@isthatacorner isa,
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news… But I couldn’t ignore Little Richard’s passing.
I’m a bit philosophical about it, I guess. He lived to be 87, and did it his way, in a demanding profession. So many rockers (Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Jim Morrison, to name a few) didn’t even make it to 30. He managed to survive cocaine addiction, and has outlived them by 60 years. Not that it’s a contest or anything.
Little Richard and his mentor, Esquerita, blasted rock ‘n’ roll into the public consciousness in the conservative postwar “Fabulous Fifties.” I was born the year he lit the fuse with “Tutti Frutti,” and I simply cannot imagine life without rock in all its forms and permutations. He wasn’t the first rock ‘n’ roller, but he sure let the genie out of the bottle. 😉
I had read it already but still. All i could think of was an article in rolling stone like 20 years ago. They had the current crop of popular musicians write about the legends and Little Richard chose to write about himself instead of allowing someone else to write about him and the whole thing was how no one respected all that he brought to the business and that while his peers were being reveered he was looked at as a sideshow.
Yeah, I thought it was older than this though–but 10 years ago is still a pretty decent amount of time.
Its insane to think of what all he’s added to the rich history of music. He was out there touring during the height of segregation in the US–unable to get into clubs and restaurants that he was supposed to perform in. Not getting paid for his work. I think he’s right though, when he said it doesn’t matter where his name is put on the list he’ll never get the respect he deserves. He’s someone that I would love to watch a biopic about–even if he weren’t so fascinating a figure of his own just to watch about the depth and breadth of his career would be interesting!
PakalanaPikake
May 9, 2020 at 7:27 PM
RIP, Little Richard
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/little-richard-dead-48505/
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/little-richard-tribute-rob-sheffield-996849/
isa: I'm not a serial killer I'm just really passionate about things
May 9, 2020 at 9:41 PM
My heart broke when I saw this.
PakalanaPikake
May 10, 2020 at 12:57 AM
@isthatacorner isa,
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news… But I couldn’t ignore Little Richard’s passing.
I’m a bit philosophical about it, I guess. He lived to be 87, and did it his way, in a demanding profession. So many rockers (Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Jim Morrison, to name a few) didn’t even make it to 30. He managed to survive cocaine addiction, and has outlived them by 60 years. Not that it’s a contest or anything.
Little Richard and his mentor, Esquerita, blasted rock ‘n’ roll into the public consciousness in the conservative postwar “Fabulous Fifties.” I was born the year he lit the fuse with “Tutti Frutti,” and I simply cannot imagine life without rock in all its forms and permutations. He wasn’t the first rock ‘n’ roller, but he sure let the genie out of the bottle. 😉
isa: I'm not a serial killer I'm just really passionate about things
May 10, 2020 at 5:42 AM
I had read it already but still. All i could think of was an article in rolling stone like 20 years ago. They had the current crop of popular musicians write about the legends and Little Richard chose to write about himself instead of allowing someone else to write about him and the whole thing was how no one respected all that he brought to the business and that while his peers were being reveered he was looked at as a sideshow.
PakalanaPikake
May 12, 2020 at 12:06 AM
@isthatacorner,
Is this the article you meant?
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/100-greatest-artists-147446/little-richard-30098/
I see what you mean. Thanks for mentioning this autobiographical piece. This prophet is without honor in his own land…
isa: I'm not a serial killer I'm just really passionate about things
May 12, 2020 at 1:12 AM
Yeah, I thought it was older than this though–but 10 years ago is still a pretty decent amount of time.
Its insane to think of what all he’s added to the rich history of music. He was out there touring during the height of segregation in the US–unable to get into clubs and restaurants that he was supposed to perform in. Not getting paid for his work. I think he’s right though, when he said it doesn’t matter where his name is put on the list he’ll never get the respect he deserves. He’s someone that I would love to watch a biopic about–even if he weren’t so fascinating a figure of his own just to watch about the depth and breadth of his career would be interesting!
FlyingTool
May 12, 2020 at 3:17 PM
Wonderfully said!