Amy Winehouse found dead in her apartment in North London

[sactochris]

I can't really say It came as much of a suprise. It's a shame when someone that young and that talented pisses it all away.

[Smitty]

Fuck, I hate that. I thought she got her shit together.

[Slipkid42]

Damn, I saw her about 3 yrs. ago. She had some kinda microphone calamity going on. She was like oops, here I go again (though I don't think she had anything to do w/it). I was really pulling for her to pull outta her death spiral. That's a real shame.

[Erdlivz]

Addiction is some crazy shit. The video of her in Serbia before canceling her latest tour is unreal. Far too young and a damn shame. I'm not surprised.

[LuthierJustin]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/SHOWBIZ/celebrity.news.gossip/07/23/amy.winehouse.dies/
but really, who's surprised

[Tequila Cowboy]

Really sad. RIP. Another member of the 27 Club.

[sactochris]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/SHOWBIZ/celebrity.news.gossip/07/23/amy.winehouse.dies/
but really, who's surprised

I don't think that's the point. No one is suprised. I wasn't suprised when Cobain was found dead either. The point is that she was young and talented and now she is gone. Her life was a complete trainwreck but the lady could sing. That is a fact. She had a lot of soul for a white girl from Camden Town.

[lajakesdad]

this really sucks. she had so much talent but could never get it together. she should be huge but instead is another one dead at 27.

[Smitty]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/SHOWBIZ/celebrity.news.gossip/07/23/amy.winehouse.dies/
but really, who's surprised

I don't think that's the point. No one is suprised. I wasn't suprised when Cobain was found dead either. The point is that she was young and talented and now she is gone. Her life was a complete trainwreck but the lady could sing. That is a fact. She had a lot of soul for a white girl from Camden Town.

I'm gonna steal a quote from Mark Kemp's facebook page:

I hate seeing all these comments in my news feed from people saying her death was "inevitable" or "just a matter of time." That's not true and it's a bad message. She did not have to die. Anybody -- anybody -- can get and stay clean, no matter how far down the scale he or she has gone. There are many living testaments to this. Amy Winehouse's death is tragic, but it was not a foregone conclusion.

[one belt loop]

Just having an argument about this very thing. The other guy is saying that people don't ever really change. I call that a bullshit copout. But, like the lightbulb, you have to want to change. Saying you can't is just taking the easy way out...the negative flip side of saying "I was born this way."

It pisses me off mightily. This girl didn't have to die. But she did, as far as I can tell, reject all the offers of help that came her way. She said no, no, no. In the end, this road was her decision; you can't make anyone want to recover. Like they say in AA, first the man takes a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes the man. Sad all around, whether someone is talented or not. It's a damn shame.

[Smitty]

Just having an argument about this very thing. The other guy is saying that people don't ever really change. I call that a bullshit copout. But, like the lightbulb, you have to want to change. Saying you can't is just taking the easy way out...the negative flip side of saying "I was born this way."

It pisses me off mightily. This girl didn't have to die. But she did, as far as I can tell, reject all the offers of help that came her way. She said no, no, no. In the end, this road was her decision; you can't make anyone want to recover. Like they say in AA, first the man takes a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes the man. Sad all around, whether someone is talented or not. It's a damn shame.

I believe she had been to rehab many times, including May of this year. I don't think you can say she didn't try.

[one belt loop]

makes it that much sadder. 27 years old!

[oilpiers]

I will go a little against the grain here. This is what I posted on Facebook a few hours ago........
"‎80 children were killed yesterday by one gunman, and I see nothing posted by anyone I know. Yet there are 6 threads in the past few hours on Amy Winehouse, a possibly talented drug addict. Far from tragic when compared to what happened in Norway."

Pretty much anyone who works in law enforcement, mental health, or substance abuse fields would likely feel the same way. (PS 30 years in the field)

[Smitty]

I will go a little against the grain here. This is what I posted on Facebook a few hours ago........
"‎80 children were killed yesterday by one gunman, and I see nothing posted by anyone I know. Yet there are 6 threads in the past few hours on Amy Winehouse, a possibly talented drug addict. Far from tragic when compared to what happened in Norway."

Pretty much anyone who works in law enforcement, mental health, or substance abuse fields would likely feel the same way. (PS 30 years in the field)

You don't have to choose one or the other, you can pay respect to both. Calling her "possibly talented" is more of a disrespect to the deceased than not commenting on something at all, and whether she was an addict should have no bearing on anything. What happened in Oslo was a horrific tragedy, but taking time to share your feelings about a certainly talented artist who died too young doesn't take anything away from Oslo, and vice versa.

[Smitty]

By the way, the point that what happened in Norway doesn't get enough attention on a personal level here stateside is something I can agree on, it's the whole tone of people believing they're somehow superior to someone who has a substance abuse problem that gets under my skin.

[oilpiers]

I will go a little against the grain here. This is what I posted on Facebook a few hours ago........
"‎80 children were killed yesterday by one gunman, and I see nothing posted by anyone I know. Yet there are 6 threads in the past few hours on Amy Winehouse, a possibly talented drug addict. Far from tragic when compared to what happened in Norway."

Pretty much anyone who works in law enforcement, mental health, or substance abuse fields would likely feel the same way. (PS 30 years in the field)

You don't have to choose one or the other, you can pay respect to both. Calling her "possibly talented" is more of a disrespect to the deceased than not commenting on something at all, and whether she was an addict should have no bearing on anything. What happened in Oslo was a horrific tragedy, but taking time to share your feelings about a certainly talented artist who died too young doesn't take anything away from Oslo, and vice versa.

Maybe not one or the other, but my point was one is a huge national tragedy that dwarfs anything in years and I see little comment on it anywhere. Amy's death is a tragic event for her friends and family, but no more so than any couple of songs on any DBT album, which they say are based on real people and events. As for possibly talented, I heard one or two songs, nothing special. She was more famouse for her addiction and crude behavior. I read an article about her a few years ago, and she was nasty, and I could smell her breath and death through the magazine. Being an addict likely has EVERYTHING to do with it. Worse things are happening in your state, and mine, right now. Is this more of a tragedy because she had talent? Or because you have heard of her?

Maybe it is my long background in behavioral health that has tought me to identify a true victim versus personality disorders with a death wish. ( I guess I am just an asshole, huh?)

[Tequila Cowboy]

I will go a little against the grain here. This is what I posted on Facebook a few hours ago........
"‎80 children were killed yesterday by one gunman, and I see nothing posted by anyone I know. Yet there are 6 threads in the past few hours on Amy Winehouse, a possibly talented drug addict. Far from tragic when compared to what happened in Norway."

Pretty much anyone who works in law enforcement, mental health, or substance abuse fields would likely feel the same way. (PS 30 years in the field)

Fair enough, and of course you are right, but isn't the loss of any life tragic? I haven't given Amy Winehouse a whole lot of thought today except for the fact that I thought her death was sad and a waste of natural talent. I have thought about the tragedy in Oslo constantly since it happened. I have family from Norway and I am 1/4 Norwegian myself. It is a tragedy that is difficult to wrap one's head around. A man who called himself a Christian committed a horrific act murdering people in cold blood. I can't process this. I'm sure most people can't process it either, now Amy Winehouse you can process. It doesn't hurt, it's just sad and a wasted life. I think that's why people are more willing to talk about it.

[Smitty]

I will go a little against the grain here. This is what I posted on Facebook a few hours ago........
"‎80 children were killed yesterday by one gunman, and I see nothing posted by anyone I know. Yet there are 6 threads in the past few hours on Amy Winehouse, a possibly talented drug addict. Far from tragic when compared to what happened in Norway."

Pretty much anyone who works in law enforcement, mental health, or substance abuse fields would likely feel the same way. (PS 30 years in the field)

You don't have to choose one or the other, you can pay respect to both. Calling her "possibly talented" is more of a disrespect to the deceased than not commenting on something at all, and whether she was an addict should have no bearing on anything. What happened in Oslo was a horrific tragedy, but taking time to share your feelings about a certainly talented artist who died too young doesn't take anything away from Oslo, and vice versa.

Maybe not one or the other, but my point was one is a huge national tragedy that dwarfs anything in years and I see little comment on it anywhere. Amy's death is a tragic event for her friends and family, but no more so than any couple of songs on any DBT album, which they say are based on real people and events. As for possibly talented, I heard one or two songs, nothing special. She was more famouse for her addiction and crude behavior. I read an article about her a few years ago, and she was nasty, and I could smell her breath and death through the magazine. Being an addict likely has EVERYTHING to do with it. Worse things are happening in your state, and mine, right now. Is this more of a tragedy because she had talent? Or because you have heard of her?

Maybe it is my long background in behavioral health that has tought me to identify a true victim versus personality disorders with a death wish. ( I guess I am just an asshole, huh?)

People have emotional investments in the artists & musicians they listen to/support. I'm not going to say I was her biggest fan or anything, but I loved the two albums she put out and was looking forward to the next one. It's a tragedy (on an other than personal level) that she obviously had so much potential that will never be realized, and it's a tragedy that she was troubled, tried to get help and failed. I respect your years in the mental health field, but I don't think that makes you a rightful judge that someone's life is worthy or not to be memorialized.

[oilpiers]

People have emotional investments in the artists & musicians they listen to/support. I'm not going to say I was her biggest fan or anything, but I loved the two albums she put out and was looking forward to the next one. It's a tragedy (on an other than personal level) that she obviously had so much potential that will never be realized, and it's a tragedy that she was troubled, tried to get help and failed. I respect your years in the mental health field, but I don't think that makes you a rightful judge that someone's life is worthy or not to be memorialized.

Fair enough. I think this is just another example of how something written on the net appears more confrontational than it is. If it was a face to face conversation it would appear perfectly rational.

[Smitty]

Fair enough. I think this is just another example of how something written on the net appears more confrontational than it is. If it was a face to face conversation it would appear perfectly rational.

Probably so. I'm a little riled up from all the disrespectful comments I've read today about how she either deserved to die for being an addict or that she was "just another worthless junkie". As someone who has struggled with shit of my own, I take offense to anyone who talks down about someone for having an addiction - as someone in the mental health field, I would think you have some handle on how hard of a struggle recovery can be. Regardless of the cause of death, it's still a tragedy when an artist (or anyone) dies before their time, and if you've been touched in any way by their work of course you're going to want to express your feelings about it. When Vic Chesnutt died, despite the fact that it was an intentional overdose, it still hit me like a ton of bricks, because I've been such a fan of his art and it's helped me get through tough times of my own, and it saddened me that he lost the fight that he had been struggling with for so many years. If 9/11 had happened the same day, it wouldn't have made mourning his death any less relevent to me, or vice versa.

[Slipkid42]

I think the fact that this is a music forum, is why we're talking about Amy more than Oslo (which is a far more horrific tragedy).

[Smitty]

I think the fact that this is a music forum, is why we're talking about Amy more than Oslo (which is a far more horrific tragedy).

Agree completely.

[oilpiers]

Fair enough. I think this is just another example of how something written on the net appears more confrontational than it is. If it was a face to face conversation it would appear perfectly rational.

Probably so. I'm a little riled up from all the disrespectful comments I've read today about how she either deserved to die for being an addict or that she was "just another worthless junkie". As someone who has struggled with shit of my own, I take offense to anyone who talks down about someone for having an addiction - as someone in the mental health field, I would think you have some handle on how hard of a struggle recovery can be. Regardless of the cause of death, it's still a tragedy when an artist (or anyone) dies before their time, and if you've been touched in any way by their work of course you're going to want to express your feelings about it. When Vic Chesnutt died, despite the fact that it was an intentional overdose, it still hit me like a ton of bricks, because I've been such a fan of his art and it's helped me get through tough times of my own, and it saddened me that he lost the fight that he had been struggling with for so many years. If 9/11 had happened the same day, it wouldn't have made mourning his death any less relevent to me, or vice versa.

The simple truth is you can expect less sympathetic reactions from the medical field, social service departments,law enforcement,fire fighters, mental health, and even substance abuse professionals. It is not really callousnes, but a perspective where you see so much self induced destruction where literally that person is the only one that can make a difference. You also witness first hand the trail of destruction which leaves the real innocent victims in its wake.

I sincerly hope you are doing well. There is no implied hostility in what I say, just my perspective. I have had plenty of friends seriously affected by substance abuse, several die.

[oilpiers]

I think the fact that this is a music forum, is why we're talking about Amy more than Oslo (which is a far more horrific tragedy).

Agree completely.

My orignial post was in response to Facebook and other other non-music message boards. Every board posts OT stuff.

[Flying Rabbit]

Both things have their sadness to them.

For obvious reasons, Winehouse is more relevant to most of the people in the world. In the US here, Norway is a world away, but Winehouse's cd might be a few feet away. It doesn't make one more tragic if one died of an OD (which hasn't been confirmed, but is the probability), or if one was shot. Both are losses of life which had meaning and reason to be on this earth. I mourn and pray for families of the Norway bomb/shooting victims, and Winehouses family and friends. That solace finds them.

[Steve French]

I havent been able to listen to her CD for a while now because all it conjures up is those dreadful pix and video we've all seen of her fucking it up big time.

[sactochris]

By the way, the point that what happened in Norway doesn't get enough attention on a personal level here stateside is something I can agree on, it's the whole tone of people believing they're somehow superior to someone who has a substance abuse problem that gets under my skin.

Thank you!

[sactochris]

I will go a little against the grain here. This is what I posted on Facebook a few hours ago........
"‎80 children were killed yesterday by one gunman, and I see nothing posted by anyone I know. Yet there are 6 threads in the past few hours on Amy Winehouse, a possibly talented drug addict. Far from tragic when compared to what happened in Norway."

Pretty much anyone who works in law enforcement, mental health, or substance abuse fields would likely feel the same way. (PS 30 years in the field)

I think if those cops, mental health workers and substance abuse recovery specialists really feel that way then they are in the wrong fucking job. All three of those lines of work require compassion, and If that's how they feel then they have been working in a high stress field for way too long and they should seek emplyment elsewhere.

[sactochris]

Fair enough. I think this is just another example of how something written on the net appears more confrontational than it is. If it was a face to face conversation it would appear perfectly rational.

Probably so. I'm a little riled up from all the disrespectful comments I've read today about how she either deserved to die for being an addict or that she was "just another worthless junkie". As someone who has struggled with shit of my own, I take offense to anyone who talks down about someone for having an addiction - as someone in the mental health field, I would think you have some handle on how hard of a struggle recovery can be. Regardless of the cause of death, it's still a tragedy when an artist (or anyone) dies before their time, and if you've been touched in any way by their work of course you're going to want to express your feelings about it. When Vic Chesnutt died, despite the fact that it was an intentional overdose, it still hit me like a ton of bricks, because I've been such a fan of his art and it's helped me get through tough times of my own, and it saddened me that he lost the fight that he had been struggling with for so many years. If 9/11 had happened the same day, it wouldn't have made mourning his death any less relevent to me, or vice versa.

The simple truth is you can expect less sympathetic reactions from the medical field, social service departments,law enforcement,fire fighters, mental health, and even substance abuse professionals. It is not really callousnes, but a perspective where you see so much self induced destruction where literally that person is the only one that can make a difference. You also witness first hand the trail of destruction which leaves the real innocent victims in its wake.

I sincerly hope you are doing well. There is no implied hostility in what I say, just my perspective. I have had plenty of friends seriously affected by substance abuse, several die.

I think thats pretty much the defination of callousness if you ask me.

[oilpiers]

I will go a little against the grain here. This is what I posted on Facebook a few hours ago........
"‎80 children were killed yesterday by one gunman, and I see nothing posted by anyone I know. Yet there are 6 threads in the past few hours on Amy Winehouse, a possibly talented drug addict. Far from tragic when compared to what happened in Norway."

Pretty much anyone who works in law enforcement, mental health, or substance abuse fields would likely feel the same way. (PS 30 years in the field)

I think if those cops, mental health workers and substance abuse recovery specialists really feel that way then they are in the wrong fucking job. All three of those lines of work require compassion, and If that's how they feel then they have been working in a high stress field for way too long and they should seek emplyment elsewhere.

You are very naive. My job, which I will be at in an hour, is to evaluate people for involuntary psychiatric hospitalization. I work with all the types of agencies I listed.I see people who are mentally ill, substance abusing, personality disordered, and mostly suicidal. I am a very compassionate person, use critical thinking, and look for any solid reason not to take someones rights away. From what I have seen about her the past 5 years, she was on a clear path of self destruction. Does that mean she deserved it? No. Does that mean she is fully responsible? Clearly. If you think I need another profession you should speak to the majority of people and their families I have worked with. They would probably disagree with you.