Friday, January 31, 2025

A LEGIT OBIT - Marianne Faithful


Very easily in her early life she was written off as Jagger's muse by lazy music hacks. Once she'd dug herself out of her drug dependency habit, she made herculean efforts to forge her own career, in theatre and most prominently in the world of music. Collaborating with many people, PJ Harvey, Nick Cave, Lou Reed, Metallica to name but four. She sought out cutting edge work by contemporary artists, that would suit a distinctive characterful voice roughened by smoking to a beautiful touching fragility. She brought a depth and world weary skepticism to much of what she did. Her live performances most resembled old fashioned louche cabaret. She played up to her past reputation and parodied it. Rerecording As Tears Go By, many times, each time updating her relationship with a signature song with which she would be forever associated. I will certainly miss her not being around anymore. A person of great individuality and strength has passed, and an exemplar par excellence of how to take agency over your life. Here is one of my favourite tracks by Marianne Faithful - Strange Weather, it demonstrates just what she could do with a great Tom Waits song.


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