Random Hypothetical: Dead Singers

[Gunpowder]

Was randomly thinking about this yesterday. If you could take one musician who died an early death or was otherwise incapacitated from making jamz, who would it be? I was going back and forth between Layne Staley and Notorious BIG, though I'd probably pick BIG. There's not a close third for me.

[rass]

I don't know that Staley is my answer, but I'm pretty sure one of the very first Swamp threads I ever started was a poll of "favorite Seattle grunge band" or something similar to that which was a roundabout way of me saying that I really liked Alice in Chains.

[howard]

Greatest white blues singer evah. Janis. Duane Allman a very close second.

Jimi at least he left us with plenty of material. I know, shocking choices considering my age. I can round out a top ten off the top of my head. Otis Redding, Lowell George, Gram Parsons, of course John Lennon, Keith Moon, Cass Elliot, Buddy Holly, Ian Curtis, Phil Ochs, Bon Scott. Shit, Marvin Gaye and Bob Marley. Lots of 'em. But I'll stick with my first two.

eta: almost forgot, two more guitar heros. Tommy Bolin, and John Cipolina, one of the few who died young from natural causes (cystic fibrosis).

[Denis]

Mark Sandman

[DC47]

Man, how wrong can you be? Duane, followed by Janis.

Actually, I'd put Charlie Parker at #1, followed by John Coltrane, Duane Allman, Mozart, Jimi Hendrix, Robert Johnson, Billie Holiday, Janis Joplin. The pantheon. Not necessarily the greatest musicians, though you could certainly argue that. But the ones I think had the most left in them.

After that, based on the same criteria, in no particular order: Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Little Walter (Chicago blues harmonica player), Gram Parsons, Clarence White, Clifford Brown (jazz trumpet player), Elvis Presley (R&B singer), Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, Elliott Smith, Django Reinhardt, Wes Montgomery, Freddie King, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Elmore James, Mike Bloomfield, John Lennon, Buddy Holly, Hank Williams, Scott LaFaro (my favorite bass player), Jaco Pastorius, Paul Chambers (jazz bassist), Charlie Christian (jazz guitarist). She barely made a mark in the music business, but she made one on me: jazz guitarist Emily Remler.



Scott LaFaro, bass: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdnPisW7E-E

[DC47]

Clarence White is little known today. But what an amazingly versatile musician! Where would he have gone musically if a drunk had not run him over in a parking lot?

[howard]

Man, how wrong can you be? Duane, followed by Janis.

I figured you'd call me out on that. I can go back and forth.

Nice list.

[DC47]

Duane:Janis::Sun:Moon

Ranking them kind of misses the point of brilliance.

I could get lost for a week playing just stuff done by the musicians on your list. Sad to think what we missed due to mortality.

[sancarlos]

Gram Parsons.

And secondly, for personal reasons, Country Dick Montana (the drummer for the Beat Farmers. I drank with hi one time - what a fun, wild guy.)

[brian]

I'll second Gram Parsons. Especially since I'm sure he'd be doing awesome combinations with Wilco and DBT and stuff.

[Pruitt]

I'll go in a different direction an say Bob Marley and Fela Kuti.

[mister d]

In terms of impact on my music listening at the time of their death: Biggie or Big L

In terms of retroactive wanting to see what else they would have done: I'll be the lame dick who says Jeff Buckley

[tennbengal]

Jim Croce.

[Moreta]

Jim Croce.

Yes. Harry Chapin too, but if I can only have one, make it Jim.

[tennbengal]

Jim Croce.

Yes. Harry Chapin too, but if I can only have one, make it Jim.

Yeah. Just 30, died one day before "I Got a Name" was released. A lot more music to come.

[Gunpowder]

Saw a few mentions of Cobain...I feel the same way about him that you feel about Hendrix, Howard. I think we have enough Nirvana. Maybe if I really liked them I'd think differently.

This hypothetical also allows for them to still be good at music, ie Staley still does just enough heroin that he still makes good songs about heroin but not enough that his teeth fall out and he can't leave his house.

[duff]

Janis.

Can't really think of any during my prime listening years. Possibly Shannon Hoon or Brad Nowell.

[BSF21]

Janis.

Can't really think of any during my prime listening years. Possibly Shannon Hoon or Brad Nowell.

I'm gonna go ahead and climb up on the cross since a bunch of you people are going to put me there.

I don't like Janis. At all. I don't know what I'm missing, but it just doesn't jive with me. I like some of her contemporaries. I just think she has a terribly ugly voice.

However I'm all in on Duane Allman.

*braces for impact

[A_B]

I don't care for Janis in the slightest.

[mister d]

Can't really think of any during my prime listening years. Possibly Shannon Hoon or Brad Nowell.

Nowell would be my "Random Hypothetical: Shovel Some More Dirt Just to Be Sure" answer.

[DSafetyGuy]

In terms of retroactive wanting to see what else they would have done: I'll be the lame dick who says Jeff Buckley

I debated posting him for a while and opted not to.

I also hate Janis Joplin. And Sublime.

[Rush2112]

I can stand Janis in small doses. Sublime and Alice In Chains can fucking suck it.

Surprised that no one mentioned Freddie Mercury.

[howard]

I'm gonna go ahead and climb up on the cross since a bunch of you people are going to put me there.

I don't like Janis. At all.

*braces for impact

It's music, if you don't like it, you don't like it, no prob. Most opera not written by Wagner or Mozart I don't like; my opinion doesn't detract from its quality/greatness.

[DC47]

Pipes.