sopsych

There's more research about the musicians who die young.
Successful solo rock/pop stars twice as likely to die early as those in a band

Key finding - they're often solo artists. My guess is that, behind the substance abuse, mental health issues often are involved in people being kicked out of bands. Beyond that, people who prefer to work solo probably tend to isolate themselves in general, which can be unhealthy.

What do you think? I want to hear perceptions of musicians or actual insider knowledge of musicians' interpersonal behavior and mental health.

Paedantic Basterd

I think there are an awful lot of variables involved. Far too many to nail down causation.

ManWithNoName

It can be unhealthy. But it can also be unhealthy to stalk another human being with a camera and constantly invade their privacy and people do that too.

I genuinely have a lot of empathy for the likes of Amy Winehouse who literally couldn't open their front doors without being harassed.

Definitely makes me redefine the terminology of being successful. You sing well so now you can't nip down the corner shop for a loaf of bread...

Twisted society.

sopsych

Being a solo artist usually makes one more of a target for media scrutiny, I suppose. That probably doesn't apply to famous musician implosions before this century.

Rjinn

This is pretty much just personal or circumstantial thing. I don't really see how mental health has a direct line to musicians?

mr dave

Doesn't really strike me any different than independent workaholics tend to burn out faster than team player employees. Difference being an office based workaholic develops skills they can carry over to new jobs once they've recovered from their last burnout. A pop / rock singer - not so much. The other thing is that a solo artist vs. a band is one person + industry handlers / enablers as opposed to a full band + the industry people who 'work' with the artist. I think the band situation provides a bit more potential support for the artists involved since they're not completely alone in the mix of industry professionals.

So once you've stepped onto that stage, burn out, then fear it, what are you going to do to pay the bills? Work a phone in a call center with the rest of the unskilled masses? Rock a cash register at the corner store? After having become a 'celebrity'? Sure it's superficial but we live in a superficial world.

So what's the real option for an aging pop-tart who got plucked out of normal adolescence to be dropped into the entertainment machine once the glitz starts to fade and the spotlight starts pointing to their replacement? Years ago they would have become A&R people for labels, now the options seem to be keep exploiting yourself (either through the entertainment machine you now hate, or reality tv) or kill yourself. Though really it's only their ego that stops them from taking the regular person job, but at the same time if they've achieved any sort of measurable mainstream fame they've probably had more than a few enablers making sure that ego remained properly fluffed and shielded for as long as possible and just creating another hurdle for the individual once they're finally faced with the possibility of having been replaced.

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