Top five musical crimes perpetrated by Stevie Wonder in the '80s and '90s
Nick Tabor
Issue date: 4/10/08 Section: Arts
The same rule applies to Jeff Buckley, Otis Redding and Charlie Parker, to name a few.
But barring early death, I can think of three ways to keep one's dignity for decades.
Joe Strummer of the Clash stayed respectable by sticking to a singular musical style for 25 years. True, he explored reggae and Celtic folk and several varieties of world music, but he covered that territory as early as 1978. He combined them into a cohesive style from which he seldom departed.
Elvis Costello stayed interesting through opposite means. He may have released his three best records before 1980, but he refused to stay in a rut. He's since recorded soul, country, jazz and synth pop, and composed orchestral and chamber opera pieces. And he does most of it exceptionally well.
And last, let's not forget about the still-living burnout, a la Shane McGowan of the Pogues. The band kicked him out in 1991 because of his drinking habits. He's since collaborated with Nick Cave and the Jesus and Mary Chain, but mostly he plays in bars and continues drinking himself into oblivion. He might be insane, but he's a genuine artist and a genuine Irishman.
One could do worse.
But barring early death, I can think of three ways to keep one's dignity for decades.
Joe Strummer of the Clash stayed respectable by sticking to a singular musical style for 25 years. True, he explored reggae and Celtic folk and several varieties of world music, but he covered that territory as early as 1978. He combined them into a cohesive style from which he seldom departed.
Elvis Costello stayed interesting through opposite means. He may have released his three best records before 1980, but he refused to stay in a rut. He's since recorded soul, country, jazz and synth pop, and composed orchestral and chamber opera pieces. And he does most of it exceptionally well.
And last, let's not forget about the still-living burnout, a la Shane McGowan of the Pogues. The band kicked him out in 1991 because of his drinking habits. He's since collaborated with Nick Cave and the Jesus and Mary Chain, but mostly he plays in bars and continues drinking himself into oblivion. He might be insane, but he's a genuine artist and a genuine Irishman.
One could do worse.
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