I mentioned below that I have been recently wallowing in Marianne Faithfull videos. I adore her beat up, lived in voice and her Broken English album is still one of my favorites even after all this time.
When it was new-ish, I was visiting a friend in New York and we wound up watching Faithfull's disastrous appearance on Saturday Night Live. Perhaps you remember it, if not, count yourself lucky. It was painful for her fans and detractors alike. Falling apart on stage, it wasn't a train wreck, it was more like watching a ship sink very, very slowly.
I sat feeling genuinely anguished; I loved her so much and it was so bad. My friend turned to me and in a blaze of obliviousness announced "I hate her and her croaking stupid voice." I think it was the beginning of the end of our friendship. Certainly Ms. Faithful survived the calamity, but our friendship didn't.
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ReplyDeleteIts never a good thing to try to crush or dismiss someone's idols. As Mr. P's ex-friend learned. Sometimes its best to just do what Mama J used to advise: If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.
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ReplyDeleteI'm listening to the Stones as I type this...
ReplyDeleteDegrees of separation and all that.
i think i have the "disco disc" (or whatever they called it) of "why'd ya do it?"
ReplyDeletewhat's not to love?
I have the (absent of late) Kabuki Zero to thank for being the first to hear the Broken English album and turning me on to it, way back when. It's still a favorite of mine and I'm constantly amazed how it always sounds so fucking fresh!
ReplyDeleteI saw one of her 'train wreck, ship sink' performances in DC in '82. I figure the only difference between her and me was: she had enough talent to do hers on a stage, while mine were just carried out in discos, living rooms, restaurants and bedrooms around the greater metropolitan area.
The drugs made her fabulous!
ReplyDeleteI've loved her since Broken English, of course I caught that SNL gig. Her autobiography is a MUST READ.
ReplyDeleteSaw her perform a few years ago in Chicago. Awesome.