Artists that you revere but whose personalities should probably just be ignored

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While I personally try to not let any artist's personality or possibly bonehead actions affect my opinion of their music, it still seems that the music business is chock-full of people who it's probably smart to just disregard what they say and keep on thinking about how awesome their music is.

Interviews I've read with Brian Eno spring to mind here. You may love the guy but then you hear him say a bevy of things that make you go "hmm." Another instance off the top of my head is watching Bob Dylan be a petulant little shit in Don't Look Back. That single-handedly caused me to seriously consider boycotting his music despite the fact that I knew I was being ridiculous.

On the flip side of the coin, though, there are plenty of artists whose mythology/character often clouds the way people listen to their music in a kind of unfair way (ie Miles Davis, Sly Stone, Tom Waits, Chet Baker, Charlie Parker, any drug casualty you can think of)in that it makes them think of how cool said artist was in life and thereby projecting that onto their work.

Either way, however much of a douchebag or ridiculous personality somebody is in real life it obviously shouldn't affect how you listen to their stuff even if it's tough to divorce the two. But help me think of some of your favorite artists who have at one point or another made you wince with their sometimes idiotic quotes or attitude.

― Werner Herzog Eats His Vegetables (Plastic Gas Booby Trap), Friday, 26 August 2005 01:40 (twenty years ago)

http://dwinner.free.fr/download/vengaweliketoparty.jpg

― s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 26 August 2005 01:47 (twenty years ago)

God. Nearly all of them? Bob Mould or Grant Hart when talking about each other? Miles Davis for sure. Buddy Rich? Ozzy Osborne? Snoop Dogg?

― js (honestengine), Friday, 26 August 2005 01:48 (twenty years ago)

this thread's kind of similar. everyone makes fun of me, but whatever..

Bands and artists whose stage banter, personal life, public life or "mythology" taints their music (in your opinion).

― poortheatre (poortheatre), Friday, 26 August 2005 01:51 (twenty years ago)

Chuck Berry
Arthur Lee

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Friday, 26 August 2005 05:59 (twenty years ago)

LOU REED

― Jonathan Merritt, Friday, 26 August 2005 14:47 (twenty years ago)

elvis costello
ryan adams
seconding lou reed

― katie, a princess (katie, a princess), Friday, 26 August 2005 15:17 (twenty years ago)

brian eno gives fascinating interviews, you're silly.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 26 August 2005 15:19 (twenty years ago)

I've always thought about this, actually, as what happens when something comes to light that is truly repugnant behavior?

If you found out one of your favourite artists is a Nazi or something? Something where his success might possibly contribute to something that you normally wouldn't support?

― Viz (Viz), Friday, 26 August 2005 15:40 (twenty years ago)

Steven Patrick Morrissey

― marc h. (marc h.), Friday, 26 August 2005 15:42 (twenty years ago)

LOU REED
-- Jonathan Merritt (gayandlou...), August 26th, 2005.

ON THE MUTHERFUCKIN MONEY!

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 26 August 2005 15:44 (twenty years ago)

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b375/remaininlight/devendra.jpg

― Ryan Pitchfork (Ryan Pitchfork), Friday, 26 August 2005 16:35 (twenty years ago)

The correct answer is all of them.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 26 August 2005 16:45 (twenty years ago)

xpost
the skin below his cheekbone is like a cave!

― ken taylrr has gone off the internet because of you (ken taylrr), Friday, 26 August 2005 16:47 (twenty years ago)

Steve O'Malley

― recovering optimist (Royal Bed Bouncer), Friday, 26 August 2005 16:59 (twenty years ago)

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