Do You Think Today's Rock Stars...?

Question

..learned lessons from the stars of the 60s & 70s about drug use?

We know some still use them, but we're hearing for far fewer deaths. Today, the real public messes seem to be the Lindsey Lohans & Paris Hiltons as opposed to actual rock stars.

Answer 1

You bring up a good point. There are some instances where it still happens, but you are correct I think in the fatal instances. I think it maybe has something to do with the fact that in the 60's and 70's, it seemed to be more essential and accepted as the "thing to do" in the rock culture. It seems that a lot of the excess that rock artist would be involved is less, maybe in part because that's not seen as good marketing and/or image. Seems to me that the party all night kinda lifestyle died off in the mid 90's or so. I just don't believe that it's as accepted as mainstream lifestyle in the rock world anymore. Maybe alcohol still is, but I don't think the drugs as much.

Maybe in part it's lessons learned, or maybe they just are smarter about keeping it under wraps, but in either case, it's definitely a positive in rock.

Answer 2

I don't think rock stars of today have neccessarily learned any lessons in terms of drug abuse from their past contemporaries. In North America especially, the celebrities that most people talk about ARE the Paris Hiltons and Lindsay Lohans of Hollywood, and not rockstars themselves. Publicists also are there to help keep things like that under wraps as best as possible to help the rocker's career.
If you look at the culture in the UK, rockstars are still held in a much higher regard than the "celebutants" of their area. Pete Doherty was continuously in the news for his issues with drugs and the law, so much so that North American's started hearing about it in the news over here as well.
In regards to "we're hearing for far fewer deaths", you do have to keep in mind that the concept of "rehab" and all those facilities we read about really didn't come into existence and accepted as a "solution" for your substance abuse until the very late 70s/early 80s. I believe I recall Roger Daltry saying in an interview once that he's sure that Keith Moon would have been around much longer if "rehab clinics" had been in existence back in the 60s and early 70s. Joe Perry & Steven Tyler of Aerosmith didn't go into rehab until '86, many years after they probably should have.
I think there is more education and knowledge out there about drugs and drug abuse, but sadly, some creative minds will always believe that they get better product when their mind is expanded through whatever their substance of choice is, and some will believe that their performance and partying ways go hand in hand with what they put in their bodies.

Answer 3

To be honest, I'm glad the music is actually getting all the attention now than the actual stars because let's face it, the music MADE the stars! That's why they're ROCKstars and why they are known. They are not known for their exploits but for their work that makes the exploits known. Which is also similar to what Rckets was saying. But I do get what you mean about the focus being made entirely on the genre and not on the actual actions of the artist. The artist is the one who makes the music and produces it so they should be recognized too. But you got to admit, most individuality has gone down society's drain hole so I don't think it matters what people do anymore because it's nothing new. Just hot attention for a tabloid newspaper.

Answer 4

Well, the truth is...they're ain't that many real rock stars around, in the truest sense of the word. Most of these people in these gawdawful excuses for bands today seem to treat their careers like a 9 to 5 job. Punch out an album, punch out a tour, collect a royalty check, check off another box. There's no heart or soul put in it, therefore there's not as much of the stresses the turned the rock stars of yore into addicts in the first place. Personally, while not advocating drug use, it sure seemed to help a lot of yesterday's artists make a body of work that's vastly superior to what's out there today.
That's My take on the subject.

Answer 5

i don't think so. drug use and being 'in rehab' seems to be cool for celebrities, as amy winehouse has shown. and cocaine allegations restarted kate moss's career. it seems that celebrity drug users can at least attract sympathy from the public when they publish stories about "my battle with addiction" or "my drug hell" whereas normally, drug addicts are scorned and seen as the scum of society, something's very wrong.

but i think that drugs have an opposite effect, if somebody famous dies young, they are basically 'preserved'. i imagine if hendrix was still alive, he would still be regarded as a living legend, but if jim morrison was still alive he wouldn't be half the figure he is today.

okay, kurt cobain didn't die from drugs, but could you imagine if he was still alive? he'd be 40 and getting on, and he certainly wouldn't command the millions of 'fans' he does today. people would probably be quietly laughing at him, like they do to other ageing rock stars. besides, nirvava's popularity rocketed after he died.

basically if a rock star dies young, they are immortalized as they were before their death. once they grow old, they generally fade away. if ozzy osbourne had died from drug use (i'm surprised he didn't) he would be a very different figure to the old man he is now. it's just the way fame works.

lindsay lohan and paris hilton are imo ruining the time of their lives when they should be making themselves known for other things. they'll die someday too (car/plane crash is my guess), but they can never hope to be remembered well if they carry on this way.

take care

Answer 6

Clearly, yes. There are far less overdoses and drug related deaths this decade than in any other decade previously. I don't even think they need the rock stars from the 60-70's to learn from because there was an all star lineup of death just from the 90's alone. You had to figure eventually it would sink in.

Answer 7

Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton arent drug users. They can barely drink, they have very less drinking capactiy, which is why they get drunk easily and end up in jail.. lol..

But yeah, you are right to a point.. the 60's has had a lot of influence on our todays music world, in both, bad and good ways!!

Answer 8

mabey well if they did they learned not to all of the deaths of great talents due to drugs
jim morrison
jimmi hendrix
janis joplin
there are so many from that era its staggering really,i wonder what the would say of society today.
as for lohan and hilton,well i think as a rule of thumb weather its an excess of money or a lack it seems to cause a reaction that the person finds solice in drugs and alchol.its a bloody shame that they often realize too late it makes everything worse.

Answer 9

I think a lot of rock stars are into drugs, but it's kind of kept on the down low now. I had no idea Trent was loaded until he made the announcement that he had quit and was sober. So it seems like they're just really good at hiding it these days. I do think they've learned from previous rock stars to watch their limit and be careful of overdosing.

Answer 10

Part of decrease in drug related deaths could be the fact that they look at the past...........also people are . in general much more serious and concerned when dealing with drug abuse. There are more interventions now than in the 60s/70s, so individuals are getting the help to save their lives sooner.