I have a hard time with social media when a celebrity or a rock and roll icon dies. Instagram, Twitter and Facebook are full of posts that all begin with "I was lucky enough to...," and if you continue reading, it's mostly about the poster and not the deceased.
I never met Karl Wallinger. I have no story. But I was "lucky enough to" have the privilege of buying tickets to many live performances, as well as feeling "lucky enough to" own all his records.
I received two texts almost immediately after the news broke. Both texts from old friends.
"Is it even worth it to love or admire anyone?? My heart can't take it"
"I just read it 1 minute ago. I think my hands automatically texted you."
Good looking out.
Karl Wallinger had something and it was more than his love of The Beatles and Bob Dylan and Jeff Lynne and Prince and David Bowie. He had the ability to translate that love into music that we now refer to as World Party.
Check out that song at the top. We love The Rutles, yes? But what Karl did for the film "Reality Bites," a parody of Bowie's "Young Americans," is too genius for words.
Fucking Karl Wallinger! I have stories. But so what? They won't be better than his music.
19 comments:
This is a real tough one.
Randy
Neglected to mention that there is nothing better than Big Blue Ball (the song).
Randy
A wonderful talent. Yes, let's play the music.
And I just read that Eric Carmen died as well :(
Marc
I had forgotten about that Reality Bites track. Fantastic indeed.
Listened to Egyptology and Bang! after hearing the news. Small comfort, but two excellent albums. And not just songs--albums.
Bill
Damn. Eric Carmen today, too!
Here's a lovely possibility. Some kid becoming as obsessed with music as you and your Burning Woods-ians will read an obit or hearing a passing reference or a clip of a song by Raspberries or Eric Carmen or World Party and they'll play the full song and then search out an album or two...and fall hard for their music and play it over and over and love it and make all their friends listen to this track or that track "and have you heard...?" The music won't die.
RIP Karl.
Sad news. RIP.
I will say, though, in defence of the 'I was lucky enough' comments (I've probably posted a few myself) is that they primarily reflect the way the music interweaves with and soundtracks our lives and, at times, it's hard to separate the two. The power to do that is why we love it so much, surely? When we hear of events like yesterday it really vividly brings back how we felt, the emotions the music pulled out of us back the we lucky enough to... I really felt it when Shane McGowan died when as well as a genuine appreciation of the power of his music, it really brought back the difficult and emotional night an ex and I had at a Pogues show in Scotland, all those feelings came flooding back. And sometimes, as Joe Strummer and Kirsty McColl were paying with them that night, you are actually lucky to be part of something.
I was also lucky enough to see World Party live two or three times (it's a long time ago and my memory ain't what it used to be!) and own all their released works, or thereabouts. But yeah, like you never met the guy. I'd liked to have shaken his hand and said thanks
Sal- I believe we bumped into each other at World Party's last NY appearance at City Winery years several years ago. He looked and sounded great. And in recent interviews, he mentioned that his health was improving. So yesterday's announcement of his death really hit me hard.
People like to talk about bands/artists having a run of great albums (Stones Beggars-Exile for example). But I'd put World Party's run of albums up there with anyone.
RIP Karl - and thank you for the wonderful music
Honest Ed,
There have been a number of times I could have started a post about a death with "I was lucky enough to..." I certainly don't begrudge anyone who has been moved by the music of an artist, or has felt "lucky." I've turned off friends, family and customers with my passion for music, having one person say "oh stop it, just relax," as tears fell from my eyes while listening to a Costello/Bacharach song in my shop. I wanted to hit him with a boxed set.
The posts I am referring to are the ones that seem so very clearly about showing off the photo taken with the artist, or one I saw yesterday about how a person got to record handclaps on a World Party recording. But then again, who am I to judge who is or isn't moved, or how one expresses that feeling. This is just a feeling I have, nothing more.
And yes Kevin, we were at that City Winery show and Karl did seem in good health and great spirits. His passing is a shock.
Very sad to hear of Karl's passing as he's provided such great music over the years.
Was with a mutual frie d of Karl's yesterday, and whole at a music club, he got a text with the news of his passing. Hit him really hard and he left to go back to his hotel. Said he had just exchanged emails withnKarl,amgewndaysnago, so he has no idea as to what happened. So sad.
RIP to a fantastic artist, musician, songwriter and quirky human. Ship of Fools is one of the breat songs, ever.
I had forgotten about that "Reality Bites" song and how confusing/brilliant it was to me the first time I heard it.
Thank You World for giving us Karl Wallinger
Yes, yes ... great thread here. This one is hitting me hard, maybe because Wallinger's genius seemed more approachable and human to me than, say ... the Gallagher brothers perhaps?
Wallinger seemed like a dude you could know, but one who had an amazing approach to melody, lyrics, groove - "a dude you could just know" but who was inspirational, too.
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