You're in love with them? You love them as friends or as relatives of people or assessed solely through the prism of their music?

I'm paying for the stuff of my favorite artists: albums, DVD, etc. and in return get pleasure from their work. Thе kind of mutually beneficial cooperation.
I respect their personality and talent, feel sympathy, but I don't think I really love people who are behind the images, no matter how much I love their work. Rather, they are interesting to me.
I'm a bad fan?

Tell us about your attitude ...

I'm for the music, not the person.

I don't care about that as long as they put out songs I like i'm fine. I do draw the line if they have a history of being abusive or Racism .. I can't support anymore . Twitter honestly killed the mystery of all these singers making their personal life even more in demand.

smoothcriminal12 said:

I'm for the music, not the person.

Bowie: still the awkward/reclusive wacko with a veneer of class/glamour

Prince: same as Bowie, but add "a**hole"

Ozzy: a garrulous "wannabe socialite" who betrayed his anti-establishment ways

Mick Jagger: major a**hole, but always offers a hell of a conversation

Brian Wilson: mad but gentle/shy genius

Dave Mustaine: major hypocrite with many issues, but still cares for his fans

Dave Gahan: coolest brit of all time, and a bit crazy as well

Madonna: she often had to act like a tough b^tch in order to survive in this male-dominated world, but I'm sure she's actually a very nice gal, probably scared of the many guys who would bang her (at least back in the day)

Bob Marley: a honest, focused, strong guy

Tina: probably the nicest gal ever

LiLi1992 said:

You're in love with them? You love them as friends or as relatives of people or assessed solely through the prism of their music?

I'm paying for the stuff of my favorite artists: albums, DVD, etc. and in return get pleasure from their work. Thе kind of mutually beneficial cooperation.
I respect their personality and talent, feel sympathy, but I don't think I really love people who are behind the images, no matter how much I love their work. Rather, they are interesting to me.
I'm a bad fan?

Tell us about your attitude ...

That's stupid. How could you be in love with someone you haven't actually hung out with.

That aside - what I feel towards my favorite artists, is respect. And yeah, if there's an artist that I find out appears to be an asshole...then no, I can't really be a fan of them anymore. Everybody I listen to at least appears to be a decent person that for the most part, respects others and so I respect them as people in addition to appreciating their work.

though it should be "seperate" i feel alot on the .org do the double standard thing. But thats another topic.

For me some of my favorite artists:

Since I don't know any if my favorite artists "as individuals", I don't feel that I can respond fairly.

Pete Townshend is my fav where I have some major issues. Since that kiddie porn bust in '03, I am very ambivalent about him. He's still a great artist and as smart about music as he always was, but that whole incident has left me cold. The answers Pete gave about why he got caught up in it just leave me like

I wonder how fellow Who fans feel because Pete was always held in the highest esteem.

Mariah Carey- She seems like a nice person, but has an ego ;D

Michael Jackson A nice man who had too much drama in his life and was taken advantage of too much.

[Edited 5/27/12 16:46pm]

In answering the general question... I feel we as music listerners should just judge the music and not the person since we technically dont know them. I think its ignorant to allow an inaccurate opinion about someone you dont know get in the away of how they are as an artist. All the singers or artist I dont like is strictly based on their MUSIC not on who they are as a person.

Michael Jackson- Sweet, sincere, and caring man who was unfornately taken advantage of and treated like shit.

I guess my opinion contradicts how I feel about my favorite artist. Ive never meant him or know him personally but based on how his life was and how he carried himself this is my opinion. At the end of the day thats all they are really.

I like everybody I listen to as individuals, as much as I can through my limited exposure to them. I have stopped listening to people that I grew to hate as individuals, but I can count the number of times that has happened on one hand. I won't say who those people were, but you have to be unbelievably classless to make me stop liking you and your music. Most musicians who make music I like simply cannot be that terrible.

smoothcriminal12 said:

I'm for the music, not the person.

Co-sign.

Anything else and the line between fan and stan becomes blurred.

beatriceau said:

I must say, child porn, wife beating or extreme prejudice etc... Would probably put me off listening to most artists!

I'll say that I haven't thrown out my Who stuff/Pete solo nor will I. I still rock it out too. That said, I'm reluctant to support new Pete stuff w/ $$$$.

Right or wrong....that's my stance.

I'm content to love Prince from a distance, like a long lost brother or something, The day I met him he was very cordial but I doubt I'd be able to work closely with him and even though he's quite adorable to look at, I've never had a crush on him. He is one of the most creative, dynamic, phenominally talented and visionary artists in the history of humanity and that's enough for me.

Sade is simply exquisite and from what I know of her I have the utmost respect and admiration. She is one of a kind, like a rare jewel.

I had the chance to hang with the guys from WAR a few times several years ago and all except one (Lonnie) were very down to earth and laid back dudes.

I have no idea what these people are like on a personal level on a daily basis, but I figure they're probably a mix of good and bad traits just like the rest of us. We can admire them without getting too caught up in their personas.

I had the chance to hang with the guys from WAR a few times several years ago and all except one (Lonnie) were very down to earth and laid back dudes.

smoothcriminal12 said:

silkman said:

I had the chance to hang with the guys from WAR a few times several years ago and all except one (Lonnie) were very down to earth and laid back dudes.

< Noooooooooooooooooooo, don't say that *pokes eyeballs out*. Lonnie is my dude, musically. Oh well,i'm too old to to believe in the falsness of the business. But, damn Lonnie lol !!!

LOL! As a musician Lonnie is as soulful as they come but he is also quite full of himself.

Very interesting thread.

I've read some comments here that make me think some guys would just drop their pants for their favorite artists or forgive/ ignore when they do wrong things (bad comments, arrogant moments, etc...)

I tend to mix things... Not to mix things up.

I might like their music for a while, but I could never respect an artist who, for example:

supported Bush

is racisist

is homophobic

is too arrogant

I know many people here forbid the relation music <---> politics, but in my book, an artist must be sensitive to what is right. (human rights for example).

And finally if I don't respect an artist or stop respecting them, I definitely stop buying their music.

My money has always many others pockets to go.

Its too difficult to draw the line, i mean, i can say i dont like Chris Brown because he just is a flat out idiot and also hit a woman, but so did Rick James and i think Rick is great. I think with treatment of women ALOT of the male artists we like especially from years ago, we might forget this line we draw because its very hypocritical.

lastdecember said:

Its too difficult to draw the line, i mean, i can say i dont like Chris Brown because he just is a flat out idiot and also hit a woman, but so did Rick James and i think Rick is great. I think with treatment of women ALOT of the male artists we like especially from years ago, we might forget this line we draw because its very hypocritical.

And that's pretty much why I left it alone. Because all the artists we could spend a 20-page thread talking about their domestic abuse problems with women.

Timmy84 said:

lastdecember said:

Its too difficult to draw the line, i mean, i can say i dont like Chris Brown because he just is a flat out idiot and also hit a woman, but so did Rick James and i think Rick is great. I think with treatment of women ALOT of the male artists we like especially from years ago, we might forget this line we draw because its very hypocritical.

And that's pretty much why I left it alone. Because all the artists we could spend a 20-page thread talking about their domestic abuse problems with women.

Rick James and some of the older artists I wasn't even born yet when they first came out . But as far as people who are RECENT if I find out they are abusive towards women you damn right i'm going to stop listening. Why should I support someone that doesn't have respect for my gender?..

[Edited 5/28/12 14:35pm]

babybugz said:

Timmy84 said:

And that's pretty much why I left it alone. Because all the artists we could spend a 20-page thread talking about their domestic abuse problems with women.

Rick James and some of the older artists I wasn't even born yet when they first came out . But as far as people who are RECENT if I find out they are abusive towards women you damn right i'm going to stop listening. Why should I support someone that doesn't have respect for my gender?..

[Edited 5/28/12 14:35pm]

It's like why would you do that and risk 75% of your audience?

There's always a double-standard here at the org.

Let Beyonce pull that shit Fantasia or Lauryn Hill did. All hell would break lose.

Prince: An irrestible bitch

Michael Jackson: A sweet man who was always a target for scrutiny

Janet Jackson: See above

Madonna: A bad ass bitch with a soft side

Whitney: A sweet woman who had a dark side

Rick James: See above

R Kelly: A nice sexual guy who digs younger women

Stevie Wonder: A kind blind guy

Marvin Gaye: A paranoid genius

Teena Marie: A sweet but cursed woman

2Pac: A sweet man with a big temper

aardvark15 said:

R Kelly: A nice sexual guy who digs younger women

Great way of putting it.

smoothcriminal12 said:

aardvark15 said:

R Kelly: A nice sexual guy who digs younger women

Great way of putting it.

Well it's the truth