I see Simmons as sort of my "evil twin". That is, we have similar viewpoints on humanity and how it really functions, and often come to the same conclusions, but I come at it from a Christian perspective. That is, we have very different epilogues to the story - as well as background beliefs about what causes a lot of stuff. He sure is a sharp business man.
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Biggest jerks in music
- Thread starter LiquidMidnight
- Start date
Interesting. Having watched the DVD documentary that came out last year, I can't let go of that I actually agree on everything he says in that documentary. It has something to do that evil twin. Or in the vein of "oh, I don't like this or that band either but I wont say it in public". To tell you the truth, I haven't followed him or his music all that much, not at all really, he was just one of the cogwheels inside Deep Purple, consisting of all alpha-males having a pissing contest. But he stated in interviews some strange things but I can't help but agreeing with him. Like "I don't like people that smiles too much, or laugh all the time". I totally agree with him. And the thing is really that it boils down to this, and it's the same as Gene Simmons said in the same DVD:
Ritchie Blackmore started out playing instruments around 10 years old. 10-11 years old. I did that too. Long before I was interested in chicks. This seems to be a juvenile and childish stance, but Gene Simmons started to play rock, basically, just to get laid, just as the Beatles actually did too. Only Paul McCartney seemed to be fired up by his inner muse and carried on releasing a bunch of material after Beatles died, at least compared to all the others. Both Wings and solo material. I e it seems the Ritchie Blackmore was really first interested in music, and actual playing, and the other things came later on. And that is maybe why he won't suffer any fools gladly. He can't stand the rest of the junkies, posers, and music industry in general. He didn't start out to get just famous. He plays for himself first and foremost, the audience second, and other band members/other musicians, music journalists not at all. Same here.
I couldn't care less about his output with Rainbow, or even think he's so-so on guitar compared to his contemporaries, although he's written legendary riffs. I e I like what he says in interviews way more, than I like any of his music. But I agree, he can come across as a ponce more often than not.
There's a saying within the newer artists, when they meet up their idols, that it is mostly some kind of shtick they put on. They're basically acting nice to any colleague in the business, and puts on a publicity stunt of some sorts. But those who are like that towards musicians in their own bands are totally the jerks. I have some pet peeve jerks too:
1. Keith Jarrett. Yes. That one. He 's to be in top place of all top of ten tops (!?). Nothing tops that guy, in terms of jerk. Period. The undisputed king.
2. Bono. Enough said, no further presentation needed.
3. David Sylvian. Yes. Obscure cult art rock artist, that came to clashes with Robert Fripp even (that one's also another one for you to chew on). Third rate David Bowie wannabe, and very insular to everything and everyone. Even pets.
4. Axl'n'Lars. Already mentioned too many times. They two ought to form a duo. The don of jerk-duos.
5. Jarvis Cooker. Actually anyone that has turned into a junkie (heavy drugs) later on in their carreer turns a jerk and then some. Jaco, anyone?
Brit Awards - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
But he has some - later when rehabbed up - mitigating circumstance. Once in an interview of why Pulp had broken up after an album that took long time to make, he looked out of the window and sighed and then answered one of the best things I've heard on heavy drugs, with a counter question:
"Well, it all boils down to that haven't you wondered why there's not anyone saying to you this ever: You have become such a much nicer person since you've started snorting cocaine"? Alluding it all to himself. The interviewer didn't reply, but both laughed embarrassingly.
6. Prince. Yes, I couldn't give a **** that he's passed on. But if there was someone who needed change out his stage name from anything to Ponce its him. The "encounter" with Sinead O'Connor (that's another one too) is the aphex of jerk behaviour. He scolded her for using foul words in interviews, while he himself got away with it in numeruos songs and lyrics. S*xy motherf***cker anyone? Numerous others, contained way much more that Sinead would ever had the imagination to conjure up.
7. Roger Waters. Yes, we had to get one bassist in here. We shouldn't think we could be excluded from this list. Read any interview from the "pink floyd wars years" and make your mind up. It's easy to see who comes out of it the worst. He even said in interview that apart from Bob Dylan, and John Lennon, it's him that's about the only ones worth listening to.
8. Marilyn Manson. Almost on the verge of going into the "where are they now?" files, due to his comments after Columbine school shootings, and has haunted him since then. It could have something to do with point 5 above too, as in turning into a junkie, you get ... worse, as time goes by. Since he used to be a music journalist, he very well knows how to pull a publicity stunt though.
9. Miles Davis. Yes, you probably won't believe this, but even after his sobering up years. Towards bandmates, audience alike. Not that he was reclusive, or silent or shy, and got a reputation through that. Put demands on stage technicians and so on, and whatever, and showed diva behaviour, all of a sudden, when being on the "set" so to speak.
10. Sharon Osbourne. Surprise! But she "is in music", and since the topic was "biggest jerks in music" we can't exclude managers, rec company execs, or producers. Ozzy is humble by comparison, and Sharons holds him in a vice grip.
If I would have my way, I would rather come across in public as a slightly more serious, somber, grumpy, type of guy knowing very well that it's a sort of publicity stunt or shtick. Social gadfly of some sorts. Not a bona fide jerk really. And to my family, fellow musicians behind the stage, or friends being very funny, generous and friendly. Sort of opposite Robin Williams. Who always started to joke as fast as there were more than two people around him. And at home, and deep inside it was something completely else going on.
The opposite of "sad clown". "Glad git" maybe?
Because, one of these things are very much easier to pretend, and that's the glad and happy stuff. You can always pretend a smile. And look happy. Talk happy. Act happy. The other thing is way more harder to put on a stunt about. To pretend.
I think Ritchie's far better than so-so.
I may have to put in a disclamer and caveat: Ponce in slang is not necesarrily an effeminate man. In some british and irish slang it's sort of over the top besserwisser and world reformers.
I do differ from guitards swiftness, and ability to kick off mindblowing solos, and their knack at actually writing some good songs. They don't very often mix up equally as well. It seems that either they spent the times practicing shredding and forgot how to compose. The original jerk mentioned by the OP Yngwie Malmsteen is the prime example of that. Ritchie did write some good riffs though. Even stellar. And pulled off some solos, but I think by today standards (soloing) he doesn't hold up even to such ones as Jeff Beck and similar. His replacement in Deep Purple, Steve Morse are almost overqualified and way better than anything Ritchie put out. BOTH in solo department and compositions. Of course, each to their own. I do think he had an influence on other guitarists though. That if you play electric guitar today, and at least plays some kind of hard rock or even metal, I think if there's anyone saying that they got nothing from Ritchie they're probably lying. True.
But still IMHO and my taste only. So-so. There's a sameness throughout the years, that doesn't show any development at all. Neither in feel, imagination or technique.
Some of the biggest problem children I've encountered in decades of doing this have been right here on TB. 
I'm amazed how many people mentioned are the ones involved in making some of the most popular and successful music.
I do think it correlates actually. You can't really tell what's cause or what came first. But that the biggest names also turns out jerks big time, goes - sort of - hand in hand. The thing that can be annoying is that being a jerk from the start on, even if you're not that genious about it. Or without drugs even. That born "its-in-my-DNA" bona fide jerk. Artist, and bohemian transient lifestyle that you think automatically goes/comes with it.
Lemmy may have been seen as some kind of "biker mentality" jerk publicly, but we all know he was as nice as could be. And that's why he lasted, all through the years, in spite of him burning the wick in both ends. Never known or heard that he snapped against someone, or started to go strutting about it. He may have, but not publicly. It's something of Muhammed Ali, a quotation machine whenever holding a press conference, like "I am so mean I make medicin sick!" as his shtick, but at home, the nicest guy.
AFAIK, some of these mentioned above (in my list) holds their "shtick" even outside the public world. Sharon, for example. Prince did too.
Being an A-hole is often a winning strategy in many walks of life.
Also, I think there's a correlation between having lots of people tell you you're a god, having lots of pressure put on you to perform and make money, and being an A-hole.
I think it's worth noting that both Lemmy and Ozzy have been fired from successful bands basically for substance abuse. (Which is amazing considering the bands that fired them, Hawkwind and Sabbath are both notorious for drug use, so it must've been really bad with these two guys!)
And both are/were known as generally nice guys. Ozzy does awful things sometimes in a party animal kind of way (cheating on his wife, overdoing it with drugs and alcohol, sometimes being a disgusting pig in a general sense), but I've never heard of him being a diva to people he works with, more like he tries too hard to be a clown and to be liked. Ozzy, in his autobio, said he always feels kind of inferior when he's around really good musicians. Lemmy said that being in Hawkwind was where he finally started to understand how to be a musician as opposed to just a guy in a band. Both felt they had room to improve.
Also, IIRC, Ozzy and Lemmy were also friends.
Two contrasting people that worked closely and works close together, Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman are a perfect examples of that contradictory "playing the game thing". Rick Wakeman with his grumpy tv-series "grumpy old men" and complaining and whining about this and that publicly. But in private, and solace, he's as humble as one can get. Jon Anderson with his Gandhi like demeanor outwards and publicly and definitely on stage, can be - still - quite Napoelonic off stage, and actually still behave like a jerk, in spite his senior years.
But all these jerks in music pales in comparison to any "hosts" in TV-industry, especially for some strange reason, those of the British isles. Instead of drugs, it seems that the more money they makes their jerk factor ramps up considerably. All that Top Gear debacle. Jeremy Clarkson (omfg what a jerk), Morgan Piers (for f*x ache), Chris Evans (who ever brought him onboard?), Jonathan Ross (even an OBE...c'mon). I would favor anyone on my top ten list above these, but so it is with Sharon too. She's british and well off. And the one who tops that list are Simon Cowell. Synonym for jerk. Could be used interchangably without hesitation. Those are - namely - jerks off stage as well.
But all these jerks in music pales in comparison to any "hosts" in TV-industry, especially for some strange reason, those of the British isles. Instead of drugs, it seems that the more money they makes their jerk factor ramps up considerably. All that Top Gear debacle. Jeremy Clarkson (omfg what a jerk), Morgan Piers (for f*x ache), Chris Evans (who ever brought him onboard?), Jonathan Ross (even an OBE...c'mon). I would favor anyone on my top ten list above these, but so it is with Sharon too. She's british and well off. And the one who tops that list are Simon Cowell. Synonym for jerk. Could be used interchangably without hesitation. Those are - namely - jerks off stage as well.
Close but not quite. Their first headline tour was mostly smaller size venues & they were hauling major production especially the lighting rig which could be extremely dangerous if the venue lacked the structural requirements to support the weight. They put the "No Brown M&Ms" clause in the rider reasoning that if the promoter didn't see that he probably hadn't read the technical rider either so no load in until they could verify that the place could handle it. What superficially sounds like rock star indulgence was actually a really smart move.
And on the American side of the pond you can add Johnny Carson, who was a totally loveable persona on TV but was known for being kind of a dick behind the scenes. His infamous blacklisting of Joan Rivers is a prime example.
And of course, there's the famous Bill O'Reilly:
Which leads us to another thread: How much factor of a jerk and factor of a superior great musician can you stand in your band? How good can they be on their instrument while you have to test your patience with them, socially? Is there such a limit? Maybe OT but so be it. I am more of the kind that I wont suffer fools gladly, so I've been offered just once, and turned down a major touring act, just because of that. And it wasn't a reputation built on rumours from others but experienced in first hand. I just bailed out to that I knew I wouldn't stand the drama, antics, and jerk in the long run.
This is true. I think it was an accident were one of the roadies, I mean the on tour crew, got a serious jolt that could've killed him, and it turned out that the venue arrangers hadn't read the technical rider at all, and provided the venue with poor grid, and juice. Now, when that M&M rider came about, and they had the browns removed, nothing else dangeruos happened. I e no brown M&Ms = no jolts, no "forgotten things" no hazards at work.
