3 ms·

I'm sure I am wading into dangerous waters here, but I kind of also think that "good" art, or perhaps I should say a particular kind of art that resonates with

I'm sure I am wading into dangerous waters here, but I kind of also think that "good" art, or perhaps I should say a particular kind of art that resonates with ones emotions, does come from the pain and suffering of the artist. It is because we also have known pain, jealousy, the death of a loved one, etc. that art sprung from that kind of suffering will "ring true". As I type this, I am looking at a painting on the wall in my hotel room. It's pleasant enough (a palm tree or something made with rough brush strokes — an interesting palette I guess) but it is not Edvard Munch. (Although, we probably don't want Edvard Munch all over the place, ha ha.)

MrMcCall 2y ago
Maybe he's referring to the suffering required to actually put the song together, from inspiration to pieces of structure to full structure to final polish. Perhaps. I'm with you in your assessment, however. These jazz folks didn't look they were suffering in doing this, but that doesn't mean their lives didn't have suffering before they gained acclaim and such incredible chops, or maybe they draw inspiration from the many people and cultures that have suffered: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pYHCGYJbw0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pYHCGYJbw0 I'm also reminded of Stevie Ray Vaughan's dedication before he performed "Riviera Paradise" on Austin City Limits: "This one goes out to everyone who's still suffering in any way." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c_8VUL5jks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c_8VUL5jks The beauty that was born from his suffering is certainly extraordinary, IMO, as is his song "Tick Tock", that he did with his brother Jimmy, in a message that should inspire us all on this day and going forward. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8uUTW9zPbM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8uUTW9zPbM
jdietrich 2y ago
I'm deeply sceptical of the "tortured artist" trope. A huge proportion of the greatest songs in the American canon were written by professionals, in what amounted to a factory system. They came into work, sat at a piano and just wrote, day in and day out. We are for whatever reason drawn to the romantic notion of the artist as divinely inspired genius, but I think that profoundly diminishes their skill and work ethic and the importance of professional communities. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brill_Building https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brill_Building https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_Pan_Alley https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_Pan_Alley
- vharuck 2y ago
  I'm reminded of something said by a famous author (I can't remember the author's name or the exact wording, and am having a hell of a time searching for it). Paraphrased from shoddy memory, the author was asked about how inspiration comes to him, and he said something like: "My ideas come to me while I'm sitting at the desk in my office every morning between 7 and 11 AM."

MrMcCall 2y ago

Maybe he's referring to the suffering required to actually put the song together, from inspiration to pieces of structure to full structure to final polish. Perhaps. I'm with you in your assessment, however. These jazz folks didn't look they were suffering in doing this, but that doesn't mean their lives didn't have suffering before they gained acclaim and such incredible chops, or maybe they draw inspiration from the many people and cultures that have suffered: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pYHCGYJbw0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pYHCGYJbw0 I'm also reminded of Stevie Ray Vaughan's dedication before he performed "Riviera Paradise" on Austin City Limits: "This one goes out to everyone who's still suffering in any way." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c_8VUL5jks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c_8VUL5jks The beauty that was born from his suffering is certainly extraordinary, IMO, as is his song "Tick Tock", that he did with his brother Jimmy, in a message that should inspire us all on this day and going forward. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8uUTW9zPbM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8uUTW9zPbM

jdietrich 2y ago

I'm deeply sceptical of the "tortured artist" trope. A huge proportion of the greatest songs in the American canon were written by professionals, in what amounted to a factory system. They came into work, sat at a piano and just wrote, day in and day out. We are for whatever reason drawn to the romantic notion of the artist as divinely inspired genius, but I think that profoundly diminishes their skill and work ethic and the importance of professional communities. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brill_Building https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brill_Building https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_Pan_Alley https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_Pan_Alley

vharuck 2y ago
I'm reminded of something said by a famous author (I can't remember the author's name or the exact wording, and am having a hell of a time searching for it). Paraphrased from shoddy memory, the author was asked about how inspiration comes to him, and he said something like: "My ideas come to me while I'm sitting at the desk in my office every morning between 7 and 11 AM."