Re: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] musicians

[Mike Miller <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

On Wed, 2 Apr 2008, Vern Green wrote:

> I would expand it to include many artists. I wonder if to be really 
> successful with the creative portion of your brain, that the common 
> sense side gets suppressed in some way.

Good question about the brain.  I don't know.  Regarding artists: Jackson 
Pollock, van Gogh, and many others I'm sure -- another buncn of crazy drug 
users.


> Musicians have the worse of it as they are totally thrust into the 
> lifestyle, living fast, lots of sex, and yes drugs, at least drinking. 
> Many I know that are not into the sex and drugs part have problems with 
> depression. I know more than one talented musician both successful and 
> less successful that have this problem.

I guy I know spent a day or two with Wilco.  He said that they had to be 
able to sleep on the tour bus, which was very hard to do, and that 
drinking and drugs were used partly to help them to sleep.  That makes 
sense.  I would also think that recognizable rock stars are often offered 
drugs and drinks by people who want to say that they partied with them.


> While I play music, and have had some degree of success in the past, I 
> have always had the power of will to resist drug use. I am not so sure 
> about the depression part of the equation however. I have said before 
> that I am not sure what being happy is, nor do I know what being 
> depressed is for sure, but there are many days where I have all the 
> classic symptoms of depression.

Depression is really common among writers too.  This is interesting:

http://www.cbs.com/cbs_cares/depression/creativity.shtml

Dr. Nancy Andreasen is a psychiatrist (MD) and researcher who first earned 
a PhD in English -- so she knows the writers really well.

Mike

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