Serious food for thought for my fellow addicts

[Greatgreebo]

Hey everybody,

Just a quick backround note on the post I'm about to write on this side of the forum. We have been goofing around on the social side of the forum (like we always do) and we've been on the subject of having an official singer/songwriter for the forum. I've been campaigning to have Neil Diamond be our official singer so whenever you sign on to the forum you will hear Neil Diamond music playing in a continuous loop (sounds good to me). There's been lots of support for Neil (feel free to vote on the Social Side-there is an ongoing poll keeping track of the votes)  Anyway, long story short is that lots of bad jokes came out of this and we all have been having our laughs over the last few days. It was just suggested that if Neil didn't get voted in we might want to consider Janis Joplin. My first thought was "What?!? Not Neil?!?" and then my second thought was that she died from a drug overdose. Here is basically what I posted on the social side:
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I love Janis Joplin but she can't be our official singer/songwriter because she overdosed and died :-(
Having said that that means there is a lot of good music we can't use in our soundtrack because there was an actual drug overdose associated with them:
Alice in Chains, Blind Mellon, Sublime, Mother Love Bone, Graham Parsons, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zepplin, The Who, The Vandals, The Sex Pistols, The Germs, Skinny Puppy, Morphine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Def Leppard, Atari Teenage Riot, Nike Drake, Tom Petty and the Heartbreaker, The Pretenders, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Hole, The Temptations, Rory Gallagher, The Squirrel Nut Zippers, Tommy Dorsey, The Righteous Brothers, Malfunkshun, Ratt, Crazy Horse, The Byrds, The Smashing Pumpkins, Ramones, Culture Club (okay..they sucked), AC-DC, Three Dog Night, Blues Traveler, Little Feat, Uriah Heep, Canned Heat, The Associates, Deep Purple, EMF, The Grateful Dead, Average White Band, Thin Lizzy, The Blues Brothers (tragedy).

Then we have our awesome musicians/bands who had people die BECAUSE they were abusing drugs/alcohol or they overdosed on it but it caused them to drown or whatever. So a drug overdose or habitual abuse killed them but the official cause of death is listed as stroke or heart attack or cirrhosis of the liver or GI bleed or head injury or whatever:

Styx, Billie Holiday, Nirvana, The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, The Doors, Humble Pie, Mamas and the Papas, Derick and the Dominos, The Guess Who,  Michael Jackson, to name just a few.

Sorry, not trying to be a downer....but these two lists are only a tiny, small portion of the musicians/bands that have had drug abuse ruin them.
Obviously these are only some of the bands that have been affected and I've only listed off the ones I could think of off the top of my head. I'm sure if I spent some more time on it I could make my list a whole lot longer. Plus, there are tons of other musicians/bands that don't fit into the 'good music' catergory in my opinion so I don't have them listed because I don't like their music (with the exception of Culture Club--I have NO idea why I put them on my list because I really think their music sux.) I didn't care for Michael Jackson's music much either, but he was a pioneer so I put him on the list. There are lots of individual jazz and blues musicians I could have put down, but most people wouldn't know who they were so I tried to keep it main stream and relevant to all.

Anyway, I know we all like to joke around and have fun- I do too. But every now and then I gotta go for a reality check. I LOVE music and it saddens me to see all the great talent we've lost because of someone's inability to overcome their addiction.

Any thoughts or ideas from anyone?
Any names of music we can't include in our soundtrack?

Hope I didn't bring everyone down. I'm the first one to goof around to lighten things up. It's just that I was reading through this post and realized that Janis Joplin couldn't be used and it made me sad and it made me start thinking....
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Anyway, the above is what I wrote. I just wanted to share it with people. All the bands that I know of that have been ruined by drugs kind of boggles the mind. We've lost so many great musicians to addiction. It made me realize the world has lost so many un-named people that had a lot to offer the world also but they lost the battle with their addiction.
I don't want anyone here to lose that battle.

Stay strong,
Greatgreebo

ps-feel free to go to the social side and weigh in on Neil Diamond. I triple dog dare you :-)

[troubleinohio]

i will have to  check out this other thread/poll youre talking about. I havent been reading/posting as much here lately (been super busy and 2 sick kids to take care of here) but did want to comment here on 2 things...who died from STyx?? i had no idea... also the Alice in Chains thing does make me sad. I watch Celebrity Rehab, and Layne's mom was on the last 2 episodes.(Layne was the singer for AIC who died of a drug overdose)  Mike (the former bassist is in the rehab for methadone/heroin addiction) and the most recent episode was extremely touching as they had Mindy McCready sing a song and show a slide show of the celebs in the background, and Layne's mom spoke a very moving piece. That episode had me BAWLING and not a dry eye in that room on the show either.
Now, tell me who died from STyx??

[vicki595]

WOW !   You listed all of those bands off the top of your head?  You are a brainiac!

I voted for Neil Diamond.  He's getting older(aren't we all) but, as far as I know, he only smoked cigarettes,quit in'86, and doesn't drink etc...He's still putting out some great music and still writing.  I like his older music...

Well, that's my two cents...

Vicki   xo

[OIFMc09]

Honestly, the whole things a bad idea.  I don't want to have to turn my volume down every time I come on here.  Because you know what?  Not everyone wants to listen to Neil Diamond or the righteous brothers or Janis Joplin in a continuous loop!  Sorry to be a downer, but the age range on this site is from teen - geri you know?

[Greatgreebo]

John Panozzo, the drummer, and one of the twin Panozzo Brothers who were founding members of Styx, He died on July 16, 1996 from complications of alcoholism.  I really like Styx. It's a shame they got knocked out of the running for our official singer/songwriter because of drugs and alcohol. :-(
John was around and playing during every great song/album they ever had.

Sorry TIO,
Greebs

ps...OIFMc09....Um, I hate to break it to you, but we are joking around here about the whole songwriter thing-except for the Righteous Brothers you mention as an option... because we are not joking around about them and they are not in the running for our soundtrack because they had a death caused by a drugs/alcohol overdose...........anyway, hahaha-wer're having some fun here. Perhaps we can get you a sense of humor for Christmas? I'm sure they come in all age ranges....you know, from teen - geri.

[dominosarah]

Well then throw in a track of Burl Ives then.......that should cover all ages

[Greatgreebo]

ROTF LMAO.....(which means I think you JOKE is funny...you know, hahaha!)

[cleanmom]

How about Percy Sledge?? Everyone loves him!!!!!!

[10356]

Yeah with everyone of these deaths we all felt it if we were fans.. but we continued to use ? ok I vote for the Beatles !!!! No matter teen or geri you gotta recognize them :)) and Niel Young just for me :) lesa

[trinity555]

Hello, I'm Triny.  I love AIC and was bawling my eyes out at the last Celebrity Rehab. When I was in highschool I met Layne and he was one of the nicest people you would ever want to know. There music is powerful and after all these years of listening to the songs, his lyrics still make a great impact. I really hope Mike finds his way out from "down in a hole"    It's interesting, I'm not sure if it was you or someone else who was talking about Celeb Rehab, but I worry too about when he goes home. His father is a drug addict as well and I don't think he really wants help. This is not going to go over well when he sees him again. Much like Amber's mother on the first celeb rehab parental guilt seems to be a b*tch.

Hope you have a great day. Blessings to you and yours:)

[Greatgreebo]

'oooooo....that might be an idea.....a soundtrack featuring 'the Neils'...they would have their music leapfrogged throughout the album.....

[10356]

this would be great !! either we would go to sleep or go deaf for the pitch lol lol

[Greatgreebo]

oh yeah baby...nothing like the neil young whine at full volume to break an eardrum!!! lol

[vicki595]

"The Neils"...  now that's funny!   I LOVED "Harvest" back in the day,long,long ago in a faraway land...

I thought of the Beatles (love 'em)  BUT...they were naughty,too.

"Lucy in the sky with diamonds"...

"Hello,my name is Vicki and I am a Geri "

xo

[10356]

I still live in that far away land lol lol My hubby can not take Niel Young lol it drives him crazy but in my junkie days he was the Man !!!!!!!!

[dominosarah]

Maybe a little Bobby Sherman.......Julie Julie Julie do ya love me??  Ahh forget it i am going to stick with my bad boys........ACDC, Judas Priest, Kiss etc.....time to turn it up and rip off the knobs........

[vicki595]

10356:    Yeah...loved him,too,along with Led Zep,Black Sabath,Blind Faith,Cream,The Doors....on and on.

INAGADADAVIDA BABY !!

V.

[10356]

Now we can not forget 3 dog night.. iron butterfly Jimmie Hendrix..  em I showing my age lol lol

[dominosarah]

Oh 3 Dog Night is the bomb.....Dr Hook?  Love watching the videos of those boys!!

[Radiostar55]

How about the group DeepHeat and the Jockstraps singing their Number 1 hit  "Great Balls of Fire"?  Or Nick Nasel and his 9 Nasty Nose pickers hit "I'll get you yet..you little booger you"?  :)

G

[Greatgreebo]

First off...yes, there is some age showing going on.
Secondly, Three dog night, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zepplin, The Doors and AC-DC are not eligible as they all have deaths caused by drug/alcohol overdoses....sorry to rain on the parade....oh, and even the Beattles are guiltly by proxy-their first manager OD'd and died. So they should probably be out also.
Surprisingly, NOBODY in Iron Butterfly OD'd or died....which is amazing considering the song:   INNA-GODDA-DA-VITA.....you wanna talk about somebody being seriously gorked out of their mind!!! Yikes! How many drugs do you have to be on to talk like that?!?

[10356]

Oh great I will never get great balls of fire out of my head now !!!!!! lol lol and the list is not complete with out the Rolling Stones !!!! Whoo Hoooo

[vicki595]

Donnie and Marie??..."I'm a little bit country...I'm a little bit rock and roll"...LMAO

[10356]

Donovan !! Mellow yellow need I say more lol

[Greatgreebo]

HA!! Good ones!!


103565

How can you even suggest the Rolling Stones as an option for our drug and alcohol forum with a straight face......that's like suggesting Michael Jackson for.........okay, self check. You see where I'm going.
Ya' gotta love the Stones and have some respect for them. They actually managed to not have anyone OD and die from drugs....which is a miracle in and of itself. "SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL"............and ...."GIMME SHELTER"
now that's music.
Okay...Stones are in. They are symbols of triumph over drugs (and drugs and more drugs and even more drugs..........)