Well is he? In 20-30 years, will he be looked at how Shuggie Otis is now?

Interesting, astute question. For many reasons.

I don't think so.

Apples & oranges.

Harlepolis said:

Maybe. But I think the question goes beyond their work.

namepeace said:

I see

LBC, are you asking this question because both artists found themselves caught in purgatory with the record industry when they were beginning to realize their potential?

I think Shuggie's vice was himself.

Lauryn Hill & D'Angelo remind me of him in the sense that both artists didn't cope well with the pressure.

Gifted people, but not strong enough to be pressured

namepeace said:

Are you saying that Van Hunt is talented but a prima donna prone to be paranoid and a possibly a substance abuser?

Ifsixwuz9 said:

That would make him the next (fill in the blank with any number of artists from any variety of genres).

See my last response.

Good 2 c u here, though, six . . .

Least Van Hunt is still performing. Shuggie Otis quit show business after 1975. He's back to performing but Shuggie reportedly lost his mind. Van Hunt can't really be compared because hell you have ways of presenting your music when the mainstream music industry could give a FUCK about you.

Shuggie NEVER stopped performing. He still tours with his father's band.

Harlepolis said:

Oh does he? So he just decided to stay in the background?

Timmy84 said:

He quit the industry after Information Inspiration, but he kept per4ming to this day.

Some said the Brothers Johnson remake hit gave him hope to record a new album at the time, but as you can see,,,,there's no album.

Wait...Otis' legacy is largely due to a record company's negligence? I always thought the culpable party for Otis' unpopularity was Shuggie Otis himself. Isn't he the one who turned down a chance to gig with the Rolling Stones and a chance to work with Quincy Jones? He's always struck me as the type of artist who is either afraid of great success or flatly rejects pop culture's perception of "success."

Anyways, the answer to the question posed seems easy enough to answer: "Yes! Both are gifted musicians who wrote spectacular songs but toiled about in relative obscurity! Each shoulda been a star!" - but Van Hunt is neither of those things I think Shuggie Otis is. My vote is "no." We'll have to find a similarly talented musician who is either a self-saboteur or eschews the limelight in order to make a proper comparison.

But in the future...who knows?

Harlepolis said:

Shuggie probably was scared of the limelight as any gifted musician would be. Once you become famous, you're on your own and he saw what happened to Sly so maybe he got petrified.

Timmy84 said:

Like I said in my post, I agree - Otis definitely shunned the limelight - and probably sabotaged his career on purpose (at least subconsciously). But I hope you realize that not all gifted musicians are afraid of the limelight.

chuckaducci said:

No I realize that.

Van Hunt is this era's Jobriath.

Jumping Pagans on a pentacle no....

chuckaducci said:

Yeah, as far as that's concerned ( an artist at war with himself), I think Lewis Taylor's probably more comparable to Shuggie. I think Van Hunt would love to have a lot of success, even if it's on his own terms...





...
[Edited 2/27/09 18:38pm]

Lewis is much more talented than Shuggie. I don't get the Shuggie thing...wow, he ripped off "There's A Riot Goin' On"...Lewis is infinitely more talented...

Mong said:

Oh shit...!!!

Mong said:

well...again, I was just referring to that sort of "own worst enemy" kinda thing....




...

Where is Van's album!

Oh man

Not the "Sly Stone Rip-off" argument again

Well, it's true!

Never gotten Van Hunt either. Not much of a singer and not a good songwriter. So maybe he is this era's Shuggie Otis then...

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Maybe Shuggie, Prince, & Van should form a supergroup for one album and one tour only in order to get a definite answer to your question.

Shuggie Otis/Prince/Van Hunt = RMM (Real Music Mafia)

TonyVanDam said:

YES!

Maybe this eras TTD