Amy Winehouse statue

[flipnflap]

It's being reported that attempts are being made to have a statue of Amy Winehouse at London music venue The Roundhouse. Do you think she made enough of a musical contribution to merit this? Or are your memories of her more dominated by her drink and drugs-fuelled lifestyle - ie. she was the very opposite of a good example to others - or do we simply put that down to an illness? One report I read states "The star's father Mitch, mother Janis and stepmother Jane hope bosses at the concert hall will allow the life-size sculpture to stand on the first-floor balcony next to the building's bar. They are adamant Winehouse, who died from alcohol poisoning last July, would appreciate a tribute at the venue as it is close to where she lived after shooting to fame." I can't help think this might be referring to the bar rather than her home nearby

[Canary42]

Some people are so mean-spirited.

[Sipowicz]

"shooting to fame" A double entendre?

[emmie]

if they want to pay for it sure. Though i can't help wondering why they would think it a good idea.

[missnemesis]

Perhaps a realistic statue of her should be erected - outside a drug and alcohol abuse centre, one which portrays her as she really was when tanked up on booze and drugs and ultimately dead because of it.

Much more useful as a reminder of where living a lifestyle like hers can get you.

>>> They are adamant Winehouse, who died from alcohol poisoning last July, would appreciate a tribute at the venue <<<

Bit late for her to appreciate anything don't you think?

[sp1814]

Don't see why not - different scale admittedly, but people flock to Graceland to pay tribute to Elvis - another great star felled by drug and alcohol abuse.

There are also statues of Janis Joplin in Port Arthur and Jimi Hendrix in Capitol Hill (Seattle).

I suppose people like to celebrate an artist's life, rather than they way they died...

[bazwillrun]

No

Elvis made a cultural impact on a generation and on music that AW couldnt even dream of.
She was just another "pop" singer whose name will hardly be mentioned in a another couple of years, sad but true.

[ummmm]

I don't think she's classed as a 'pop' singer.

[NOX]

IMHO Amy Winehouse did more for music in her short career than Elvis could ever hope to, just because you sell a truckload of records doesn't actually mean you have any talent, and although he was undoubtedly one of the best acts around at the time ( because the 50's and 60's were pretty desert like in terms of good musicians) in the huge scheme of things he really wasn't that talented, he just caught the imagination of bored youth. What's good is not always popular and what's popular is not always good ( and Amy Winehouse was not a 'pop' singer).

[douglas9401]

A bit establishment and mainstream for a rebel is it not?

[Old_Geezer]

No particular axe to grind, but I think if she deserves a life sized statue there I hope they have room for the thousands and thousands of others who have an equal claim. I'm sure most would appreciate such a tribute.

[emmie]

she wasn't a rebel, just a mixed up woman, who got involved with a druggie, which inevitably led to her death. And note that all those statues to past music hero's are in the US. Here we don't tend to stick statues up unless they are real hero's like Nelson, Churchill.

[emmie]

to almost dismiss one of the greats, Elvis Presley as a footnote, seems a bit strange. Suggest that Amy will be forgotten sooner than later, whilst Elvis will live longer in people's hearts. I never was a fan of Amy, thought her overrated. I did hear one of her tunes the other day, and though it was quite good, didn't have a clue it was her, until someone told me. If you want a brilliant singer, songwriter, one who could have made a major impact was Eva Cassidy, who sadly died young from cancer i believe.
Perhaps it's just a question of taste.

[sp1814]

em10

But we celebrate our heroes just as strongly as they do in the States. Liverpool Airport was renamed to John Lennon Airport.

bazwillrun - every few years in the UK, an act comes along which alters music. It happened in the 90s with Oasis (who could've broken up after their first two albums and still be considered the greatest rock act of their generation).

Amy did the same for female singers. Without Amy, record companies would not have scrabbled around for soulful female singer songwriters in the early 00s.

No Amy, no Lily, no Paloma, no Adele, no Kate.

Okay - that might be stretching the point - these artists may well have made it anyway.

However, a vast number of music lovers will cite Back To Black as the best British soul album of all time. That's why it's the second best selling album in the UK in the 21st century.

[T&S]

Maybe it's not a statue, but a lifelike vending machine for drugs.

[anotheoldgit]

Does anyone know what other statues have been installed in The Roundhouse, and of whom?

Be interesting to know just for comparison purposes.

[Zeuhl]

I think they named Liverpool Airport 'John Lennon' to commerate the fact that as soon as the Beatles made a few bob that's where they left from never to return.

[RATTER15]

Amy Winehouse was a very talented songwriter and singer but like many, she went down the wrong path and done a great deal of harm to her reputation and eventually it ended her life. I would be more than happy to see a statue of this amazing woman erected in her memory.

I would rather remember her life than her death.

[Ric.ror]

I think a scholarship for a young woman to fulfil the potential that Amy never had chance to might be more apt

[mickrog]

outside a hospital would be better... with a syringe in one hand and a bottle in the other

did more than Elvis???....not even worth commenting on

[ummmm]

And that wild hair....!!