Want to cement yourself in the minds of your family members, society at large, or best of all, the whole world?
Commit
suicide while you are still young and useful—before you have exhausted
your potential and worn out your welcome. As the popular Neil Young
lyric states, “It’s better to burn out than fade away.” And isn’t this
so… a cliche yes, but cliches become cliches precisely because they are
true.
But you know, I never paid much attention to this
universal truth until recently. Now it rings terribly thunderous like
an alarm going off in my head—something I can’t turn off. And so I will
write about it. Perhaps it’s annoying presence will go back to sleep if
this journal entry is sufficiently cathartic.
Far from home…
1980—Ian
Curtis, vocalist for Joy Division, kills himself. He becomes a martyr
at 24. To this day, the music industry and fans can’t stop hooting and
hurrahing for this uber-talented rock god. He is a permanent record—the
default setting to which all other indie frontmen will be compared. And
god forbid if you happen to be an animated, baritone Brit. You will be
forever shackled to this point of reference—never free—never number
one. You are condemned to be number two for eternity. The gatekeepers
will never let you pass through the gates. Curtis is the hero—the
Batman. You are Robin and don’t you fool yourself into thinking
otherwise. You see, Curtis never burnt out—so he’ll never fade away.
Sadly, Tom Smith, vocalist for the English band Editors, can’t shake
the media’s obsessive habit of comparing him to Curtis. Do you think
that if Ian Curtis were alive today he would have this god-like status?
I don’t. But try telling that to the worshipers in the Curtis Cult.
Your dissent will fall on deaf ears.
A little closer…
Another
example of this better to burn out phenomenon is the haunting of Eddie
Vedder by the ghost of Kurt Cobain. To this day, Pearl Jam’s frontman
is asked to give defense against some silly, unfavorable remarks about
him made by Nirvana’s Cobain. These retarded, insensitive journalists
apparently find it irrelevant that Nirvana released only three
albums—of which only one, “Nevermind,” is regarded as a masterpiece.
The others are forgettable. Oh but Cobain isn’t. He is here to stay and
don’t you forget it Eddie! This is simply pathetic. Vedder, along with
the other Pearl Jam members, have released nine studio albums, numerous
bootlegs, solo works, garnered prestigious awards, and have a huge
international fan base. Plus, Eddie Vedder can sing any song with any
artist. Just check out his versatility and talent on YouTube—amazing
stuff! Kurt Cobain’s status rests mostly on his promising future—his
potential to give the world another “Nevermind.” It does not rest on
his merits. Pearl Jam’s “Ten” is at least as brilliant and
groundbreaking as “Nevermind." These guys are even in 1993. However,
Eddie can safely claim to have out-shined Kurt. Pearl Jam has been a
band for the last 18 years and is still rocking. Nirvana lasted 7
years—extinguished with Cobain’s suicide in 1994. And so Eddie sings,
“I’m still alive!” Indeed. But the idiots don't listen. His voice is
muffled by their obnoxious shouts, “Give it up Vedder! Cobain is the
godfather of grunge. You are a second-rate a poseur!”
Right where it counts…
My
brother Jeff was not a rock star. But his legacy shines on nonetheless.
Since his suicide in 2005, not a day goes by that I don’t think about
him. He has forever secured himself permanent residencies in my heart
and mind. Were he alive today, this wouldn’t be so. He would be thought
of—of course—but not with such a grand, intense, penetrating magnitude.
Famous when dead. Better burn out before you fade away.
“Rust Never Sleeps.” ~ Neil Young
PS--Don't
commit suicide. You may be thought of often. But is that a good way to
leave a lasting impression? Live well and long instead. You will have a
greater impact. Plus you will be alive to see your influence in all its
wonderful glory.