda Ronstadt's voice. Dolly Parton. Emmylou Harris. You get the picture.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who's ever met me knows I am the opposite of rock star material. And that's okay with me. I could never take the pressure of being on the road constantly, of needing to have a gig most nights, or of being around the drugs and alcohol. I'm too much of a homebody for that much energy output, especially combined with all the energy required to create a vibrant performance. Teaching was enough of that!
In a similar way that Julia married into a famous family, so did I. Not rock stars, but celebrated and award-winning photographers and writers. Support services is my strength, I'm afraid.
Favorite movies about stars? I Walk the Line was superb. Joaquin Phoenix totally inhabited Johnny Cash, and Reese Witherspoon's portrayal of June Carter Cash was astonishing, too. Ray, as interpreted by Jamie Foxx, was a phenomenal acting job, but Foxx only lip-synced the songs. Phoenix actually sang his, as did Reese Witherspoon, and they were both awesome.
Yes! Just yesterday I was listening to the Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris "The Western Wall, The Tuscon Sessions". And Dolly...*sigh*
DeleteThose are a couple of my favorites too!
DeleteTotally totally totally! ( I am actually Linda Ronstadt, I know you did not know that. ) Sadly, I cannot sing, not at all, but it would certainly be wonderful. I grew up adoring, and continue to adore, musicals and Broadway musicals, and all I want to do is be us Evita. Or Eliza Doolittle. Or Ruth in wonderful town. I could go on and on and on and on.
ReplyDeleteWhen my oldest daughter was small we listened to AM radio in the car, and I sang along with all the songs. My proudest moment was when she was about nine or ten, when she asked me if the lady singing on the radio was me. It was Linda Ronstadt.
DeleteIf only, right? LOL
Fabulous! Yes, if only.
Delete*Waves Hands*
ReplyDeleteHi there everyone! Jay here, big mystery fan. But also...a huge music fan as well. Mostly a heavy metal and hard rock kind of listener but I've been known to like a few things from most genres of music here and there.
I grew up in the 80's when Metal Ruled The World! It was a great time to be alive as a teenage music fan. Heck, I even figured out a way to write a school term paper on the band W.A.S.P.! Got an A because of my incredible skills at writing (or BSing, take your pick).
To address Lucy's question about favorite music movies, I really do love Almost Famous. I think it is just a great movie even if it isn't really about the band featured in the movie. Also, less about a band and more about the music, you should check out the movie Pirate Radio. It's hilarious and coincidentally enough, both movies feature Phillip Seymour Hoffman in a key role.
I have to admit that I do love that song "Shallow" from the fourth version of A Star Is Born. But I've not seen the film. I also haven't seen Bohemian Rhapsody. I'm a big fan of Queen, and the 45 single of their song "Another One Bites The Dust" was the first piece of music I ever bought. However, I've avoided seeing the film because of the details that the script had wrong (kind of embarrassing since the guys from Queen were involved in the making of the movie). I also liked the Walk The Line movie.
As for wanting to be a rock star? Sure, I would've loved to have been able to been a rock singer. But despite my love of music, I can't carry a tune in a bucket. And I'm too impatient to have learned an instrument.
But I've been able to turn my love of music into writing about it. I review CDs and concerts for KNAC.COM (recent reviews include a Queensryche / Fates Warning concert, the new Tora Tora CD and a show by Y&T). I also write The Cassette Chronicles series for Limelight Magazine.com.
And while I don't have the musical ability myself, I've become passing acquaintances with a number of local musicians and have been able to meet a number of the rockers that I grew up listening to back in the day like Kip Winger, Ted Poley, Udo Dirkschneider, members of Dio Disciples, Grim Reaper and House of Lords (and that was just from last year alone).
It's a wild musical ride for me and though I'm getting entirely too old to be out late at night, the opportunity to see musicians that I never got a chance to listen to in a live setting before is something I haven't been able to pass up.
What a tragedy, to lose Philip Seymour Hoffman. He was an amazingly gifted actor. Talk about the pressures of fame.
DeleteMy daughter and I were talking about musical ability the other day, on speakerphone with my grandson, who plays alto sax in the school symphony band. She said she didn't play anything, and I said, "Well, I do. I play the radio, the CD player, the iPod."
Hey, if DJs can have fame and fortune to spinning vinyl, why couldn't you, Jay?
Karen,
DeleteYes I play the radio and CD player too!
And I don't think I'd make it as a radio DJ since the playlists are controlled by the corporate ownerships these days.
It’s a very cool thing to turn your love for something like music into writing as you do Jay. Going to check out pirate radio
DeleteLucy, let me know what you think about Pirate Radio!
DeleteI love Almost Famous! Brilliant movie. Hub is a musician and a music writer so I have spent the almost twenty years of our marriage tripping over musicians - they are the most brilliant, creative, brave, amazing, and self-destructive people I know (minus a few Mr. Rogers types thrown in to confuse me). They make writers seem kind of hum-drum in comparison and I’m okay with that! When I was young, I did sing in three choirs, including a gospel group, where we did a recording in NYC for an off Broadway show (amazing!). I realized I had a knack but not the genuine gift from above that a true singer needs and so I followed my other love...writing. I think it worked out okay. Confession: I haven’t seen A Star is Born because I don’t want to cry.
ReplyDeleteHa, me either, Jenn. Or at least not cry in the theater. Looking forward to watching at home.
DeleteIt is a brutally sad ending, I have to admit. But the music and the relationship between the two leads were so wonderful that I can’t regret having seen it. Lady Gaga was simply amazing, and I love Bradley Cooper. Adored the other movie he was in called the silver linings playbook
DeleteSO agree. NEVER. xoo
DeleteAnd don't forget Bradley Cooper's most important movie role...he's the voice of Rocket Raccoon in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies!
DeleteLove Bradley Cooper. LOVE Silver Linings Playbook! And of course, Rocket:-)
DeleteBelieve me, I am NOT the sort of person who wants an audience! I have never had any desire to be a performer of any kind. I’m happy to be an appreciative audience *member*.
ReplyDeleteI did see the latest version of A Star is Born (never saw any of the others), and felt that everything about the production (acting, music, direction) was superb, but for me, it was so incredibly sad that I will never see it again. The sadness stayed with me afterwards.
DebRo
It was very sad Debro, I think the whole movie theater was crying by the end.
DeleteI never wanted to be a rock star either... they were all men. But a torch song singer? That's the ticket! Think Judy Garland. Or Lena Horne. Sigh. A dear friend of mine lived that dream. Lee Horwin was (and still is) a super-glam torch singer. And she's back on Broadway next month! https://www.broadwayworld.com/cabaret/article/Lee-Horwin-Returns-To-New-York-Cabaret-In-BLUES-BALLADS-SIN-SONGS-20180423
ReplyDeleteAhem, Janis Joplin, Joan Jett, Ann and Nancy Wilson from Heart...just to name a few. Not all rock stars were/are men.
DeleteAn older friend of mine was also a torch singer, Hallie. She still sings at age 80+, but with her church group and a Sweet Adeline-type group (she sang with the Adelines for a long time).
DeleteI love seeing photos of her from back in the day. She looked like Doris Day, but with just a little bit more mischief.
Oooh, and I forgot to mention, my nephew has played lead guitar for rock stars. (Ke$sha, Demi Lovato, Krewella...) I have no idea where he got his musical talent from... though his mother, my sister Nora, did play the piano.
ReplyDeleteFavorite music movie: Singin' in the Rain
ReplyDeleteThat's going to be on TCM tomorrow as the network pays a 5 film tribute to director Stanley Donen. And that is a great musical movie!
DeleteThis one is simple. NO. Not even if I had any talent, which I do not.
ReplyDeleteGood to be clear Rick!
DeleteI was a musician from the second grade through High School. Played the 'cello. Was good enough to make all city orchestra and perform at the Seattle World's Fair. Even premiered some classical music. But Didn't like the drug scene, and not brilliantly talented. just talented. So no wish to be a rock star. in my darkest times wanted to be a cult leader. Glad I got past that one.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh Coralee, I’m really glad you got past that one too. I would love to know the psychology behind that!
DeleteHow can you think any of us would read "cult leader" and not ask Why? Details???
DeleteThankfully, who I am is not who I was. 1979 was not a good year for me. I felt trapped, by so many factors. I lived at the time in the heart of California cults --Sinanon, the Peoples Temple, the Messianic Jews, surrounded me. I was a sad cynical woman. I thought most of the gurus were charlatans. In my bleakest moments, I figured I could start a cult and make enough money to survive.
DeleteMy better part insisted that losing my soul was not the path to choose. So I muddled on for another 5 years until I crossed into recovery. Thank you for reading my truth.
I'm humbled and honored that you posted your truth.
DeleteNope. No desire whatsoever. Helped by no talent whatsoever. The closest I've come to being a rock star is writing about the guitarist Andy Monahan in my books. Oh, and my nephew, who is in a fabulous band called The Wild Feathers. But it is such a hard life. You have to be more than talented to do it--you have to be driven, to not be able to conceive of doing anything else.
ReplyDeleteI loved Almost Famous and Pirate Radio, too. Still thinking about famous movies about rock stars...
Pirate Radio! Yes!
DeleteIt does my heart a great service to see that others here like Pirate Radio as much as I do. The scene early in the movie where The Count tries to say the "F" word is priceless from start to finish.
DeleteAnd it also gave us the most cogent political analysis ever when Bill Nighy says "Goverments loathe people being free."
Nope. Never. None.
ReplyDeleteExcept... One time, years ago, when my bicycle choir (yes, Song Cycles, the Choir on Bikes) sang an anti-war song at an anti-war rally in the open square at Toronto city hall before a huge crowd, we got resounding cheers. For a few brief shining moments I had the heart-swelling feeling of, "Wow! So THIS is what it feels like...."
Oh, how wonderful....xoox
DeleteI'd love to have some musical talent, but have never wanted to be a star. I'm too shy & don't like to be the center of attention.
ReplyDeleteYes, I did want to be a rock star. And although I never became a star, I did sing/play guitar/write songs for two different bands in the '80s and '90s. But then, when we were asked to actually go on tour on the East Coast, I had to make a decision. I was in my mid-thirties and working as a lawyer then, and did I really want to give up my job and leave my (now) wife and dog to drive around in a van, schlepping PA equipment, sleeping in motels, in the hopes of "making it?" I decided no. Best decision I ever made. (But I am SO glad I lived the dream for that little while.)
ReplyDeleteWow, Leslie, what fun that you did that!
DeleteIf you would like to channel a crime-solving rock star, you should try Deborah Grabien's JP Kincaid series, starting with Rock & Roll Never Forgets. JP is a guitarist for Blacklight, a very successful Rolling Stones type band. A later book in the series, Book of Days,covers their tour for a best selling album. It's a fascinating look behind the scenes from beginning to end of the tour. And there are murders. It is a great series for wannabe rock stars.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Maureen! Checking out asap!
DeleteSounds interesting!
DeleteUntil recently, I knew little about music since my interest growing up was focused on movies. I started listening to music after my cochlear implant. With hearing aids, listening to music gave me headaches :-( . I remember my cousin playing the cello and she wrote a letter saying that she hoped that her music would not give me an headache. Now I know it was the hearing aids that gave me headaches, not the music.
ReplyDeleteMy whole family loved music. Before losing my hearing, my parents took me to hear Joan Baez (folk music, not rock?). And my musical family interest ranges from folk music to country music with some classical music. I learned that I enjoy the sounds of classical music.
Trying to remember if anyone liked rock music, Was Elvis Presley rock music? My grandmother liked Elvis Presley music.
As a kid, I remember rock stars looking different from people in movies. The men often looked like girls to me with their makeup and long hair - LOL.
Diana