Artists who started out on a creative high only to burn out?

mcrespo71 · « **on:** 27 May 2006, 07:14 am »

I was thinking about this the other day after numerous conversations with lonewolf about the Rolling Stones music. Like many, I'm astonished by the Beatles output of from 1963-1970. IMO, it was the greatest run of consistently great full length albums in the rock era. However, I believe that this creative epiphany the Beatles achieved during these years was protected by the fact that they left music at the absolute top of their games, especially if one counts Abbey Road as their final LP. IMO, part of their greatness and legend stems from the fact that they blazed so brightly, completely changed rock music, and then left. They didn't make that string of bad albums that afflicted other artists who had much longer careers.

The Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan had similar runs of great albums during the 1960's, but they eventually made some poor albums, though I'd say that Bob Dyaln has made a triumphant comeback with his last two stellar studio albums, "time out of mind" and "love and theft."

So here are two artists I can think of that had streaks of brilliance that are now just shadows of their former selves.

1) Stevie Wonder- IMO, this guy was a God in the early to mid 70's. Talking Book, Music of My Mind, Fullfillingness First Finale, Innervisions, and Songs in the Key of Life are ABSOLUTE R & B Classic. Just Brilliant albums, but then he just fell off with an absolute nadir being the Women in Red soundtrack with the sacharine "I just called to say I love you," which is sooooo craptacular it can almost make me forget he recorded classics like "golden lady." There was a great discussion of this in the film High Fidelity and it was spot on IMO.
2) The Rolling Stones- Well, the Stones made a string of great albums in the 60's, with the arguable exception of Their Satanic Majesties Request, and started out the 70's on FIRE- with Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main St., but then they hit a rough patch with Goats Head Soup and the maligned Black & Blue (but I love this album) only to end on high notes with Some Girls and Tatoo You. But, that's it, for the Stones. From 1981 until now, I'd say they have pretty much not made a great album. Sure, they've had some good songs, but nothing cohesive so they had a long creative period and a long period of ineptitude.

Who else do you guys think fits this theme?

eric the red · « **Reply #1 on:** 27 May 2006, 07:27 am »

Pearl Jam
Rod Stewart
Eric Clapton
REM
Miles Davis
The Who
Rush
Wierd Al Yankovic

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #2 on:** 27 May 2006, 07:27 am »

Quote

Who else do you guys think fits this theme?

Madonna.........

[/list:u]

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #3 on:** 27 May 2006, 07:32 am »

Yeah...ETR....Pearl Jam !!! How many concert cds do you need....nothing new and exciting.....

mcrespo71 · « **Reply #4 on:** 27 May 2006, 07:36 am »

Quote from: eric the red

Pearl Jam
Rod Stewart
Eric Clapton
REM
Miles Davis
The Who
Rush
Wierd Al Yankovic

Rod Stewart- OMG, YES!!! Kicking ass in the Jeff Beck group and the Faces- starts of the early 70's with the ALL TIME CLASSIC "Every picture tells a story" and the almost as good- Never a Dull Moment and Gasoline Alley. Now- he's singing the great American Songbook- POORLY.! All time low for me- FOREVER YOUNG!

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #5 on:** 27 May 2006, 07:38 am »

Music is different now...trending towards "rap"....and one hit wonders...and "stars" trying to be "rock star's".....an new idols.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #6 on:** 27 May 2006, 07:42 am »

Quote

Rod Stewart- OMG, YES!!! Kicking ass in the Jeff Beck group and the Faces...

Truth.......Beck-Ola.........[/list:u]

eric the red · « **Reply #7 on:** 27 May 2006, 07:43 am »

Quote from: mcrespo71

Quote from: eric the red
Pearl Jam
Rod Stewart
Eric Clapton
REM
Miles Davis
The Who
Rush
Wierd Al Yankovic

Rod Stewart- OMG, YES!!! Kicking ass in the Jeff Beck group and the Faces- starts of the early 70's with the ALL TIME CLASSIC "Every picture tells a story" and the almost as good- Never a Dull Moment and Gasoline Alley. Now- he's singing the great American Songbook- POORLY.! All time low for me- FOREVER YOUNG!

mcrespo71 · « **Reply #8 on:** 27 May 2006, 07:43 am »

Quote from: lonewolfny42

Music is different now...trending towards "rap"....and one hit wonders...and "stars" trying to be "rock star's".....an new idols.

Agreed, though there are a few bright stars out there. EVERYONE should check out the British sensation- the Arctic Monkeys. Their new album, "Whatever people say I am, I am not, is MY record of 2006 before the year is over. Think the Who meets the Clash, with a bit of Chic thrown in. It's fun, energetic, and their is NO FILLER ON THE ALBUM. I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor is MY song of the year so far.

samples

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #9 on:** 27 May 2006, 07:52 am »

Quote from: mcrespo71

Agreed, though there are a few bright stars out there. EVERYONE should check out the British sensation- the Arctic Monkeys. Their new album, "Whatever people say I am, I am not, is MY record of 2006 before the year is over. Think the Who meets the Clash, with a bit of Chic thrown in. It's fun, energetic, and their is NO FILLER ON THE ALBUM. I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor is MY song of the year so far.

samples

And.....video's........[/list:u]

mcrespo71 · « **Reply #10 on:** 27 May 2006, 07:56 am »

Quote from: lonewolfny42

And.....
video's........[/list:u]

Hey, thanks for this, Chris!

I'll check these out. I was just reading these guys are only 19. I'm going to see them at Bowery ballroom in June

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #11 on:** 27 May 2006, 08:00 am »

Will they be around five year's from now ???

mcrespo71 · « **Reply #12 on:** 27 May 2006, 08:08 am »

Quote from: lonewolfny42

Will they be around five year's from now ???

Who knows, but they will have the distinction of making a near classic debut album.

I believe it was the fastest selling debut album in British history and to gain this distinction it had to outsell another classic album- Oasis- Definitely Maybe. It's all good over there in the UK!

They get Arctic Monkeys and we get...................... Kelly Clarkson!

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #13 on:** 27 May 2006, 08:11 am »

Quote

Artists who started out on a creative high only to burn out?

Rocket · « **Reply #14 on:** 27 May 2006, 11:45 am »

Hi,

Although never big in the States T-Rex/Marc Bolan had 2 albums in the early 1970's that were huge everywhere else:

Electric Warrior
The Slider

His albums after that were never quite as good until untimely death in 1977.

The Who also had a golden period and there albums that were excellent were the following:

Tommy
Live At Leeds
Who's Next
Quadrophenia

Unfortunely there other albums dropped off quite a bit after those 4 albums.

Regards

Rod

ps i like the 60's Rolling Stones better than their later music

zybar · « **Reply #15 on:** 27 May 2006, 11:58 am »

I would flip around the question and ask "what bands have maintained a high level of creativity?'

I think very few bands are able to do that over any extended periods.

One of the few bands that comes to mind is the Beatles (not a clunker in the bunch IMHO).

George

mjosef · « **Reply #16 on:** 27 May 2006, 02:57 pm »

How about Elton John? Isn't he like a shadow of himself today? And maybe David Bowie?

Tweaker · « **Reply #17 on:** 27 May 2006, 04:46 pm »

Santana. First few albums were extraordinary. Then a run of mediocrity followed by a descent into (acid induced) insanity in my opinion. Anyone listen to his lead work on his last few albums with the various pop singers? Oh my God. The same unbelievably lame, irriatating riff played in every %#!% song! I play guitar and he was my major influence when I started out. It's painful to hear him play these days.

JoshK · « **Reply #18 on:** 27 May 2006, 05:26 pm »

Roger Waters? With PF was amazing, was arguably OK in first couple solo albums and then poof!

mfsoa · « **Reply #19 on:** 28 May 2006, 01:40 am »

Jaco.
But in hindsight, what was he supposed to do? In his first few recordings, he completely reinvents the role of the electric bass and expands the scope of his instrument beyond the existing standard by a wider margin than any musician I can think of. Absolutely fabulous, inspired playing. Then more of the same. Then more... Wait, I heard that riff before.. and again...
I guess the drugs and mental problems limited the creativity. How can any of us have expected this level of revolution to continue for a lifetime? I guess being the world's greatest anything comes with enormous pressure (wouldn't know, myself!)
His rapid demise seems almost preordained; His (and our) cosmic debt to offset the magnitude of his gift, Bird-like.