... and that sounds really serious but more from the perspective of us, her audience (are we all going to rust slowly?) than considering great lady herself who is ageless anyway. The thought about her age stopped me a little bit today because I was acutely aware that being her fan from that particular MTV afternoon in 1984 means I also belong to that certain, now middle-aged group. Oh well. Proud Mary keeps on turning.
What Turner did for our lives?
Sure, she was slaying audiences for decades long before that final 1980s eruption and different generations loved and supported her long before that. Black audiences in small clubs around St.Louis loved her for being one of their own who was female James Brown. Later Phil Spector made sure her regal roar was heard well and truly by British Rock aristocracy across the Atlantic and everybody from Rod Stewart, Jeff Beck, Mick Jagger to Lulu was stunned, they were all her fans long before finally American mainstream audience accepted her. Young Bette Midler was one of those people who witnessed volcanic live concert that in her words changed her life. Janis Joplin was fan and she said it live on TV during interview with Dick Cavett. So even post-Ike years in wilderness, when chances looked slim and recording companies avoided her as a washed-up has-been were times when a lot of people passionately loved her. Check any taped concerts from that time and see for yourself - she might not had hits or records but people flocked to see her. However, MTV catapulted Tina into mid-1980s mega stardom and ever since the whole world was suddenly aware of what fans already knew, that she was super-original and vital entertainer who simply had no competitors. There is absolutely no other black girl like her who established herself in a Rock world.
Most of us who were introduced to her music back than in 1984 were simply awed with powerful voice that soared above cold synthesizers (than ultra-modern UK production) and televised performances that streamed like a lava out of our TV screens. People loved her for all kinds of reasons - men simply liked this powerful, attractive woman who commanded respect, authority and primal sex-appeal even though she wasn't actually a classical beauty, women found her impressive example of confident freedom appealing because she was middle-aged warrior queen who would not bow to anyone. Back in 1984 we didn't know anything about dark horror of Ike years but we could sense this is a bruised survivor who hammers her strength and independence instead of whining about past and suffering. That this was a 45 years, black woman in a completely teenage-oriented music industry, not some young bleached marionette but a grown-up person (there was always something so real about her, sweat and all) just made her even more interesting for us. Later she might get all the airbrush treatments that wealth could afford but we could still see that under all that cellophane she was that ballsy ol' sassy sister.
As for me personally, I could never get enough of watching her concert performances. Not sure did other people analysed this, but even when her later music turned predictable and creamy, concerts were always phenomenal and they made me excited and rejuvenated. Even now I get all thrilled just to watch any old concert although I am aware its just a show and everything has been rehearsed - the powerful connection she has with audiences cannot be rehearsed or scripted though, its pure and simple enchantment that works both ways and the more this woman gives, the more she receives back. Its really interesting to think that other performers use perhaps far more sophistication and all sorts of tricks to get across but Tina has always been accepted not as a product but as a real person. Another fascinating thing is that we all understand that behind this sassy, sexy and wild image she is basically a very sweet, decent and perhaps even old-fashioned lady who acts the role - to me she appears very well balanced human being who is part rock mama and part cute tomboy in private. I am perfectly fine with her decision to retire and she deserves it, in fact wouldn't like to see her going on forever until it became caricature - long may she live in happiness of her chosen home.
No comments:
Post a Comment