Comments on: Damage control for Rufus Wainwright http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2006/03/29/damage-control-for-rufus-wainwright/ Roger Bourland writes about music and life Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:37:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.10 by: The Pagan Path http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2006/03/29/damage-control-for-rufus-wainwright/#comment-390 Thu, 11 May 2006 04:00:05 +0000 http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2006/03/29/damage-control-for-rufus-wainwright/#comment-390 <strong>Rufus Wainwright - One Man Guy</strong> Is is possible to separate the musician from his music in the eye of a fan? Rufus Wainwright is an awesome example of this. The rumor mill is alive with buzz about his many flaws as a performer, artist, and human being. Still, I love his music. Should I give that up, just because he has some flaws? I think not. Rufus Wainwright - One Man Guy

Is is possible to
separate the musician from his music in
the eye of a fan? Rufus Wainwright
is an awesome example of this. The
rumor mill is alive with buzz about his
many flaws as a performer, artist, and human being.
Still, I love his music.
Should I give that up,
just because he has some flaws?
I think not.

]]> by: Roger Bourland http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2006/03/29/damage-control-for-rufus-wainwright/#comment-345 Fri, 14 Apr 2006 18:53:50 +0000 http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2006/03/29/damage-control-for-rufus-wainwright/#comment-345 Right on Mark, I agree! Right on Mark, I agree!

]]> by: slvrlark http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2006/03/29/damage-control-for-rufus-wainwright/#comment-321 Thu, 06 Apr 2006 18:15:43 +0000 http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2006/03/29/damage-control-for-rufus-wainwright/#comment-321 On the other hand, there is no law of life that requires incredibly creative people to be obnoxious and and obnoxiously self-centered. I think there have been many great artists who are kind, generous, and thoughtful people, and beloved by their friends. I honestly don't think there is any direct correlation between creativity and neurosis, or creativity and mental/physical illness, an idea which 19th century mythology successfully promoted to the extent that we still have trouble shaking it now in the 21st century. To me, it boils down to this: having a gift *never* excuses bad behavior. I say it's high time we got rid of the "tempermental artist" model of the creative person. And I still love Rufus's music! -Mark Carlson On the other hand, there is no law of life that requires incredibly creative people to be obnoxious and and obnoxiously self-centered. I think there have been many great artists who are kind, generous, and thoughtful people, and beloved by their friends. I honestly don’t think there is any direct correlation between creativity and neurosis, or creativity and mental/physical illness, an idea which 19th century mythology successfully promoted to the extent that we still have trouble shaking it now in the 21st century.

To me, it boils down to this: having a gift *never* excuses bad behavior. I say it’s high time we got rid of the “tempermental artist” model of the creative person.

And I still love Rufus’s music!

-Mark Carlson

]]> by: Roger Bourland http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2006/03/29/damage-control-for-rufus-wainwright/#comment-312 Fri, 31 Mar 2006 16:40:03 +0000 http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2006/03/29/damage-control-for-rufus-wainwright/#comment-312 I'm doing the book! I'm doing the book. Yeah yeah, with paper. I’m doing the book! I’m doing the book. Yeah yeah, with paper.

]]> by: Rosa http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2006/03/29/damage-control-for-rufus-wainwright/#comment-311 Fri, 31 Mar 2006 14:52:06 +0000 http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2006/03/29/damage-control-for-rufus-wainwright/#comment-311 Rufus has an ego? Someone should have told me. I should never have bought/listened/enjoyed every song wrote. I vote for Bourland! Ps. Do the book. Online books ain't the real thing. Rufus has an ego? Someone should have told me. I should never have bought/listened/enjoyed every song wrote. I vote for Bourland!

Ps. Do the book. Online books ain’t the real thing.

]]> by: citrus http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2006/03/29/damage-control-for-rufus-wainwright/#comment-310 Thu, 30 Mar 2006 15:16:36 +0000 http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2006/03/29/damage-control-for-rufus-wainwright/#comment-310 Some of the worst scoundrels and hypocrites I have ever known were colleagues in the ministry. But from the standpoint of what they accomplished and how well they did it, damn they were good! Still, they leave a sour taste in my mouth. Some of the worst scoundrels and hypocrites I have ever known were colleagues in the ministry. But from the standpoint of what they accomplished and how well they did it, damn they were good!
Still, they leave a sour taste in my mouth.

]]> by: Roger Bourland http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2006/03/29/damage-control-for-rufus-wainwright/#comment-309 Thu, 30 Mar 2006 06:34:40 +0000 http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2006/03/29/damage-control-for-rufus-wainwright/#comment-309 Yes Meg, I agree with you: Rufus IS a good boy. I still love his music. But my own breakthrough is that I can love his music and not worry about things he says or things people say about him. I'm a bit slow, but I get it eventually. Yes Meg, I agree with you: Rufus IS a good boy. I still love his music. But my own breakthrough is that I can love his music and not worry about things he says or things people say about him. I’m a bit slow, but I get it eventually.

]]> by: Meg http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2006/03/29/damage-control-for-rufus-wainwright/#comment-308 Thu, 30 Mar 2006 05:14:33 +0000 http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2006/03/29/damage-control-for-rufus-wainwright/#comment-308 A lot of writers are terribly unpleasant as well by all accounts. Fortunately for them people have less cause to experience, or even learn of, their unpleasantness. I think part of it might be that some of these people are incredibly creative but also incredibly focused on themselves and maybe that's where some of their creativity stems from. At the same time, nice as the idea of separating the creator from the creation is, if I were to learn that Rufus say, tortured kittens and kicked puppies, I really can't see myself continuing to buy his music. A lot of writers are terribly unpleasant as well by all accounts. Fortunately for them people have less cause to experience, or even learn of, their unpleasantness. I think part of it might be that some of these people are incredibly creative but also incredibly focused on themselves and maybe that’s where some of their creativity stems from.

At the same time, nice as the idea of separating the creator from the creation is, if I were to learn that Rufus say, tortured kittens and kicked puppies, I really can’t see myself continuing to buy his music.

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