‘Fallen Stars’

The loss of an icon is always a tragic affair, whether they die through nature’s course, or through self-destruction. When the world loses a star, a legend, after they have reached the zenith of their legacy and the world is satisfied with their contribution to the industries, there is a catharsis felt among the fans who know that their idol had given all they had left to give. When the late Etta James passed, although it was a terribly heart-rending time for many around the world, we are left with a legacy that was entirely fulfilled and so it is much less a tragedy. However, when stars die before their time, before giving all they have left to gratify their devoted fans, despair, shock and heartbreak sweep the world.

In the wake of Whitney Houston’s death, I began to think about stars who have suffered an untimely death, shocking their industries and shattering the hearts of their fans. It is heartbreaking when a worldwide talent is lost so suddenly, and the mourning felt across the world is vast. However, what many of us fail to remember is that, those who were an idolized legend to us, were children, parents, friends and loved ones of those who idolized the late and great longer than the world has.

          It was at exactly 1:07am, on Sunday the 12^th of February 2012, when my flatmate burst through my bedroom door to tell me that Whitney Houston had died. Instantaneously, my mind began to record every minor detail about the moment – who I was with, where I was, what I was wearing, how I felt etc. The exact thing happened when I heard about Amy Winehouse, Michael Jackson, Etta James, Heath Ledger… the list goes on. The list of stars that have died before their time is endless, and many of them are members of the infamous 27 Club. What all these stars have in common is that, they all had a profound affect during their reign in their industry of choice. The ultimate expression for those who live a rock ‘n roll lifestyle is ‘Live fast and die young’ – I bet when uttering these words in the Humprhey Bogart film Knock On Any Door, Nick Romano did not foresee the influence it would have on stars in years to come.

The 27 Club, or Forever 27 Club as it is sometimes dubbed, is the most bizarre coincidence in the celebrity industry, and perhaps the world. But is it entirely coincidence, or is it a curse? The most recent member to ‘join’ this club was Amy Winehouse, who died tragically in July 2011, and the immediate speculation was that foul play and drugs was the cause of death. To be fair, given her past this was not an entirely unorthodox statement, and they were a grave donor to the deaths of the other members of the club.  No pun intended.  A friend of jazz vocalist said in 2008, “She reckoned she would join the 27 Club of rock stars who died at that age. She told me, ‘I have a feeling I’m gonna die young.'” The first member, the legendary Robert Johnson, preceded the other members by decades and even though recorded less than 30 songs, he influenced such great artists such as Eric Clapton.  His cause of death in 1938 was attributed to a key ingredient in LSD, creating a link with later 27members who fell victim to the acid-fuelled psychedelic -music movement of the ‘60s.

The deaths of the young clubbers have been associated with troubled lives, hard and fast paced living, with a stealthy amount of tainted play involving drugs and alcohol abuse infiltrating their hardships –all of which is coated by the glittering facade they uphold for the media. Yes, some are cursed with their troubles, but it does not put a spike at the age of 27 where every troubled artist must overcome the peak of their plight. Researchers from Queensland University of Technology discovered that while fame and hard-living does increase the menace of premature death among the talented stars, the death of so many famous musicians at the youthful age of 27 was just a coincidence. Additionally, they found that musicians in their twenties and thirties are more likely to pass, than the general population.

When I think of the 27Club I immediately think of Jimi Hendrix, the greatest electric guitarist in musical history and how his death showed that the world of fans would keep him alive long after his soul had departed. Legacy can be kept alive, and if you think about it, although their time was brief, the talent of these deceased icons is timeless. But should these musical legends, with their tortured souls, have to pay such a high price for timeless talent and legacy?