What is it with 27????

Well the world a music saw a tragedy yesterday as Amy Winehouse was found dead in her flat in London yesterday, and she was only 27.  But what is it with this 27??? 

I don't know why these troubled musicians choose to go when they are that age, its almost like they want to make sure they have put their bodies through enough trouble and suffering that they are certain to die at this age.  Amy Winehouse for a long time struggled with her health as she had a serious drug problem, between that and smoking crack cocaine, it was destroying her lungs, and quite often in the latter years, Amy could be seen on stage barely able to stand up and mumbling her words rather than singing.  Add onto that she had suffered the expected bouts of depression, self harm and eating disorders, which certainly added up to one unhappy lass. 

I remember quite a few years back that Jack White himself, was really anxious and afraid of falling foul of the "27" curse and dying at that age as well.  But Jack obvioulsy isn't the tormented substance abuser that Amy was or any of these other rock stars, and thankfully is still very much with us.  But Amy has definitely now joined that rather sad and inglorious group of talented musicians who died long before their time, which in itself is really sad and tragic.  With Jim Morrison he just put his body under so much abuse of alcohol, drugs and smoking that his heart gave out, Kurt Cobain troubled with severe depression, stomach problems and also a massive heroin habit, saw him end his life with a single bullet (Layne Staley later died 8 years on, again from an overdose on approximately the exact same day as Cobain apparently did on 5 April).  Janis Joplin died from alcohol related circumstances as she choked on her own vomit as did Jimi Hendrix, and Brian Jones the Rolling Stones former guitarist died again from a drug overdose as he drowned in his swimming pool. 

Its a shame that most musicians today who live life on the wild side can't take more heed from these tragedies and live a more careful life, yes sure rock n roll is about cutting loose sometimes, but it should also be about being professional and putting a good show on for a crowd.  You don't for example the likes of KT Tunstall, Tori Amos or Bjork (well.... ok she might assault someone!) throwing their life away to drugs and alcohol and Tori for example had her own personal demons to set to rest as she was raped at the age of 21.

While I wasn't her biggest fan, I did feel sorry for Amy Winehouse as she fell under more scrutiny from the press than any other singer, as week after week we saw nothing but Amy in the headlines as she got into trouble for assault, drug abuse, falling on stage, going in and out of rehab etc.  Whatever way you wan't to look at it, music has lost another one of its talents, she was a great singer but it was only a matter of time.


And on that rather sad note I'll leave it there.