GREENMUSE is a regular reader and fan contributor at antiMUSIC, the views expressed here don't necessarily reflect those of antiMUSIC or our sponsors, but we are sure you will enjoy what he has to say! 

Editor’s Note: Due to the timeliness of Greenmuse’s rant this month we have moved publication up a week. His column will return to its regular schedule next month. 

This month we will taking a voyage into the dark realm of death, no not Joan Rivers house, but we will delve into the idea that when a person dies he or she suddenly becomes ”an innovator,” and an “artistic genius,” never do you hear the words “oh well they were a talentless hack, where’s my bacon bits?” 

Now I understand about not wanting to speak ill of the dead but were does the truth fit into all this? Now don’t get me wrong I wish no one dead and revel in no one’s death but if Courtney Love was to get hit by a steamroller right now as you read this I guarantee there would be MTV news pronouncing her “the greatest female musician of the decade” when in reality where most of us live, she was a semi talented person who rode on Kurt Cobain’s flannel shirt tails to stardom. Then there would be a whole day devoted to her, her videos would be shown non-stop and when not showing videos there would be interviews(conveniently edited so we don’t get to see the heroin addicted bink fall off a stool while chatting to Kurt Loder). Yet real innovators who actually did something for music can die and not be made a fuss over. I think you know who I’m talking about, Layne Staley. 

Alice in Chains has influenced a lot, and I mean a lot of bands since their heyday. Granted they have influenced a lot of crappy rip offs, but you know what they say about imitation..  Sure he probably died of a heroin overdose, so the media doesn’t like to put that up next to their sponsors logo. But Left Eye Lopes is killed in a car wreck and its all over the news, MTV and other stations. Suddenly TLC, who no one has mentioned since their ode to superficialness “No Scrubs” are once again thrust into the limelight. I admit it is sad when people die young and tragically, I’m not making fun of her death in the slightest, but really what did TLC do differently, or better than anyone else? I know Layne was kinda out of the spotlight of the mainstream for quite awhile, but so was Joey Ramone and he got his due (granted quite a bit late considering he was a living icon that needed 100 and half times the recognition he got after his death, while he was living).

Death isn’t funny and I don’t mean to make light of it or poke fun at dead people, but it is something I felt needed to be addressed, so there it is. That is all from me for now, la fee verte calls. –GREENMUSE
 

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