Success, adulation of millions, moolah and plum perks. The cult figures in music get all these things on a platter at an early age.
Then, what is it that turns the applecart upside down and drives them towards disaster, drugs and more - as in the case of Amy Winehouse? TOI speaks to some well-known members of the musical fraternity in the city to glean the facts...
Whither support
According to singer Pinkoo Joseph, it's not the western music that should be blamed, but the disturbed childhood that plays havoc with these singers' lives, who court success big-time. "Here in India, we have a strong family support and a value system that's imbibed in us since childhood. But, in most of the western societies, parents aren't able to do that because they themselves aren't exactly the role models. So, these celebs easily fall prey to drugs and alcohol," says he.
Handling success
But, the drug abuse issues can't be blamed on western society alone, feels sound engineer Nitin Joshi. He goes on to add: "In the west, drug abuse is mostly prevalent among the new-age singers, who climb the popularity charts early on, unlike the western classical artists like Beethoven, Mozart etc, who became known in 40s. So, whether it's Michael Jackson, Britney Spears or late Amy Winehouse, they are not able to handle success and its add-ons. Then, they are exploited by their own coterie and that can also lead to frustrations. With nobody to guide or ground them, the disasterville is obviously waiting to happen."
'Seeing' music
The explanation behind celebrity singers' drug-alcohol nexus is lot more complex, says DJ Jabs, the promo producer of Radio Mirchi. "I have interacted with many rock, techno and trance singers, who have told me firsthand that drugs for them are a 'must have' to be in sync with that heavy music. They claim that after taking certain acid drugs, they 'actually see music and not just feel it'. Their argument is that to sing heavy music with lots of distortions at around 134 beats per minute, drugs are needed to be in sync. That is the sad reality of soul and techno music today," says DJ Jabs.
But, it's possible to retain sanity despite so many disturbing factors involved, claims DJ Gurpreet Singh, who adds: "They should be guided by the seniors in the music fraternity to steer away from the destructive path of drug abuse. If they have the will, these celebs can hold on to myriad positive things in life. But those, who are weak-willed, must be helped by others around them."
