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Jaco Pastorius DVD

H

hoel

Jul 16, 2003
157
0
42
Oppdal, Norway
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#1
Hi!

I just got the Jaco Pastorius "Modern Electric Bass" DVD from amazon.com

I've had it on VHS, so it's been a while since I've seen it.

Question: What's up with Jaco at the very last of his playing on the DVD.. when he plays mostly by himself, with distortion. He laughs and looks kinda drunk / drugged.

Any info on this?

I understand this wasn't a very good period of his life. When was it recorded?

Greetings from Norway,
Hoel
 
#3
IMO, I have a hard time watching that DCI video. It was NOT a good time in Jaco's life, when bi-polar disorder was really affecting his life, as well as the drugs and alcohol. In fact, it wasn't long after the video that Jaco was killed.

Not that I believe everything in the Milkowski book.......but in it, it says that they picked Jaco up and locked him in a hotel room for a few days to clean him up before the video. It was a last ditch effort at helping Jaco make a comeback.....most of his friends had already deserted him, and he was in a bad way.

Just think of the line when Jerry Jemott talking to Jaco about all thats been said about him, etc....and Jaco says, "Hey, give me a gig"....its quite sad, IMO.

Although the video is quite valuable to have the record of Jaco....there is NO question it was a rough time in his life, near the end of his life.

With the utmost respect...

Aloha, Garey
 
#4
I agree with you, Garey.
As big a Jaco-fan as I am...I don't see myself buying that DVD.

The good news is the Joni Shadows & Light concert being re-issued DOMESTICALLY after all these years(since 1980). It can had at Best Buy, etc for about $15.
(I bought an IMPORT VHS + an IMPORT DVD version of this concert prior to the US version).
 
#5
I also bought the Shadows and light DVD at the same time; It really kicks ass!

But hey, you guys didn't answer my question.... Of course he liked distorted bass, but I don't think that is the reason for his laughing and walking around... he looks kind of wasted - but it's only on the third song, not the two first.

Does anyone know of a website that has a more detailed history around Jaco, with the myths and all? I've read lots of "The history of Jaco Pastorius", but they are not too detailed...


Greetings from Norway,
Hoel
 
#6
Garey said:
Just think of the line when Jerry Jemott talking to Jaco about all thats been said about him, etc....and Jaco says, "Hey, give me a gig"....its quite sad, IMO.
Click to expand...

That's a very sad thing! I have downloaded the video over p2p.

I really wonder how this guy can be such a legend, even though after he are not with us, and yet there's such points in his life that he is totally neglected from the society?

Issit really his mental illness that killed him? Or issit just that nobody appreciated him anymore? :bawl:
 
#7
kiwim said:
I really wonder how this guy can be such a legend...
Click to expand...
a)You're not old enough...i.e. you weren't playing bass/music in the '70s.
b)You really have listened/studied enough of Jaco's music.

kiwim said:
...even though after he are not with us...
Click to expand...
...there's not a whole lotta 'living legends' out there.

kiwim said:
...and yet there's such points in his life that he is totally neglected from the society
Click to expand...
Jaco was not the first by any means; Charlie Parker, Thelonius Monk, Bud Powell, etc.
He will not be the last, either.

In any event, there's many, many threads here at TB dealing with these issues.

Try Invalid Link Removed
Be sure to read his daughter's(Mary) comments.
 
#11
kiwlm said:
Issit really his mental illness that killed him? Or issit just that nobody appreciated him anymore? :bawl:
Click to expand...

No. What killed him was that damn black belted bouncer at the bar...he just had to throw his weight around, and ended up BEATING Jaco to death. Think he served any real time? :rolleyes:

Aloha, Garey
 
#14
I am bi-polar so I can relate to how Jaco must have felt.

It is kind of hard for me to say, but I was institutionalized (sp?) for about a week after going totally nuts on some kid who really didn't deserve what he got. They took me off of my medication (Paxil and Tegritol), and I just could not handle life at all. Now let me tell you, when I don't get my meds (Paxil especially), I can do some pretty odd/crazy stuff, but alchohol and drugs make it 10x worse.

R.I.P. Jaco... I know it must have been tough for you.
 
#15
I imagine that in the mid 80's there wasn't nearly as much info out there on bi-polar / manic depressive syndromes. And there certainly wasn't all the meds, studies, counseling, etc that we have today. From what I've heard, a lot of Jaco's friends just thought that the "lights" had gotten to him, along with excessive drugs and alcohol.....most deserted him and totally disassociated themselves with anything having to do with him. I bet that if it was known that Jaco was TRULY suffering from a serious disorder, his friends would've helped him instead of dropping him....even with his (at times) outrageous behavior. Ah, hindsight....

Aloha, Garey
 
#16
Garey said:
I imagine that in the mid 80's there wasn't nearly as much info out there on bi-polar / manic depressive syndromes. And there certainly wasn't all the meds, studies, counseling, etc that we have today. From what I've heard, a lot of Jaco's friends just thought that the "lights" had gotten to him, along with excessive drugs and alcohol.....most deserted him and totally disassociated themselves with anything having to do with him. I bet that if it was known that Jaco was TRULY suffering from a serious disorder, his friends would've helped him instead of dropping him....even with his (at times) outrageous behavior. Ah, hindsight....

Aloha, Garey
Click to expand...

Yes, you are correct. At the time, it was just known as 'Manic Depression', and the symptoms were.. well, manic depression. Now people realise that there is more to it than that.

For those of you not in the know, bi-polar is a disorder in which the person suffering from it has really high highs and really low lows. Drugs and Alchohol can destroy you if you are not treated.
 
#17
I think blaming the bouncer is excessive, it was his job to keep guys that are high as kites out of the club.

I don't believe anybody knows exactly 100% what went down that night, so useless speculation about how a bouncer beat him to death for no reason is incorrect. Maybe he had reasonable cause to subdue him and it got out of hand.
 
#18
abark000 said:
I think blaming the bouncer is excessive, it was his job to keep guys that are high as kites out of the club.

I don't believe anybody knows exactly 100% what went down that night, so useless speculation about how a bouncer beat him to death for no reason is incorrect. Maybe he had reasonable cause to subdue him and it got out of hand.
Click to expand...

One of my old teachers told me a story, but I don't knwo if this is correct at all.

Jaco went to a club one night and demanded to play. The bouncer kicked him out (Jaco was high or drunk). JAco came back and got in a fight with the bouncer. Jaco came back yet again and fought the bouncer one last time. When jaco returned the last time, the bouncer though he had a gun, so he beat him senseless.

How close is that story?
 

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