R I P Chuck Berry

[Worthingite]

Yes, but you listen to his music not his 'life choices' don't you? Not many musicians would survive a close examination of their private lives...

Anyway 90 was a damn good innings considering where he came from and how he lived his life.

So in effect, you're saying it's ok to be a paedophile if he churned out great music? So, by your reckoning, listening/streaming/downloading Gary Glitter is fine, because he bashed out some decent tunes. I'll also just download the Lostprophets back catalogue because, well, megalolz.

The man was a paedophile, pure and simple, and imprisoned under the Mann act in America. To me it's as distasteful to celebrate his life any more than it would be to look affectionately back at Gary Glitters life when he passes.

 

[Is it PotG?]

Sounds like a bird, soaring high. An albatross perhaps? RIP.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

I saw Chuck Berry in the 70s at The Rainbow. Played about 50 minutes with a pick up band, but nothing else was on that night and I'm glad I saw one of the legends. Beatles, Stones, Beach Boys all played his stuff plus the brilliant bit in Back to the Future. RIP CB.

 

[Worried Man Blues]

Sounds like a bird, soaring high. An albatross perhaps? RIP.

Yes, spot on there so much of his stuff has been recycled

 

[Superphil]

So in effect, you're saying it's ok to be a paedophile if he churned out great music? So, by your reckoning, listening/streaming/downloading Gary Glitter is fine, because he bashed out some decent tunes. I'll also just download the Lostprophets back catalogue because, well, megalolz.

The man was a paedophile, pure and simple, and imprisoned under the Mann act in America. To me it's as distasteful to celebrate his life any more than it would be to look affectionately back at Gary Glitters life when he passes.

Exactly all these things.

 

[Perfidious Albion]

One of the fathers of our music world... Even if young folk didn't know it, we all owe him a lot.
His body will lay to rest but his music will rock on

As for the negative comments about the man, nobody is celebrating or supporting all that he did. He was never a "good" human being- just an amazing musician . Many others in that business have flawed personalities.

 

[jakarta]

So in effect, you're saying it's ok to be a paedophile if he churned out great music? So, by your reckoning, listening/streaming/downloading Gary Glitter is fine, because he bashed out some decent tunes. I'll also just download the Lostprophets back catalogue because, well, megalolz.

The man was a paedophile, pure and simple, and imprisoned under the Mann act in America. To me it's as distasteful to celebrate his life any more than it would be to look affectionately back at Gary Glitters life when he passes.

No, but they were different days, for example I love Led Zeppelin but they way they behaved on Tour with underage girls would be unacceptable now, does it stop me appreciating their music? No it doesn't.

 

[Insel affe]

Possibly where he is headed, a great song...

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[Insel affe]

I saw Chuck Berry in the 70s at The Rainbow. Played about 50 minutes with a pick up band, but nothing else was on that night and I'm glad I saw one of the legends. Beatles, Stones, Beach Boys all played his stuff plus the brilliant bit in Back to the Future. RIP CB.

Was that the legendary gig in Finsbury Park with sun artists or a solo gig ?

You do know it is a religious cult / church now ?

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Potential question in a Philosophy or Arts subject exam: "Does breaking the law invalidate the quality of an artist's work?"

Personally I am able to accept that, on the one hand, Chuck Berry was a supremely talented musician and song-writer..... and that is not an over-statement. Stuff that he wrote was streets ahead of anybody else in his generation. It was about everyday life for teenagers, witty and clever lyrics that were very well written and very well performed. The words icon and legend are over-used, but he came closer than most.

On the other hand, he was not a very nice man for all the reasons listed above, which I am not attempting to defend. It might alter the views of an individual about the person. It does not alter my own view of his artistic output, of which I am in awe, Teenage Wedding, Promised Land and Memphis, Tennessee being particular favourites.

 

[Return of the Rev]

Nonce

If chuck,elvis and Wacko lived on the local housing estates they would have been hounded out

 

[Buzzer]

Potential question in a Philosophy or Arts subject exam: "Does breaking the law invalidate the quality of an artist's work?".

He didn't just break the law though. did he? It's not mere drug possession, shoplifting or assault, he was imprisoned for his involvement with a 14 year old prostitute. He also set up one-way mirrors in the ladies' loo at his restaurant so he could film women (and no doubt very young girls too) peeing. That shows an extremely sophisticated, planned and niche level of sexual deviancy that borders on recidivism.

Of course it is possible to separate the art from the artist, we all do it and surprisingly easily. We also act like complete hypocrites when we do so because we cherry-pick who we choose to separate from their art and whose art we condemn because of the artist. And we seem to do it based on fashions and attitudes. David Bowie, Pete Townshend, Iggy Pop and John Peel get free passes because they're cool. Jimmy Savile, Gary Glitter et al are vilified. Cliff Richard, who hasn't even been charged and there's no proof of any wrongdoing, has been found guilty on social media by a smear campaign but because he isn't and was never fashionable isn't even afforded the same tolerance as convicted pop-stars like Chuck Berry here.

I think you asked the wrong question. Yours is far too simplistic. I think a better question is one that asks whether there's a necessary link between the quality and ingenuity of an artist and a dark, immoral/amoral part of their character.

Edit - the one person who not only gets a free pass but is continually praised by fellow actors and directors for reasons that I truly don't understand is Roman Polanski. He is a disgusting human being who should be in prison right now.

 

[The Clamp]

His music was good but it's wrong to eulogise a paedophile IMHO.

 

[Brovion]

Potential question in a Philosophy or Arts subject exam: "Does breaking the law invalidate the quality of an artist's work?"

Personally I am able to accept that, on the one hand, Chuck Berry was a supremely talented musician and song-writer..... and that is not an over-statement. Stuff that he wrote was streets ahead of anybody else in his generation. It was about everyday life for teenagers, witty and clever lyrics that were very well written and very well performed. The words icon and legend are over-used, but he came closer than most.

On the other hand, he was not a very nice man for all the reasons listed above, which I am not attempting to defend. It might alter the views of an individual about the person. It does not alter my own view of his artistic output, of which I am in awe, Teenage Wedding, Promised Land and Memphis, Tennessee being particular favourites.

It's a good point. Steyning's own Eric Gill being a classic example of a respected artist whose private life makes Gary Glitter look like Mother Theresa. Can you separate the artist from their work? To be honest I'm not sure what side of the debate I'm on, but certainly Chuck Berry shouldn't be denied his place in musical history just becuase he wasn't a nice man. Likewise if anybody wants to do a retrospective of Top of The Pops in the 1970s it MUST include Jimmy Savile introducing Gary Glitter, as both those two were important players in the music of that era and shouldn't be airbrushed out of it.

EDIT: And Buzzer's answer is very salient as well, especially with regard to those we forgive because they're 'cool'.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

He didn't just break the law though. did he? It's not mere drug possession, shoplifting or assault, he was imprisoned for his involvement with a 14 year old prostitute. He also set up one-way mirrors in the ladies' loo at his restaurant so he could film women (and no doubt very young girls too) peeing. That shows an extremely sophisticated, planned and niche level of sexual deviancy that borders on recidivism.

Of course it is possible to separate the art from the artist, we all do it and surprisingly easily. We also act like complete hypocrites when we do so because we cherry-pick who we choose to separate from their art and whose art we condemn because of the artist. And we seem to do it based on fashions and attitudes. David Bowie, Pete Townshend, Iggy Pop and John Peel get free passes because they're cool. Jimmy Savile, Gary Glitter et al are vilified. Cliff Richard, who hasn't even been charged and there's no proof of any wrongdoing, has been found guilty on social media by a smear campaign but because he isn't and was never fashionable isn't even afforded the same tolerance as convicted pop-stars like Chuck Berry here.

I think you asked the wrong question. Yours is far too simplistic. I think a better question is one that asks whether there's a necessary link between the quality and ingenuity of an artist and a dark, immoral/amoral part of their character.

Edit - the one person who not only gets a free pass but is continually praised by fellow actors and directors for reasons that I truly don't understand is Roman Polanski. He is a disgusting human being who should be in prison right now.

I agree totally. I was trying in a hurry to think of other people who had been found out, and I could only think of Jerry lee Lewis.

And I totally agree about Roman Polanski.

I studied a lot of French literature many years ago, and much of the private lives of many of the freat names was about alcoholism, drugs and Syphilis...... not all of which is necessarily against the law, but leads one to think there is a link between excess and creativity....... not that this makes the excess excusable.

 

[Ron Manager]

Bill and Mandy

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1266664/Mandy-Smith-I-DID-sleep-Bill-Wyman-I-14--man-life-God.html