The Pursuit of Happiness

Now, I know most of you avid readers wait impatiently at your computers each week clutching your mouse in anticipation of the next exciting edition of Mol’s Sound Words. I also know some of you agree and sometimes disagree with most (if not all) of the content I write for you. But there is one thing I will guarantee we all agree on … and that is life is all about being happy? Agree? So, I know it was weeks ago, but I’m gonna carry on with another Jacko related story here if you don’t mind? Anyway, I’ve been reading loads of stories about Michael Jackson lately and how he was treated by his father when he was a kid. Very troubled soul and, you have to say, rather sad, bizarre and sometimes tragic life. I did have real genuine sympathy for him to be honest. But, I must admit, that at the end of the day he lead an extremely privileged and luxurious life for most of his time in music. A life most would kill for (including his doctor if you read the Daily Star). And it’s that point that makes me think: why was he (and so many other famous musicians) so sad and miserable throughout their career? Don’t get me wrong here, I know Jacko had to put up with quite a lot in his private life over the last ten years with the two court cases he had brought against him and some of the other crap, but as I have just stated, he was very very rich and lead a pretty charmed life. To coincide with all the Jacko stuff, I was also watching a programme the other day about American Alternative Music (Grunge, if you like). And it was basically centred round the life of Kurt Cobain and other bands such as REM, Black Flag, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. The documentary (mainly centred around Cobain) pointed out that he was a seriously troubled chap. It seemed from day one he was a very un-happy young man who suffered from bouts of depression. During his time in Nirvana his unhappiness had a lot to do with the amount of Heroin he was ploughing into his arm, but maybe he was just plain miserable before that? If so, I really can’t understand why he was unhappy as he left behind a legacy of music that some people say changed a generation and is still well listened to this day. A re-invention I suppose you could say and also something to be extremely proud of in my opinion. Sadly, for Cobain, he didn’t see it that way so he decided to blow his brains out one day at the ripe old age of 27 while at the height of his fame. There’s no doubt he seen his fame as a burden and a massive weight on his shoulders. But he did have children to his ‘loving’ wife Courtney Love, which, in my opinion yet again, is a pretty bad shithouse way of getting out of things. No Dad of the Year Award for him! But, as regards the obviously tragic circumstances surrounding Cobain’s death, there is one thing that really stands out to me, and it’s this: I just don’t get it? Some of these famous young men & women are trekking across the planet with everything paid for them, serious amounts of money, having a good time, shagging whoever they want and basically doing a job that millions of wanna be X Factor contestants and other people who dream of being famous can only, well, dream of doing!! It’s not like they’re working in an office having to put up with bullshit middle managers talking bollocks all day and having totally pointless meetings about meetings about meetings or working in a fucking bog cleaning shit out of toilets now is it? Many people I know would give their left bollock to have a career like the pop stars they idolise. I’d guarantee you one thing though: if I were in a famous band or had the fame (and wealth) most of these miserable bastards have now, no way would I act like some sort of tortured soul, spoilt bray or strop around the place like a miserable cunt demanding the head of some poor bastard who just so happened to serve them champagne at room temperature or knocking fuck out of some photographer taking pictures of me!! I’d be having an absolute fucking ball and I’d take as many of my mates with me as I could!!! You can guarantee that! So, if any of you stroppy pop stars just happen to be reading this, chin up eh chaps, and stop being miserable bastards as things could be worse, you could be working in KFC or you could be on the dole … or, even worse, you could be a member of Razorlight! Suddenly that job working in the bog seems a lot more palatable doesn’t it? Mol