James Brown, The Godfather of Soul - R.I.P.

[Fixxxer]

Even the most joyess day can bring sorrow.

James Brown, the dynamic, pompadoured ''Godfather of Soul'' whose rasping vocals and revolutionary rhythms made him a founder of rap, funk and disco, died early Monday.

    James Brown performs in Shanghai on Feb. 22, 2006. The shimmering outfits, eye makeup and outrageous hair that Brown sported over the year set the stage for younger stars such as Michael Jackson and Prince.James Brown performs in Shanghai on Feb. 22, 2006. The shimmering outfits, eye makeup and outrageous hair that Brown sported over the year set the stage for younger stars such as Michael Jackson and Prince.
    (Eugene Hoshiko/Associated Press)

Brown was hospitalized with pneumonia and congestive heart failure at Emory Crawford Long Hospital on Sunday. He died from a heart attack around 1:45 a.m. Monday. Longtime friend Charles Bobbit was by his side, Brown's agent, Frank Copsidas of Intrigue Musiche, said. Brown was 73.

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2006/12/25/james-brown-061225.html

[Salamander]

Mmmm... so how exactly do we balance appreciation for the man's art with the fact that he was a wife-beating asshole? I've been feeling very ambivalent about the whole thing, I can appreciate the music he made but I can't divorce that from his unsavoury acts offstage.

[Frozyn]

We don't balance it. In death, we (mostly) try to remember only that which was good about the person. The time of his conducting those actions have come to pass, so now we celebrate the music he made.


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[Salamander]

We don't balance it. In death, we (mostly) try to remember only that which was good about the person. The time of his conducting those actions have come to pass, so now we celebrate the music he made.


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Oh, I understand that. What I was trying to say was that I'm suffering a little bit of cognitive dissonance over the whole "he made great music" and the "he's an ass" thing. It's a problem I am having, I'm not trying to suggest that everyone should have that problem. I was a bit lazy with my use of the phrase "we" in my original post.

I guess it basically boils down to the fact that I have problems separating the artist's art from the artist's biography.

[Fixxxer]

To be honest, I don't know much about James Brown outside of his music. But I've never let my feelings about the artist's personal life interfere with my respect for their abilities.

The late Layne Staley for example. He pretty much represents everything I don't. He was a heavy drug user, sang about nearly nothing else but his love for drugs, and in the song 'Junkhead' sang about how good drugs are and how those that don't do drugs need to just loosen up because they made him the success he was.

"You can't understand the users mind, but try with your books and degrees. If you let yourself go and open your mind, I bet you'll be doin like me, and it so bad!"

He died of a drug overdose at a very young age. He just thought he was untouchable as nearly every drug user does. The more they do it and the more it doesn't harm them, the more they discount the research by scientists. But it always comes back to haunt them, sadly.

However, despite his lack of common sense, he was an excellent song writer and a powerful singer. So I overlooked his (what I see as) flaws based on his artistic abilities.

It's just a shame that a lot of talent is lost due to substance abuse.