Quote:
Originally Posted by pete3799
I wouldn't trade my life for his that's for sure.
I've been making music for 45+ years and he hasn't impressed me yet.
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Nobody asked whether you wanted to trade your life for his. He grew up about as much of an outsider as one could be in one of the tougher ghettos in America. Think about his physical stature and appearance for a minute, plus pretty white-looking in North Mpls. in the '60s and '70s.
Freaks and geniuses are not known for their happy/normal lives, generally speaking. Though he has definitely done it "his way" and been more successful than you if we gave you ten tries, instead of one life.
I think it's safe to say that if we assembled the 20, (or 50 or 100), people considered to be the most talented living musicians, not one would concur or agree with your assessment of him. He was the youngest producer ever signed by a major record label. He came out of absolutely nowhere in a time before the internet and Warner Bros. gave him the $$ to produce an album where he wrote every song, played every instrument and was the sole performer. He was 18 years old and very odd-looking, fitting into no existing genre at the time. The album was a huge hit. He went on to produce many more, each one bigger than the last.
His compositions have been made into hit records by several other major artists, as well as performed by world-reknown symphony orchestras. He wrote, produced, directed and starred in a motion picture about his life. Not exactly Citizen Kane by any means but it was a massive success and made him $50M in one year. (1984 dollars). Not bad for a bi-racial dwarf from the 'hood.
Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, the Marsallis brothers, countless rockers and music fans around the world consider him brilliant. Pete from the Pelican board is not impressed.
Hokay...
