Disc of the day
Heaven 17 - Penthouse And Pavement
From Sheffield, synth pop and funk to stick it to Thatcher. Currently being played live!
News
Vic Chesnutt, 1964-2009
3:23 PM GMT 27/12/2009
VIC CHESNUTT, THE Athens GA singer-songwriter whose vulnerable voice and jaundiced, blackly humorous take on life lay at the centre of a 16-album recording career, has died in hospital after falling into a coma at his home, reportedly the result of an overdose of muscle relaxants.
Chesnutt, 45, was wheelchair-bound from the age of 18, after breaking his neck in a serious car accident. Although he never sought anyone's sympathy and even credited the subsequent paralysis with a poetic and musical awakening, it was a cloud that hovered over him and informed much of his work, even his most outgoing records, such as 1995's brilliant but bittersweet contemplation of the performer's existence, Is The Actor Happy? He once admitted to having attempted suicide at least twice previously.
Rising to prominence in the early-'90s, with the albums West Of Rome and Drunk, Chesnutt's breakthrough was eased by the patronage of R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe, and he maintained a hardcore of celebrity superfans - including Madonna and Smashing Pumpkins - who contributed Chesnutt covers to a 1996 benefit album: Sweet Relief II: The Gravity of the Situation.
Stipe, who produced two albums by Chesnutt, paid tribute to him in a radio interview with NPR.
"He was able to bring levity to very dark emotions and feelings, and he had a humour that was really quite unusual," Stipe said. "I said recently that I thought he was one of our greatest songwriters, and one of our greatest voices."
His survivors include his wife, Tina Whatley Chesnutt; a sister, Lorinda Crane; and nine nieces and nephews. To benefit his dependants, vexed alt.siren Kristin Hersh has set up a donations page on her web site.
MOJO sends our sympathies to them all, and honours an unique and powerful writer and performer.
By Danny Eccleston
Portrait by Jem Cohen
Posted by Danny_Eccleston at 3:23 PM GMT 27/12/2009
Previous News
-
MOJO @ SXSW: Day 2!
Our man in Austin referees folk throwdown, watches Seymour Stein take a nap.
10:34 AM GMT 19/03/2010
-
Farewell, Charlie Gillett
A personal appreciation of the groundbreaking DJ/writer by MOJO's David Hutcheon...
10:15 AM GMT 19/03/2010
-
Alex Chilton 1950-2010
A personal tribute to the reluctant Big Star legend, by MOJO's Martin Aston.
6:07 PM GMT 18/03/2010
-
Peter Gabriel Top 10
MOJO office types had a fight over the art-pop egghead's greatest tunes. The results are in!
5:13 PM GMT 18/03/2010
-
Ian Hunter Q&A
The rock'n'roll lifer on his May tour and that astounding Mott reunion.
12:00 PM GMT 18/03/2010
-
SXSW Mourns Alex Chilton
Big Star maverick casts shadow over Day 1 of Austin music fest.
10:22 AM GMT 18/03/2010
end of body content back to top
Footer
Join us on:
© Copyright Bauer - all
rights reserved.
Reproduction of this
website, in whole or in
part, in any form or
medium without express
written permission from
Bauer is prohibited. All
use is subject to our
Terms of Use
|
|
Comments
Comment on this post
Since I'm maybe not that fluent with english words as you are: I don't get the word «vexed». If you could describe this one a little more in a common sense I would appriciate it. (And also the donation-link.)
Thank you. My thoughts are with a great poet & my heart is with his family and friends.
Philipp
Posted by Philipp at 4:30 PM GMT 27/12/2009 Report Abuse
Reply to this post
RE: Philipp
"vexed" means hurt, confused, angry.
Posted by Anonymous at 7:42 PM GMT 28/12/2009 Report Abuse
Reply to this post
I hope I'm not alone in finding the description "vexed alt.siren" incredibly insensitive, as well as inconsistent with the respectful tone of the rest of this piece. Chesnutt and Hersh were friends, tourmates, and mutual admirers -- but regardless of that, she's an accomplished musician widely noted for her humour and generous disposition (as exemplified by her donation page). She doesn't deserve to be described in such a dismissive way.
Posted by Michael at 12:12 AM GMT 30/12/2009 Report Abuse
Reply to this post
I hope I'm not alone in finding the description "vexed alt.siren" incredibly insensitive, as well as inconsistent with the respectful tone of the rest of this piece. Chesnutt and Hersh were friends, tourmates, and mutual admirers -- but regardless of that, she's an accomplished musician widely noted for her humour and generous disposition (as exemplified by her donation page). She doesn't deserve to be described in such a dismissive way.
Posted by Michael at 12:12 AM GMT 30/12/2009 Report Abuse
Reply to this post
I hope I'm not alone in finding the description "vexed alt.siren" incredibly insensitive, as well as inconsistent with the respectful tone of the rest of this piece. Chesnutt and Hersh were friends, tourmates, and mutual admirers -- but regardless of that, she's an accomplished musician widely noted for her humour and generous disposition (as exemplified by her donation page). She doesn't deserve to be described in such a dismissive way.
Posted by Michael at 12:13 AM GMT 30/12/2009 Report Abuse
Reply to this post
RE: Michael
If something is worth saying once, say it three times.
Posted by Paul at 11:50 AM GMT 02/01/2010 Report Abuse
Reply to this post
Comment on this post