A slightly morbid framing of the question and it goes without saying everyone should live a long happy life. That said, in terms of legacy and cultural impact, who do you think falls into those categories?
Too soon: SRV. I think we missed out on the best he would have had to offer even though what he left behind is almost unmatched.
Too late: Elvis. Setting aside the kitsch value of Fat Elvis and his Vegas era, he became a caricature of himself and it’s an indelible mark on his legacy.
Right time: Bob Marley. Massive catalog, never lost a step or relevance, left us at the absolute pinnacle of his career without the feeling we missed out on anything more by him leaving when he did.
Topic not limited to musicians but it’s an interesting place to start.
Too soon:
Freddie Mercury
Jimmy Hendrix
Kurt Cobain
Bob Marley (have to disagree with you here)
Jim Morrison
John Bonham
George Harrison
Randy Rhoads
George Michael
Too late:
Michael Jackson (too late for the kids he abused)
.
It is crazy to me how far and fast Elvis fell. He died when I was just a kid. It seemed like he must have been a fat old man given how he was pretty much a joke the entire time I was growing up. Dude was only 42.
Too young actor edition - River Phoenix, Heath Ledger, Chadwick Boseman
About right - Chris Farley and John Belushi - these guys had a ton left to give but their paths were only going to get uglier
Too soon:
Freddie Mercury
Jimmy Hendrix
Kurt Cobain
Bob Marley (have to disagree with you here)
Jim Morrison
John Bonham
George Harrison
Randy Rhoads
George Michael
Too late:
Michael Jackson (too late for the kids he abused)
This was a Jimmy Carr joke which I’m sure I’m butchering.
Ah perhaps I see. You said win respect to legacy and cultural impact. You chose to elaborate on those but it was ambiguous whether you wanted us to qualify our nominees or whether you just wanted to to consider those criteria when suggesting names.
A slightly morbid framing of the question and it goes without saying everyone should live a long happy life. That said, in terms of legacy and cultural impact, who do you think falls into those categories?
Too soon: SRV. I think we missed out on the best he would have had to offer even though what he left behind is almost unmatched.
Too late: Elvis. Setting aside the kitsch value of Fat Elvis and his Vegas era, he became a caricature of himself and it’s an indelible mark on his legacy.
Right time: Bob Marley. Massive catalog, never lost a step or relevance, left us at the absolute pinnacle of his career without the feeling we missed out on anything more by him leaving when he did.
Topic not limited to musicians but it’s an interesting place to start.
I’d say Prince was just right.
He’s somehow now getting mentioned along with other guitar greats in the advert on the classic rock station they sometimes have on at the gym.
Scratch that. Neither really fits any category. They aged gracefully, musically and otherwise so I don’t see their passing preventing damage to their legacies.