I re-discovered Janis Joplin today. I watched a documentary called the Final 24 which details her last 24 hours alive and I started to relate to her more. She was plagued by self destructive behaviour, the quintessential story of growing up in small backward no name America, never loving herself. Its weird with celebrities strip down the glamour, take away the fame and the issues are usually cultivated at an early stage. Her style was anything but normal she was as Vogue dubbed " the most staggering leading woman in rock", when it came to accessories it was excessive of course, piles of bangles, fur hats, feathered hair, velvet bell bottoms- it was no holds no cares fashion. Janis took a left out of normal town and kept driving.
She was the free wheeling pioneer of the 60s, her style was outlandish, jumbled somewhat but carefree. I think the reason people identified with her so much was her demeanour- underneath the bravado, the non stop show, was the real music so uncut, so raw and pulsing you just forget everything for a moment.
Now that iv finished the shortest biography ever to be written about Janis (available in bookstores September 1st) you have to check out Alison Porters cover of Cry Baby I dont usually promote covers but this is quite brilliant!And yes she was the cutie from Curly Sue!
No comments:
Post a Comment