Death As Career Move?

[MultiScaleMale]

I didn't know J.R.R. Tolkien died, and then I really didn't know he died in 1973.

 

[ardgedee]

Call all you want. Cliff Burton was well respected before his death, which just then elevated him to a God like status among bass players.
Jaco was known (within some circles) and respected. But dying the way he did at a younger age took his fame to a different level. It always adds a mystique. And his career was very much on the skids at the time, his personality quirks making him less of a sought after commodity. People forgive his eccentric behavior now because of the circumstances of his tragic death, but if he had lived longer acting the same way, people may have been less kind.

Jaco was well-known enough to appear on the covers of (and/or have interviews published in) the usual gamut of musician magazines in the 70s and early 80s. His fame was in decline near his end but he still well-known enough to merit obits in the non-specialist press at the time.

Anecdotally, I became a fan of Jaco in the late 70s and followed his career sporadically until his death, but I had never heard of Burton at all (nor paid any attention to Metallica) until some time after his death. I still couldn't tell you anything Burton played on or what contributions he's made to the rock canon.

Which is not to say one is more significant than the other except to the extent any of us takes an interest in one of them. It always blows the mind of a Metallica fan when I tell them that I couldn't recognize any Metallica songs, because to them the band is pretty nearly ubiquitous. They're definitely influential and my disinterest in them has nothing to do with whether they're good, it only means other things are more important to me.

 

[gln1955]

If I died today, my wife would make way more selling my gear than I have playing music this year, or any year.

 

[gln1955]

I didn't know J.R.R. Tolkien died, and then I really didn't know he died in 1973.

You can stop waiting for the sequel to Lord of the Rings.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

You can stop waiting for the sequel to Lord of the Rings.

I'm not a big fantasy fan, I thought J.R.R. Tolkien did Game of Thrones. Heh.

 

[jim nolte]

Harold Budd's music saved my life. I discovered it at a difficult time and his music provided a peace and joy that I cherish and return to often. I listen to his work daily in meditation, and was so sad to read of his passing. He was a genius in my eyes and it's a tragedy that he is not a household name. He was very prolific, and in the 7-8 years since I discovered him, I have grown to love several of his albums and collaborations but haven't heard 'Candylion'. I will plan to check it out.

Check out " The Moon And Melodies " his collaboration with the Cocteau Twins .

 

[Altitude]

I wonder if the count includes royalties on sheet music, radio airplay, the recording sales and downloads?

As regards the Beatles, no. All of that is owned by others now. Recall that Michael Jackson bought the catalog in the 80s, then his estate sold much of it to Sony and its subsidiaries. McCartney has repurchased much of it now, so he sees royalties but the others and their estates do not.

 

[Altitude]

I'm not a big fantasy fan, I thought J.R.R. Tolkien did Game of Thrones. Heh.

No, that was George R. R. Martin, who I am sure is deliberately trying to confuse you by doubling his middle initial like that.

Also, he's not done writing Game of Thrones and at this rate a) never will finish before he dies and b) shouldn't because the last book he did write was not trending well on quality.

 

[socialleper]

Jaco was well-known enough to appear on the covers of (and/or have interviews published in) the usual gamut of musician magazines in the 70s and early 80s. His fame was in decline near his end but he still well-known enough to merit obits in the non-specialist press at the time.

Anecdotally, I became a fan of Jaco in the late 70s and followed his career sporadically until his death, but I had never heard of Burton at all (nor paid any attention to Metallica) until some time after his death. I still couldn't tell you anything Burton played on or what contributions he's made to the rock canon.

Which is not to say one is more significant than the other except to the extent any of us takes an interest in one of them. It always blows the mind of a Metallica fan when I tell them that I couldn't recognize any Metallica songs, because to them the band is pretty nearly ubiquitous. They're definitely influential and my disinterest in them has nothing to do with whether they're good, it only means other things are more important to me.

Do you know what the word subjectivity means?
You have your experiences. Your world view is based on that. Step outside of it for two seconds and observe the world around you.
The average John or Jane doesn't like jazz, doesn't know who Weather Report was, doesn't know who Chick Corea is, and has no idea who Jaco was. Bass players are as insular a group as can be, as are jazz fans. Jaco's death was a somewhat sensational one. That promoted him above being well known among small groups, to being deified among those groups, and being somewhat known among adjacent groups.
That uplifting was then supercharged when Rob Trujillo, ironically now Metallica's bass player, makes a documentary about him, that has further spread Jaco's legendary status to people that would probably never have heard of him.
I grew up listening to metal, and heard of Cliff Burton, Steve Harris, and Geezer Butler long before I ever heard of Jaso Pastorius. And I would put money on there being some chance you have heard of one of Cliff's songs as Master of Puppets recently got the public's attention because of Stranger Things. It was all over the place this summer. Anesthesia: Pulling Teeth, Burton's famous solo on Metallica's first big album, is would probably be enjoyed by fans of Jaco's Jazz Punk era.
My point is that this is all about subjective perspective. It is hard to judge exactly what someone's career trajectory would be, however, dying tragically, in a very public way, while in the middle of a lamentable life struggle certainly helps one's legend significantly. If Jaco had died of cancer a decade after not playing or releasing anything, I completely believe that mythologizing of him would have been very different.
If you disagree, cool. Again, subjectivity.

 

[Joebone]

Call all you want. Cliff Burton was well respected before his death, which just then elevated him to a God like status among bass players.
Jaco was known (within some circles) and respected. But dying the way he did at a younger age took his fame to a different level. It always adds a mystique. And his career was very much on the skids at the time, his personality quirks making him less of a sought after commodity. People forgive his eccentric behavior now because of the circumstances of his tragic death, but if he had lived longer acting the same way, people may have been less kind.

So another legend felled by his demons. Ditto with Jamerson, who was a high-functioning alcoholic since the invention of dirt, but ultimately experienced a career tailspin/trainwreck before dropping dead. What I question in your post is the implication that Jaco's body of work does not stand on its own two feet.

BTW, who is this Cliff Burton, of whom you speak? Yeah, I could google him, but I raise it to demonstrate that perceptions of artistry and fame may not be universally shared - which I guess is a point that is common to both of us!

EDIT - just read post#69, and now know who Cliff Burton is - although still unfamiliar with the work...

 

[socialleper]

So another legend felled by his demons. Ditto with Jamerson, who was a high-functioning alcoholic since the invention of dirt, but ultimately experienced a career tailspin/trainwreck before dropping dead. What I question in your post is the implication that Jaco's body of work does not stand on its own two feet.

BTW, who is this Cliff Burton, of whom you speak? Yeah, I could google him, but I raise it to demonstrate that perceptions of artistry and fame may not be universally shared - which I guess is a point that is common to both of us!

EDIT - just read post#69, and now know who Cliff Burton is - although still unfamiliar with the work...

I never said Jaco's work doesn't stand on its own. I was agreeing with the OP's sentiment that dying is a good way to boost your career. It makes you a legend and locks you in amber. Of course, you have to be good to start with. Just dying won't make middling, or forgettable musicians, gods.
Jaco was known well enough within the right circles in his time. Him dying the way he did just elevated that to a level that I don't think he would have achieved if he had lived longer, or died in some other way.

 

[jimmydean]

So fake your death and keep putting out "newly discovered " recordings from the vault ........Wish I would have thought about that years ago , was talking to Elvis about that at lunch the other day and he seems to enjoy it more this way .