Singer Laura Branigan is dead

[Dookus]

brain aneurysm.

http://www.laurabranigan.com/Lauras_Passing.htm

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

1. Very sad

I was a fan in the 80s.

[flamingyouth]

2. Wow, that's sad

She wasn't that old. :(

[Susang]

3. Oh my gloria!

I think they had her number. }(

I'm going straight to hell. Elevator going down.

[Bunny]

4. Oh my.

She was very young. Dang.

[CBHagman]

5. That's very sad.

Rest in peace, L.B.

[DemWitch]

6. That bites...

I loved her version of How am I supposed to live without you. Slef Control rocked, and of course, the 80's gay club standard, Gloria. She did alot of good works post music superstar with the HIV community... she will be missed...

Tell me how am I supposed to live without you
Now that I've been loving you so long....

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

7. Wow ...

[shawmut]

8. Sad

I was just listening to my "Self Control" mp3 5 minutes before I saw this thread ... it was the first time I'd listened to one of her songs in months. Weird...


Very sad to here this news. She had a great voice and I enjoyed a lot of her songs.


:(

[Bluebear]

47. Yes that is weird.

Gone too soon.

[WoodrowFan]

74. yeah, I was just about to buy it

been going through some 80s cassettes and buying songs on iTunes. I LOVED S'elf Control." ;(

[BlueJazz]

9. I'm sorry that Laura died but she was a NTH. N/t

[Susang]

10. ?

Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly is a NTH?

[Dickie Flatt]

12. WAG: No Talent Hack [n/t]

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Dookus]

20. Isn't it amazing, Ronny?

People can't ignore a thread... they have to go OUT OF THEIR WAY to be jerks.

[ronnykmarshall]

22. No shit.

They have the class of the US basketball "team" in Athens.

[BlueJazz]

25. What's is so jerky about telling the truth??

I don't like no talent hacks but that doesn't mean I don't like the People who like no talent hacks.

Christ..I'm sorry that the Girl died so young (well..not THAT young)
but frankly, she sang about as good as your friendly Home Depot salesgirl.

Look..if you wonder where this (And I) are coming from:
I worked for CBS as a studio Musician for years..I saw Guys and Gals
that could actually make the hairs on your arm rise and REAL tears come down your face (They were that Fucking Good)..You know where 99
percent of them wound up?? Working at a store somewhere because:

1. They were poor
2. They wouldn't suck/fuck the Producers

I saw many, many NTH's go on to semi-stardom because Mommy and Da-DA
had Big Bucks.

BUT as I said before: I detest NTH's but I have nothing against people who happen to like NTH's.

[Dookus]

27. Should I be fortunate enough to survive you

I will be sure to use the occasion of your death to express my poor opinion of you.

The point is, sometimes it's just nice not to insult the recently dead in a place people are commiserating.

[BlueJazz]

28. And if I'm paid tons of money to perform a service rather...

lousy, while other people in my same profession are almost starving (while being far, far better than I)
then by all means ...Trash the shit out of me..cause I'll be just
another plastic No Talent Hack.

Look..let me put it this way:
I'd shed a thousand tears for the most obscure DU'er before I'd shed one for a person who never had a hard time in life.(and was a star)

[Dookus]

29. Yes, it's all Laura Branigan's fault

That talented people don't become successful.

My point was that regardless of what you think of her, why come into a thread where people are mourning her death and piss all over it? Why not just silently think to yourself "she was a no-talent hack" and leave it at that? Why purposely be hurtful and piss people off?

I wasn't even a fan of hers, but clearly a lot of people here were. It's just the height of douchebaggery to use such an occasion to spout off your opinions on the unfairness of the music business.

[BlueJazz]

36. Ah..but there's a difference (to me)

If any of the posters were related to Laura than that would be the case or if it were a profession that I didn't feel so strongly about or if I was just tired of "Keeping my mouth shut" Which..if you'll see my past posts..I usually do. (when it comes to stars deaths...or Ronald RayGun) I just wanted one time to truly say what was on my mind.
If it offends fans of Laura than it just proves that Radicalliberal
doesn't always do the perfect (or sensitive) thing.

I guess it boils down to: Give me at least one time to make an ass out of myself.

[Awsi Dooger]

32. 47 is very young

Extremely sad, although I was not familiar with her.

[wyldwolf]

48. What's jerky is you're NOT telling the truth

You're telling your OPINION.

But just to be fair to those of us who enjoyed Branigan's music and feel she was talented, how about listing some folks that YOU feel are talented so I can tell you how untalented THEY are.

[BlueJazz]

51. That's easy...Anybody who can carry a tune and doesn't need

a tractor-trailer to do it. Anybody who doesn't sing flat, anybody who can stay "on pitch" for more that 2 seconds, anybody who has a
range of more than 1 1/2 octaves, anybody who has a voice that doesn't have a vibrato like a billy-goat. Anybody who can out-perform the 75 year old Ace Hardware Lady down at the corner store.
In Short...Just about everybody in the world except Laura Branigan.

[wyldwolf]

52. It must not be THAT easy because you didn't name ONE person!

So come on, Radicalliberal, give a nice list.

[BlueJazz]

53. Well...Here's a very few off the cuff....

Diana Reeves
Lena Horn
Keely Smith
Aretha Franklin
Sarah Vaughan
Della Reese
Natalie Cole
Joni Mitchell
Allison Kraus (sp?)
Nancy Wilson
Nancy Lamott
All of Manhattan Transfer
Basia
Beverly Sills
Mahalia Jackson
Betty Carter
Loretta Lynn
Jakie Allen
Brenda Bayne
June Christy
Billie Holiday
Diane Schuur

Geez..and lots of others..

[wyldwolf]

54. ha ha

Like those are the mainstays of your music collection.

Anyway, I apply the standards you set in post 51 to quite a few on your list - especially Natalie Cole.

See, opinions are like assholes.

[BlueJazz]

55. No...Just some opinions are Assholes

But of course this isn't about me...it's about Folks that think the
accumulation of all the great artists in the history of the world
equals a 2 bit hack singing a 4/4 cornball "mass produced Pablum"
song and snapping their fingers like they just discovered "COOL"

Come back when you can count in 3 and a half 4
or you can play something besides a top 40 Radio.

You won't know what this means but having "Perfect Pitch" is sometimes a Fucking curse. :)

[wyldwolf]

56. no... more like...

...it's about folks who...

...believe success equals an inferior product or that after some magical year, popular music ceased to be good.

it's about Folks that think the
accumulation of all the great artists in the history of the world
equals a 2 bit hack singing a 4/4 cornball "mass produced Pablum"
song and snapping their fingers like they just discovered "COOL"

Describes most on you list...

Come back when you can count in 3 and a half 4
or you can play something besides a top 40 Radio.

Being a musician and having spent years in radio in varied formats, I can, and have, done both...

You won't know what this means but having "Perfect Pitch" is sometimes a Fucking curse. :)

My wife has a masters in music. I do know what perfect pitch means.

Come back when you learn to quit be a condescending music snob and have realized that, no, you don't have extra insight on what makes "good" music.

[BlueJazz]

60. What do you play?

I want to ask you a few questions.

[BlueJazz]

61. I'm waiting..When you're ready, I'd like to ask you

a few questions that someone who plays (and I don't mean "Play at")
would be able to answer quite easily.

[wyldwolf]

63. ah, your last post reveals a bit more of that music snobbery...

I'd like to ask you a few questions that someone who plays (and I don't mean "Play at")would be able to answer quite easily.

Just as with the conversation on the singers above, you are trying to set the definition of what "playing" and "playing at" means.

But if you want to play twenty questions, go ahead.

And one more thing, posting an answer and then a foot tapping impatient taunt post six minutes later doesn't make you appear intelligent, nor does your music snobbery.

So just so you're not waiting around the rest of the day tapping your foot, I'm going to work.

[wyldwolf]

62. guitar and when I was younger, drums

[BlueJazz]

70. You know..You've got this idea in your head that......

I seem to Look Down at people who don't share my taste in music, songs (or whatever).
Probably nothing I say is going to change that image of me and if that's the case than so be it.
The truth is I only look down at a system that rewards people who are not as talented as the last person the system critiqued.

To me it would be like having a person who is "higher up" in your
field of work. (Making a lot more money, higher respect..ect) but
also someone who you know in your heart can't hold a candle to your skills or integrity or whatever. Keep in mind I don't mean someone
who is CLOSE to your skills but an individual that that you know
damn well that if you were in their shoes the Job would "Get Done"
a hell-of-a-lot better.



If you've read this far than maybe you'll read this:
Many years ago a group of 3 young women came in to my "scope"
I was privilege to hear each one sing and talk to various engineers who recorded them just before they came out with a string of hits.
2 of them sang like Aretha Franklin except maybe even better.
Well, (of Fu*cking course!) who gets to be the lead singer?
The little ego-maniac bitch of the 3 who just happened to suck/fuck the Man in charge. I saw the incredible disappointment of the other 2 and it frankly, broke my heart.
Repeat a few times and maybe you'll sightly understand why I'm a little Warped when it comes to "Stars". I've just seen to many talented people go down the drain while mediocre ones rose to fame and fortune. When I say "Me" I also mean the engineers, Musicians and the other folks associated with these groups. (So it's not just MY opinion but all the other people who were/are present)

Look..wyldwolf..I don't want to get into a bashing contest between the two of us. If I've said things that offend your sensibilities than I apologize. ...as I said before, when it comes to music, a part of me is warped. I mean, you ARE a fellow DU'er and I suspect we agree on a million things more than what we don't...

[wyldwolf]

72. ok

You've got this idea in your head that I seem to Look Down at people who don't share my taste in music, songs (or whatever).

Your posts indicate this...

The truth is I only look down at a system that rewards people who are not as talented as the last person the system critiqued.

Senseless. This point is again based totally on your opinion.

To me it would be like having a person who is "higher up" in your
field of work. (Making a lot more money, higher respect..ect) but
also someone who you know in your heart can't hold a candle to your skills or integrity or whatever. Keep in mind I don't mean someone
who is CLOSE to your skills but an individual that that you know
damn well that if you were in their shoes the Job would "Get Done"
a hell-of-a-lot better.

Too bad. That's life. It can't be changed.

The rest? Anecdotal. And opinion.

[BlueJazz]

75. I think I/you/we are splitting hairs here.

Geez..wyldwolf...I don't mean people who are "in the ballpark"
as far as talent/skill goes. Stan Getz/Paul Desmond) ???

I mean like Allison Kraus/Rosanne Barr.

well..sure..life isn't fair but I feel it's the citizens of the earth's duty to try to make it fair.

Do I have any Answers? Hell no...I don't even know the questions...in fact, I'm getting sick and tired of hearing myself babble about it.. :)

[wyldwolf]

77. I don't think so

I believe you are not just turning your nose up at artists who are untalented in your opinion, but you are actively dissing one who has recently died and who has fans on this forum.

No, life isn't fair but the citizens of the earth can't make it fair until there is a consensus on what "fair" is.

I don't feel shorted at all when someone hits the big time and I feel I am (or was) better than them. They were in the right place at the right time, had the right sound, and/or were what the record company was looking for.

Allison Kraus/Rosanne Barr? Give me Barr. She makes me laugh. And THAT takes talent.

[BlueJazz]

79. You say...

"I believe you are not just turning your nose up at artists who are untalented in your opinion, but you are actively dissing one who has recently died and who has fans on this forum."

I didn't say that Laura wasn't a wonderful person only that she wasn't much of a singer. (which I still believe)

"I don't feel shorted at all when someone hits the big time and I feel I am (or was) better than them. They were in the right place at the right time, had the right sound, and/or were what the record company was looking for."

I don't feel shorted either. I frankly would not want to be a a Mass-produced star (Well..I take that back...A Jazz star, Yes..but I'm only about 1/2 as say.. Paul Desmond... so I don't deserve it.) I had a chance once to join a Group that was ..ummm..fairly popular....just fairly and I turned it down. Money is not worth being a total whore. Partally..yes ...total.. No.

I know/guess you feel that there are no absolutes in Music..I Do, and I suppose we'll just have to agree to disagree.

[wyldwolf]

80. I do say...

I didn't say that Laura wasn't a wonderful person only that she wasn't much of a singer. (which I still believe)

But that is what she was known for. That is what she did and, thus, is what she was. By dissing her, especially in the way you did, you effectively attack everyone who is her fan. After all, if she is a "No Talent Hack" as you say, that must say something about those that like her.

[BlueJazz]

82. Nope..I'm not buying that. :)

I mean, I can say that a greasy HotDog is a horrible food (when it comes to health issues) but it has absolutly nothing to do with my friends (and myself) taste... or worth as a human being.

Also, I don't expect the general population to be Music Connorsores.
I expect them to like what they like...it's that simple.

Umm..ahh!....I like a song called "I like dreaming" (cause dreaming can make you mine...
My friends say (and they do!) "Sweet Jesus!! How can you listen to that bullshit..what sickening-sweet crap!!"
I just say.."Yea, Yea..Fuck you!
It doesn't bother me at all that they think the singer and song sucks. I just don't take it to heart.

Now if they said that Jim Hall can't play Gituar worth a shit ...well, there would be a big arguement.

PS: Do you really think that the other posters thought I was dissing them?.....ummm...makes me think and quite frankly, kinda' feel bad.

[wyldwolf]

85. Your logic skills...

I can say that a greasy HotDog is a horrible food (when it comes to health issues) but it has absolutly nothing to do with my friends (and myself) taste... or worth as a human being.

That's because a hotdog is a horrible food healthwise. Proven medical fact. Thus far, there is no proof, only opinions, when it comes to music. So dissing one's music is an insult - especially when you say (as in the other thread):

I'm afraid you and your kind knows nothing about music. You buy "pablum for the masses" than complain because top 40 radio sucks. When it comes to music most people ARE the "Lowest common Denominator" You think "playing" is about being able to screech out a few noise cycles and stand around being "Hip"
Jazz Musicians have a saying.. "The band Sucked so bad the crowd liked them"...How true it is....

This smacks of "i'm better, smarter, and have better taste than you do."

[liberalhistorian]

83. THANK YOU! You said it a lot better than

I could have, and I'm pretty good with words. I have a music background, I play piano and flute, have training and knowledge in a lot of musical areas, and if there's one thing I cannot stand it's a musical snob who thinks he knows everything and anything and anyone who disagrees with what HE thinks makes for good music is just an ignorant know-nothing hick. For the record, what he said about Branigan could easily be said about more than half the people on his list. I happened to have been a fan of hers in the 80's. And Loretta Lynn? For Christ's sake, talk about an overhyped NTH!!!!

[BlueJazz]

84. Are you referring to Me? n/t

[NightTrain]

34. Self-delete

Replied to the wrong poster. Sorry!

[BlueJazz]

14. Keep in mind that 1000's of wonderful people die every day.

Just most of them are not: No Talent Hacks. (who got famous by having extremely rich relatives)

[Susang]

16. Thanks for the explanation

Just hadn't heard that one before. I'll file it away for future reference.

[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[BlueJazz]

38. Only when it comes to Right-wing Republicans and NTH's

Everyone else gets the kindness, consideration and Love they deserve.

[gardenista]

59. Correction. That's Heartless *Little* Prick

[Swede]

11. That some sad news.

[Gloria]

13. OMG....she sang my song!!!

(So did that 60's group, but I liked her song because it was more than just spelling out the name).

What a shame! RIP, Laura.

[Norbert]

30. I didn't know U2 was a sixties group

Just kidding. :silly:

[ronnykmarshall]

15. That's so sad

She performed at the AIDS Walk in San Diego 1998. She was so sweet and really seemed have a great time on stage. Us queens treated her like a queen and she loved it.

RIP Laura. Thanks for giving us that wonderful voice.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

19. Sid Bernstein, who helped bring the Beatles to Shea Stadium, was

her promoter at one time.

May Laura rest in peace.

[CrownPrinceBandar]

18. Suckass.........

never a big fan, but I remember her on the radio.

[Dookus]

21. And what a perfect thread and occasion to voice

your opinion.

[joeybee12]

23. So sorry to hear that--she truly was a VTD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And by that I mean--Very Talented Diva!!!!!! Take THAT, Radicalliberal!

[BlueJazz]

40. Yea..and what school of Music did you go to??

"Well, I never went to a music school but I know good talent"

"Yea...I don't know anything about atomic bombs but I know a good one when I see it"

[joeybee12]

49. She had a great voice, she could sing. You might not have liked her

brand of music, but to say this woman with such a poweful voice had no talent is ridiculous.

[wyldwolf]

64. How many people in rock or pop music went to music school?

How many on your list above did?

[Pithlet]

73. Because one

Can only have good taste if they go to music school?

That is one of the most pretentious posts I think I've ever seen in the lounge.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

24. Her husband died young in 1996

very tragic that she would pass so young also...

[Gothic Sponge]

26. Danm, that sucks!

RIP

[Norbert]

31. Sad to hear.

I really thought she was a good singer. I've lost track of her the last few years.

She joins a lot of excellent female singers, Laura Nyro, Dusty Springfield, Nicollette Larson, Kristy McColl, Sandy Denny, Cass Elliott, Patsy Cline, Janis, Billie and others that left us way too young.

[Bluebear]

33. Laura's preferred charity: HIV/AIDS...

Laura's family and friends who have asked that rather then sending flowers you donate on behalf of Laura to Project Angel Food.

Project Angel Food's mission is to provide wholesome meals and nutritional counseling to men, women and children disabled by HIV/AIDS.

http://www.angelfood.org/html/earnyourwings/donate.html

[dolo amber]

37. Super weird

as we were listening to Elephant Man just today and he totally sampled her 'Self Control' song...just weird cos I ain't thought of her in donkeys, man...:(

Bless.

[Algorem]

39. That's 2:her and Scott Baio,who will be #3?

[Dookus]

41. Scott Baio?

what're you talking about?

[short bus president]

42. No Scott Baio death AFAIK.

Maybe Algorem has something planned...

[Enraged_Ape]

68. Scott Baio's career may be dead

But last I heard, the guy was still breathing, albeit heavily.

He's currently starring with Jon Voight in the smash hit "Baby Geniuses 2". He probably only wishes he were pushing up daisies.

[Beware the Beast Man]

43. Am I hallucinating...

or have I just stumbled upon a Laura Brannigan flame war here on DU? :shrug:

[Dookus]

44. LOL

oddly enough, yes.

[Susang]

78. This just goes to show...

DUers really will argue about anything!

BTW, my flip comment wasn't meant disrespectfully. "Oh my Gloria" is something my friends at the gay bar I do karaoke at say any time someone does one of her songs. Can't say she was one of my faves, but I certainly wouldn't make light of anyone who had done as much charity work for HIV/AIDS groups as Branigan did.

[Swede]

45. I think we all had a rough week.

Several deaths,family problems etc.

[Beware the Beast Man]

46. Though I can't call myself a fan by any means,

It's sad she passed away at such a young age under such strange circumstances.
As for the no-talent hack thing, I'm sure she just knew where her bread was buttered at the time. I saw her on one of those "Where are They Now" things a few years back, and apparently she did some off-Broadway Janis Joplin type thing, so I'm sure she had some kind of artistic integrity. So I argue that while a number of artists back in the 80's would have loved to do what they wanted, it was up to the suits to decide what sells. Such is life, I guess.

[wyldwolf]

65. What you have here on DU is...

.. a certain element who are culture elitists, or, music snobs.

Peter Bart, Daily Variety Editor-in-Chief, nailed these types of people recently in an article on year-end movies. His reasoning can just as easily be applied to music. He states that film (music) critics (fans] fall into a couple of different schools:

1. The "pop culture is yucky" school. Elitist by nature, critics (fans) find it positively unbearable to endorse any movie {music) that has found acceptance from the mass audience. If the great unwashed liked it, could it be any goddamn good?

2. The obscurantist school. Since every filmgoer {music fan) is convinced he's an expert, their best defense is to cozy up to movies (and music) no one else has ever likely seen or heard or , indeed, ever heard of. There's no way to contradict someone if his favorites are really obscure.

In the case of Laura Branigan, a talented performer with a powerful voice, Radicalliberal has also taken on the role of "expert in music theory" to discredit her though he won't apply the same standard to those I consider turkeys in his own list of "talented" singers.

[Bridget Burke]

67. What we have here is envy.

We have an "expert" who's that worst of critics--the neglected artiste.

[BlueJazz]

71. Not True...I was very happy when I played/Performed.

and you would be amazed at the people I listen to....an example:

I love the old Fats Domino stuff but if someone asked me if Fats was
a great Piano player I'd say.."You've GOT to be kidding...his playing
is/was extremely mediocre...probably 95 percent of the blues players would blow him off the stage"
But...keep in mind that doesn't mean that I don't enjoy his tunes.

Look..I guess it's like the Bryers (sp) Ice cream I eat...It's wonderful going down but I'm under no illusion that it's the
healthiest stuff in the world.

I can bash/smash singers/Musicians all day long but still enjoy their stuff....I just happen to know that a lot of them are so-so players...

As far as "expert" Well...yes... when it comes to hearing a song I can
"rip it apart" in my head. I know the Key it's in, what the Chords are and exactly what's going on. Having Perfect Pitch allows that.
(If you don't know what Perfect Pitch is..I can have someone (Who doesn't/does play piano) put all ten fingers on a Piano and I can be in the other room and call out the notes)..I didn't have anything to do with it...just lucky Genes.
But Please don't think I'm a snob in the sense that I "Look down"
at other people...It's just not true... (Man..if you heard some of the crap I listen to, you'd understand!)

[Beer Snob-50]

50. when gloria was a big hit

my friends and i would take up a collection at a particular bar we were fond of and buy every copy of the record atht the dj had. we woudl then proceed to smash them up. rip laura.

[Dogmudgeon]

57. Arrgh!

That really sucks.

She wasn't my all-time fave, but I liked most of her stuff.

--bkl

[Must_B_Free]

58. Gloria - Laura Branigan

Gloria

Gloria, you're always on the run now
Running after somebody, you gotta get him somehow
I think you've got to slow down before you start to blow it
I think you're headed for a breakdown, so be careful not to show it

You really don't remember, was it something that he said?
Are the voices in your head calling, Gloria?
Gloria, don't you think you're fallin'?
If everybody wants you, why isn't anybody callin'?
You don't have to answer
Leave them hangin' on the line, oh-oh-oh, calling Gloria

CHORUS:
Gloria (Gloria), I think they got your number (Gloria)
I think they got the alias (Gloria) that you've been living under (Gloria)
But you really don't remember, was it something that they said?
Are the voices in your head calling, Gloria?

A-ha-ha, a-ha-ha, Gloria, how's it gonna go down?
Will you meet him on the main line, or will you catch him on the rebound?
Will you marry for the money, take a lover in the afternoon?
Feel your innocence slipping away, don't believe it's comin' back soon

And you really don't remember, was it something that he said?
Are the voices in your head calling, Gloria?
Gloria, don't you think you're fallin'?
If everybody wants you, why isn't anybody callin'?
You don't have to answer
Leave them hangin' on the line, oh-oh-oh, calling Gloria

CHORUS

(Gloria, Gloria, Gloria, Gloria, Gloria)
(Gloria, Gloria, Gloria, Gloria, Gloria)


CHORUS

[JSJ]

66. constant, non-stop, around-the-clock, repetitious, never-ending...

...play on the radio made me none-too-fond of her.

[Blue_Tires]

69. man..she was on the Vice City soundtrack

(that's how i know her) i liked that song...

Rick James was also on the soundtrack

[AntiCoup2K4]

76. Uh oh.... who else is on there?

I smell a whole new death pool here :scared:

[Blue_Tires]

81. just a strange feeling

maybe deborah harry is next?