A Tribute to one of music and indeed life’s True Greats
Amy Winehouse 1983-2011
On Saturday 25th July 2011, the musical world lost one of the true greats of both contemporary music and musical contribution. You might scoff at that, but Amy Winehouse, legendary soul-singstress and siren of indie culture, offered music, the music industry and indeed the world so much more than just 2 of the greatest albums in recent memory.
She was a role model for everyone on our planet.
Beginning with the obvious, Amy’s music and musical legacy: When she burst onto the scene in 2003 with her Mercury nominated and critically acclaimed debut Frank, she brought a breath of both fresh air and originality to a stagnant and flagging music chart. Her smoky vocals and original and thought provoking lyrics breathed fresh life into a generic, fast produced and uncreative musical world; the type of world where DJ Pied Piper, Oxide and Neutrino and DJ Sammy could sneeze into a microphone and be labelled ‘the next big thing’, hitting number one before you could wipe the snot from the mic.
The iconic image: Big eyes, bigger hair, huge personality.
Amy changed that; she reintroduced audiences to clever music, where listening to the lyrics brought a new level of meaning to a track than just a ‘sick bass’. Where true heart and love for what she was producing could be felt in every line and note. She rejuvenated and rekindled passion for music with meaning. The knock on effect being one that required musicians to push themselves and take time and effort producing a track, rather than just throwing out an LP or album of ‘fillers’ with titles such as ‘DJ Pump it Up’, or ‘Pump up the Jam’, ‘Pump the Bass’; notice a pattern? You didn’t in 2000 or 2001, all these tracks broke into the top 10, one was from 2 different artists! Two different tracks from two different artists… But same name, the true mark of just how stagnant music had become.
However, as ground breaking and acclaimed as her album was, it did not break this trend immediately, indeed, her commercial and international success, her real break, did not come until three years later with her sophomore album, Back To Black. One of the biggest selling records of all time and one of the most critically acclaimed, nominated and commercially accepted albums of the modern global charts.
This was Amy’s triumph, her Mona Lisa, her lasting gift to the world. An album that was deeper than anything that had come before. An
Back to Black.
album so dark and sorrowful it punched critics with a force of emotion never seen in music before. Exploring personal episodes of early addiction, heartbreak, selfishness, her infidelity and self confessed bed hopping. A glimpse into Amy’s world, a dark world. The album barely scratched the surface of her troubled personality, but gave an insight into her troubles and what was to come.
But this album was more than that. It would kick start music, kick start British creativity and pride. Inspire thousands of women to reinvent themselves, empower thousands to go out and achieve their dreams and goals, and inspire others to end what was causing their own ‘Back to Black’ life, to improve themselves. She gifted the world with an album that scared so many of us into improving our lives for fear of ending up so unhappy, as she appeared to be on that record. The smoky voice that filled so many living rooms, filled so many hearts, so many minds.
But her contribution didn’t end there. Her success brought about early career boosts for so many other aspiring female solo artists. Adele, Duffy, Joss Stone and others that have since grown and rooted themselves into modern soul, blues and jazz history; they all owe Amy a nod of thanks for their success.
I do not say that they would not have made it without her, indeed Adele many would say has outshone Winehouse with her own Sophomore success (21 is indeed one of the most beautiful records since Back to Black, maybe more so). But, what I think is clear, is that Amy paved the way, she grounded the public with the a desire and a need and calling for more like her, more heartfelt music that had more than just a snappy chorus. We craved jusic that made us feel emotion again, that had the ability to make us cry, smile and get through different experiences in our lives. Audiences had found, in Back to Black a record they could play through a break up, through an argument or through a new fling and know that someone somewhere was doing and going through the same.
In a rather over exaggerated and overblown statement sort of way, Amy Winehouse reintroduced the idea of uniting a world through emotion and a love of music (yes, I know, it is overblown, but in an odd way, does make a silly sort of sense).
And yet, as powerful a positive role model as she was through her music, her public drive to follow her passion and her lust for perfection on these records, a lust that proved most successful I might add. As powerful a role model as she was in these positive lights, it is sad to think that it was her backstage and private life that many will remember her for.
I will not dwell on these here, as this is meant to be a celebration of her success and her legacy. But I cannot pretend they did not happen. But what I will say is that even these events and habits, even these, can be seen in a positive light, if looked at from the right perspective.
Her habits were not anything I would suggest one tries in ones own time. But what I will say is that her public image of drug and alcohol addiction, was one that I think many could use as an example. An example of what these substances can really do to a person. Drugs and alcohol destroyed Amy Winehouse, in a very public manner. A manner that allowed all of us to see that drugs are not glamorous, clever or even something you can do in moderation.
The very public destruction of her life.
The problems Amy had destroyed not only her career but her life. Her boyfriend was an addict also. Blake. And yet Amy, knowing what he was, what he did and what their relationship was doing to her stuck by him.
Her problems are an example of both true love and true addiction, in both a negative and positive sense. She was addicted to and loved Blake, just as she was addicted to and I think loved drugs and alcohol. No one can pressure you to quit these things, you have to want to, her father said that… Her father knew. Amy did not want to change, she was happy being unhappy, she was happy and knew what she enjoyed writing and singing about. And I think that is what makes her great. Despite the public pressure and despite the public light that was thrown onto her, she did not change who she was.
She had problems, and I am definitely not saying she was perfect. But Amy Winehouse was a role model. A role model for what humans are truly capable of.
She was great, know one can deny it. She was one of the greats in the music world. And she should always be remembered as such; someone who showed the world just how much emotion and love and dedication could be put into something, and just how much you every single person has to offer… no matter who they are.
She was also, an example of what we are capable of doing to ourselves. She destroyed herself for what she loved and who she was. She never changed and never wanted to. She is a role model for what not to become and just how addictive humanity truly is.
She lived her life to her full. The way she wanted to. And no one should say less or take that away from her. She did not waste her life, she filled it with what she wanted. And isn’t that what we all do and want to do? Fill our lives with what and who we love? Think on that before you criticize her. I think everyone of us should see ourselves in Amy Winehouse in that sense. Not in the same way, but how can we be happy if we aren’t filling our lives like she did?
Goodbye Amy Winehouse, you have left a big hole in the music industry, it will miss your voice, your talent and your soul.
Goodbye Amy Winehouse, you have left a bigger hole in humanity and human nature. It will miss your personality, your example and your life. And I hope that we as a society, will miss you even more.
1983-2011. Remembered as a talent, a rebel and an icon. Remembered as a woman and as a human.
thethoughtsofjamie 