Too bad! R'n'r was such an exciting thing from 73 to 77,when JT was half alive. His guitar playing, man, nobody played like him. For r'n'r, he was the best.
@posthumanhero I thought we were discussing musicianship not production. However, if you think the mix on 'Raw Power' is more aesthetically pleasing than 'Funhouse' you really must have tin ears! I love the primeval stomp of the first album, but to say that the band had not vastly improved as musicians when they recorded their second is simply ridiculous. It was also Ron Ashetons' favourite piece of work.
The more stoned you are, the less you really want to do, and so you end up playing half as much and not doing as many vocals as you should. This video is such a classic illustration. He just wants to get through it so he tosses it off...
This man Johnny Thunders, he is close to death, from heroin I believe, while performing this song. My question is, why do his band mates treat such behavior as business as usual? Very sad, his friends should have looked out for him. He was very good.
+NELSON X His bandmates probably condoned his behavior and/or were probably just as loaded as him. Believe me, when it comes to addicts most don't get clean through intervention.
+Jake Brown Maybe he was a living legend and people expected him to be so doped up, but his band mates, no, Johnny is absolutely blasted while they look fine. So Johnny is dead. To bad, he was good.
+NELSON X Walter, Billy and Jerry were full blown heroin addicts in the mid 70's till the mid 80's, not as bad as Johnny they could function without it being noticeable. Many people tried to save Johnny, but unfortunately the wrong crowd cheered and egged him on and he then wore it as a badge of honor at time. He himself knew he had problems and would never suggest to kids etc to take heroin. Heroin takes your soul and willpower, i've never even smoked a cigarette in my life, never once thought about drugs, Johnny is one influence as a guitarist and also what not to do in life at the same time.
Well hate to be a grammar nazi here, but the track name is Born To Lose. If there was any debate about loose the track would be Born Too Loose. But yea i agree the lyrics at the end change to 'born too loose". lol :)
@posthumanhero I wasn't disputing that heroin stifled Thunders' talent, I was pointing out your examples were poor! Junkies can't make good music? check out Charlie Parker, Keith Levene or even the Chilli Peppers! 'Funhouse' is better than the first Stooges album, after Iggy and Scott Asheton had started using. Oh and btw Hawkwind also had a junkie frontman with Ron Tree. I don't think heroin use is cool, I just don't think dividing music into 'clean' or 'junkie' is worthwhile.
Hawkwind had at least two junkie drummers over the years, Biafra from the DKs tried it with Darby Crash; and as for citing the Moody Blues, Caravan and Earth Wind and Fire, maybe if they'd tried smack they might have made music that wasn't so bloody dull!
the energy & spirit of this shit is super fucking cool.....but the drug usage is not. if you're able to come 1/10 close to this w/o using, consider yourself a legend
