Here's the deal on Crow

Someone asked me why, after mentioning in my previous post about Sheryl Crow having breast cancer that I would not have mentioned earlier the break up between Sheryl and Lance Armstrong. It is very simple, I will explain: I have a great respect for Sheryl Crow as an artist—on par with my regard for Bob Dylan and Hunter Thompson. Sheryl and Lance did not live their lives publicly; their public lives together was a result of both their careers—they did not talk or do reality shows, they did not offer to sell their intimate pictures, and they quietly went about their lives together. Yes, there was an announcement about the engagement and ensuing break up, but it was more about securing some sense of privacy than exploiting themselves.

So, there ya go… I’m sure the splitsville for Nick and Jessica is not easy, but it wouldn’t be in normal circumstances… when you live your marriage and life for the camera—don’t expect that you can stop when it gets hard and things fall apart.

Britney made her career out of exploitation of herself… her talent did not make her. Some people use that exploitation and can then turn it around to be about their talent, but they have to have the talent to begin with… the uber-example would be Madonna; to a lesser extent, is Brit’s contemporary, Christina Aguilera. Once fame sets in though, the exploitation doesn’t just go away, no matter how much talent is in that little pinky finger. .

Then there are the people whose careers and talent will burden them forever to the paparazzi. Queue Jennifer Aniston. Hopefully, she will do enough movie roles and have enough diversity in the next few years to quit being everyone’s favorite friend and Rachel can be set aside… at least somewhat. Rachel created a phenom like no other and as a result, Aniston will forever be a gossip column fave—as will her now ex-hubby by association. Brad Pitt was never the center of focus like he was once he married Aniston… and now he will carry that with him.

Angelina Jolie—well, she’s just kinda weird and has gotten involved in some really WTF situations. I actually respect her to a degree for the work she does with the UN. She’s tried to take the Audrey Hepburn route, unfortunately, she hasn’t been able to achieve that… after all, I doubt Audrey would have done Lara Croft-type roles.

So there it is… now, it isn’t to say that I’m blinded by my respect for the person as an artist. I laughed out loud and cringed at the same time when Dylan did the Victoria Secret commercials. It was great, and deserved the irony factor it created. Dennis Rodman doing it—well that made sense, sadly. And, Sheryl has definitely had her share of over-exposure—I know I personally got really tired of her and Stevie Nicks being joined at the hip a while back… but when she comes out with lines like, “All our pop stars look like porn,” well, it’s great and it is precisely why I make the Dylan comparison (though certainly not a first for Crow)—she takes her environment, like all artists, and translates it to lyrics beautifully and uniquely. She changes her style but for her art, she speaks to a generation and it can translate feelings in a way that many artists never achieve. Truthfully, I don’t think she will completely be understood in her time—or any time soon for that matter. She doesn’t have the best voice, her instrumentation isn’t that terrific (though she clearly works hard at it), but her words and ability to feel the music are extraordinary.

And that’s my deal.