Compare and Contrast: How Alike Are These Artists?

[Tenta]

Welcome, one and all, to my brand new idea for a weekly thread, which shall be done every Wednesday in the Music Section. Have you ever listened to two singers, and seen startlingly eerie comparisons between the two? Ever gotten confused for a second, and thought you were listening to someone else. Well, it’s here that we offer you a chance to discuss two artists or bands, and state how alike these two really are, and what makes them so different. This thread isn’t exactly to compare, though I’m sure we’ll get to that at some point, and don’t particularly mind if we begin a “who’s better” thread amongst the two subjects. Alas, this thread is for us to discuss the two artists, and discover if these artists are comparable or contrasting. And with this in mind, let’s turn it away to our first subject, and discuss the merits of the two artists we will compare on this day.

Compare and Contrast: The King and The Prince

Prince And Michael Jackson

So sure these two aren't alike? Let's look at the two, now shall we?

First, let's at least somewhat discuss the fact that both are African American, and arguably the most famous African Americans in the entire world. Michael Jackson definitely holds the title as the most famous African American singer, and to me, Prince holds a definite close spot at second. The man has a world wide cult following the likes of which is pretty shocking, if you ever go to Europe. Prince and Michael are absolutely adored by those around the world, and they constantly flock to these men's tours, wherever these men decide to go.

Yet, when these men do tour, it's a significant thing, as these are fairly reclusive men. We're all aware of how much Michael hated the press, and it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to dub Prince "eccentric". While the two love being on stage, it's extremely rare to see these men out on occasions. Yet, the men continue to line up platinum album after platinum album. As a matter of fact, let's count up the songs that reached #1 on The Billboard Charts, and also went Platinum for both men, In The United States.

Michael Jackson

10 Studio Albums
68 Released Singles

Albums that went Platinum

Off The Wall: 7x Multi-Platinum
Thriller: 28x Multi-Platinum
Bad: 8x Multi-Platinum
Dangerous: 7x Multi-Platinum
HIStory: 7x Multi-Platinum
Invincible: 2x Multi-Platinum

Singles that Reached #1

Ben
Don't Stop Til You Get Enough
Rock With You
Billie Jean
Beat It
Thriller (Actually.... In some odd FYI Fact, Thriller never made it to number one on the Billboard Hot 100. as a matter of fact, the closest it made was number 4. Still, it would feel wrong to do a collection Michael Jackson number one hits without including Thriller. And it did make it to #1 on the Dance Charts.)
I Just Can't Stop Loving You
Bad
The Way You Make Me Feel
Man In The Mirror
Dirty Diana
Black or White
In The Closet
Who Is It
You are Not Alone

(Admittedly, that isn't even including hits like Smooth Criminal, You Want to Be Starting Something, P.Y.T, and other Jackson greats.)

13 #1 Hits
28 Top Ten Hits

Prince

21 Studio Albums
103 Singles

Albums that went Platinum

Prince: Platinum
1999: 4x Multi-Platinum
Purple Rain: 14x Multi-Platinum
Around The World In A Day: 2x Multi-Platinum
Parade: Platinum
Sign O' The Times: 7x Multi-Platinum
LoveSexy: Platinum
Diamonds and Pearls: 5x Multi-Platinum
Love Symbol: Platinum
Emancipation: 2x Platinum
Musicology: 2x Platinum

Singles That Reached #1

When Doves Cry
Let's Go Crazy
Kiss
Batdance
Cream

(And this, of course, excludes a slew of songs that were deemed to randy for the radio airwaves. Songs like Little Red Corvette, Soft and Wet, Purple Rain, Do Me, Sexuality, and I Wanna be Your Lover suffered accordingly).

5 #1 Hits
18 Top Ten Hits

What's that, you say? Different Styles?

Well, to some extent. Both were fans of long guitar solos, and it's always been said Michael loved the sound of a good guitar in any song. All of his songs that would allow it had epic solos, such as Beat It, and Dirty Diana. Prince, on the other hand, encompassed more of the guitar into his actual style, and was able to become one of the best guitar players of his era, if not ever. I still get chills hearing the opening strains to When Doves Cry

Besides that, both are distinctly viewed, in their prime of course, as sexual icons. While Jackson was far less explicit with his sexuality in the actual songs, there was always that hint of sexuality. As a matter of fact, let's use two songs to make this comparison, in Dirty Diana and Darling Nikki



Alas, if only songs today were this good. So yeah, well Prince was far more overt, Michael still had that sense of dirtyness to his songs. And the longevity of these men's careers can only tell you just how loved they are. Now, I’ll throw out what is arguably both men’s biggest hit, in When Doves Cry, and Thriller. And just as a treat for you, I’ll offer up the movie version of the music video, Thriller



So let's take a look, and compare the two artists;

Michael Jackson and Prince

Compare and Contrast

 

[TSG]

First off, let me says Tenta that you are an awesome poster and do so much for them, I mean, first the Memorial for Terrible Gimmicks, your series in the Cigar Lounge which I forget the title of (you do plan on that as a series right?), and now this: you rock, man, lol.

Now, as for contrasting and comparing these two men, I have to agree they are similar. I mean, they have both had very succesful careers, both are wildly popular entertainers that happen to be African-American, and they have both been known as major sex symbols. But, and there is no doubt, no competition here, at least for me, that Michael Jackson has been more succesful and was a way better artist than Prince ever was. Or will be. I mean up until his unfortunate death, he was popular no matter what, and it was shown in the outpouring of grief after his death. He had more number one hits and top ten hits than Prince, yet less studio albums and released singles. Prince may have had more albums that went platinum, but I'd say that Michael's were more successful overall. And Prince is a great artist no doubt, but Michael was an awesome lyricist as well, one of the greatest in my opinion, even though he didn't write all of his songs. Plus Michael was THE greatest dancer of all time, hands down. It's hard enough to find someone who can dance on their toes, move, and moonwalk like Michael did, but I have video of this man moonwalking sideways! Did you hear me, he MOONWALKED FREAKIN' SIDEWAYS!!! In 2003!!! When he was, what 43, 44 years old? He could dance like no other. He had such an amazing voice, and his songs and albums have been arguably better than Prince. So yes, they were very similar, and I'm not sure if that was all you were asking me to do with this thread, but I'm gonna do what I want with it lol, and I'm saying that Michael was better than Prince.

Oh, and could I see a compare and contrast featuring two of either:

Jimi Hendrix/Jimmy Page/Eric Clapton

or

Jim Morrison/Kurt Cobain/Jimi Hendrix

And once again, good work Tenta.

 

[Tenta]

But, and there is no doubt, no competition here, at least for me, that Michael Jackson has been more succesful and was a way better artist than Prince ever was. Or will be. I mean up until his unfortunate death, he was popular no matter what, and it was shown in the outpouring of grief after his death. He had more number one hits and top ten hits than Prince, yet less studio albums and released singles.

Ah, a good point, Sign Guy. However, while that does hold truth, and I wont try to argue that Prince is better than Michael, I will bring up this contrast. That, while Michael was far more subtle regarding his sexual overtures, Prince was.... Well, everything but. There was absolutely nothing at all subtle about this man, and to some extent, it hurt his ability to completely climb the charts, in terms of top ten hits. Radios couldn't play nearly half of the singles Prince released until a good portion of the AM hours. Meanwhile, Michael was allowed free play of the radio and MTV, because while he was cool, he also met certain standards and guidelines the likes of which Prince refused to adhere to. A song like Darling Nikki wasn't going to reach #1 on the charts, namely because of the explicit manner of the song. So when comparing who had more top ten hits, one has to consider just how much radio play Michael could get, and meanwhile Prince was disallowed that same free run with the radio waves. A good point, and I thank you for being the first to discuss this, as well as your kind words. But to some extent, I do disagree on how the two wound up with the top ten hits that they did

 

[TSG]

Ah, a good point, Sign Guy. However, while that does hold truth, and I wont try to argue that Prince is better than Michael, I will bring up this contrast. That, while Michael was far more subtle regarding his sexual overtures, Prince was.... Well, everything but. There was absolutely nothing at all subtle about this man, and to some extent, it hurt his ability to completely climb the charts, in terms of top ten hits. Radios couldn't play nearly half of the singles Prince released until a good portion of the AM hours. Meanwhile, Michael was allowed free play of the radio and MTV, because while he was cool, he also met certain standards and guidelines the likes of which Prince refused to adhere to. A song like Darling Nikki wasn't going to reach #1 on the charts, namely because of the explicit manner of the song. So when comparing who had more top ten hits, one has to consider just how much radio play Michael could get, and meanwhile Prince was disallowed that same free run with the radio waves. A good point, and I thank you for being the first to discuss this, as well as your kind words. But to some extent, I do disagree on how the two wound up with the top ten hits that they did

I agree with you there, and who's to say Prince wouldn't have had more success with singles if he was so controversial and sexually overt. But, are you going to argue that Michael's albums, which have nothing to do with radio airplay, had more success than Prince's? I mean, while Prince did have more albums go platinum, but where most of his were single platinum, most of Michael's went over triple-platinum, and Michael's albums, most notably Thriller, have been more talked about and basically more succesful over the years. And I truly believe that Michael has been more enjoyed over the years than Prince has. And, I know this may be a little biased since Prince has not yet passed, but you saw that Michael had arguably the biggest death of all time. It was more widely covered, and there was a larger outpouring of grief than basically anyone in history, and I doubt anyone will ever get that again. So, I will say that Michael has been more succesful than Prince.

 

[Tenta]

Ph don't get me wrong... Under no circumstances am I trying to state that Prince is better than Michael Jackson. What I would say, though, is that if Prince were far less overt in his sexuality than Jackson, then I'd say the two could be quite more comparable, in terms of talent and ability. Purple Rain was every bit of a creative success as anything Michael Jackson has done aside from the entire album of Thriller, yet one thinks about the guy, they only think of the controversial, and give him less creedance of the matter. Don't get me wrong, on a whole, Michael sold far more than Prince

However, if we're comparing other senses of cretivity, give me Purple Rain over Moonwalker every day. And remember, we are just coming off Jackson's death. Without Jackson's death, we'd probably still be ripping him as we used to before the guy passed away

 

[TSG]

Ph don't get me wrong... Under no circumstances am I trying to state that Prince is better than Michael Jackson. What I would say, though, is that if Prince were far less overt in his sexuality than Jackson, then I'd say the two could be quite more comparable, in terms of talent and ability. Purple Rain was every bit of a creative success as anything Michael Jackson has done aside from the entire album of Thriller, yet one thinks about the guy, they only think of the controversial, and give him less creedance of the matter. Don't get me wrong, on a whole, Michael sold far more than Prince

However, if we're comparing other senses of cretivity, give me Purple Rain over Moonwalker every day. And remember, we are just coming off Jackson's death. Without Jackson's death, we'd probably still be ripping him as we used to before the guy passed away

Yes, Purple rain was very creative, no moonwalk in my opinion, but it was creative, and I enjoy it a ton. And, yes, you're right that if it wasn't for the sex and controversy Prince and Michael would be much more comparable. But, let's not forget all of Michael's controversy over the years, and Prince's sexual overtones or not, Michael, I honestly believe, still would've been more succesful.

 

[Tenta]

Hello, folks, one and all, to a comparison of the greatest artists of all time, taking their work, and doing our best to place it within the context of their era. It’s a little something I call:

Compare and Contrast

Today, we'll be taking an analysis of two artists that come from very different eras. While one comes from a generation of Peace, Sex, and Drugs (God, what a generation), the other comes from an era in which grunge came into the spotlight, and was within the swarm of extreme controversy. Both died far too young, and were taken from us way too soon. However, that may also lead to a portion of their greatness, and to some extent, be why we find these men so interesting. The strange thing, these men are truly far more alike than any of us will ever know. Today, we look to analyze two geniuses of their day, and two pioneers

Compare and Contrast: Jim Morrison and Kurt Cobain

Kurt Cobain and Jim Morrison were more than leads of great bands. They were heroes of their generations. They had so many talents and each influenced a multitude of people. Aside from being singers and song writers Kurt was also a musician, guitarist and mass-media phenomenon, and Jim was also a poet, film maker and writer. Their groups also had about a twenty year span in between them. Even though it seems you could not compare them you actually can. Unlike fictional writers their material comes more from their life experiences and feelings. Even though it was different things that affected each one you can still see a pattern of similarity between their lives. They both experienced hardships in their lives and also a few unexpected turns. There was a massive amount of stress put on their lives because not only did they have to worry about what they wrote but also what they said. Live performances were constantly being taped; there were interviews and television shows and specials, newspaper and magazine articles, and also public appearances. To them this also had to become a form of artistry. The publicity and fame that comes to band is far greater than any that would come to just one single writer. This was also a factor in their writings and maybe even in their tragic deaths. They would use these songs, and their views of the people that used them, to channel their emotions.

Consider the words of these following songs, both with powerful lyrics and meaning that seems so lacking in today's music. The first one is "Rape Me", which is Kurt's out lash at the media, and their portrayal of him. The other is Jim Morrison's "The Crystal Ship", which he wrote as a goodbye song to a girl he was breaking up with.

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Influences for their writings came throughout their whole lives. Even as far back as childhood. Kurt was much damaged from his parents’ divorce. He once said "I had a really good childhood up until I was nine, then a classic case of divorce really affected me.” In a song "Serve the Servants" from In Utero he talks about this by saying” I just want you to know that I/ Don't hate you anymore/ There is nothing I could say/ That I haven't said before/ Serve the servants-oh no/ That legendary divorce is such a bore" As for Jim, he grew up in a military family. His father was in the navy. They were constantly moving and Jim's dad was frequently not home. Jim seemed to grow a lack of respect for his family and authority. In an early fact sheet Jim claimed his family to be dead. One of the office managers of the recording company told him she didn't think that was nice and asked what his parents will think. Jim replied that if anyone asked they were dead. Jim never respected authority; in fact he liked the farthest thing from it. The song "Five to One" from Waiting For The Sun was about rebelling and taking over. Jim figured that by 1969 there would be five times as many people under twenty-one as would be over, so why not rebel?

Another issue in their lives was stereotypes, and cover-ups. Kurt wrote many of his songs about stereotypes and people he did not like. Kurt once proclaimed "I've always had a problem with the average macho man- they've always been a threat to me.” This is defiantly shown in his work for the songs "Mr. Moustache”, “Territorial Pissings", and "Very Ape”. Mr. Moustache" is also the name of one of his early comics portraying to the same topic. Another song "Scoff" is directed towards the people who didn't believe in Kurt's musical aspirations. The song "Big Cheese" is written about an agent and the pressures he put on the band. Jim also had strong feelings towards agents. In the poem "As I Look Back" from Wilderness Jim writes "The horror of business/ The Problem of Money/ guilt/ do I deserve it?/ The Meeting/ Rid of Managers & agents/ After 4 yrs. I'm left w/a/ mind like a fuzzy hammer".

Kurt and Jim both thought drugs and alcohol worked just fine to help with issues like this. Jim said that he went through a period when he drank because there was a lot of pressure put on him and he couldn't cope. Jim also explained that he liked drinking because "It loosens people up and stimulates conversation.” Other than this, Jim was an extremely reserved individual, liking to stay away from people as much as he could, unless in another mind state. He, like Kurt, appeared to suffer many symptoms of depression, and perhaps a bit of social anxiety. Kurt, also, sought therapy in drugs. In Kurt’s suicide note he says "I'm too sensitive. I need to be slightly numb in order to regain the enthusiasm I once had as a child" Deep down Kurt knew drugs were bad. After his daughter was born he told a reporter "I can't tell you how much my attitude has changed since we've got Frances. I don't want my daughter growing up with people telling her that her parents were junkies.” Another cover up Kurt thought of was ignorance. Kurt thought there was a certain care-free happiness involved in being dumb. In his song titled "Dumb" from In Utero he writes "I'm not like them/ But I can pretend/ The sun is gone/ But I have a light/ The day is done/ But I'm having fun/ I think I'm dumb/ Or maybe just happy". However, he was always able to express himself effectively through his music, and through poetry, much like Kurt. Here’s some songs to compare and contrast, as the two express their inner feelings. One of these songs was written while the singer was pretty much on his death bed (This would be his last recorded song.), and the other in his (relative) creative peak. I present to you, “Riders on the Storm” and “Come As You Are”

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Oh, and as you all might have noticed… These passages have been missing these two artists “best selling” songs, and what some of you might credit as their legacy. I’ll say this; “Smells like Teen Spirit” and “Light My Fire” are horrendous indictments on both these men. Not because they’re terrible songs, per se; however, it was songs that both of these artists hated. Kurt has openly stated that he put together that song because the album needed one last song, so he kind of made it in defiance of the record label. Meanwhile, “Light My Fire” is far from his most poetic piece, and what I’d consider a terrible lasting legacy on an otherwise brilliant artist.

Both bands reached success rather quickly. They faced many problems from this. Suddenly Kurt and Jim became images which everyone wanted them to uphold. They couldn't live with the images any longer. Kurt was breaking down. He is said as not having " the emotional structure to support the incredible weight of millions of people's expectations." In a Spin article Bob Guccione Jr. explains how Kurt "genuinely hated the success because he realized, with horror when he reached it, that it involved being an image other people wanted, no longer what he wanted." Rock stars like Kurt are catapulted to positions of, frankly, exaggerated importance so quickly that they can no more handle themselves perfectly tan an astronaut can calmly get out of his seat and walk around while his spaceship is being propelled into the sky. Jim was also tormented. The Doors wanted to be taken seriously, and this reflected in their interviews. In Jim's biography Danny Sugarman says "One of the main reasons Jim went to Paris was he could no longer live up to the mythology he himself had helped create. Because Jim Morrison didn't want to be a god. Jim Morrison wanted to be a poet." I feel, personally, this stress inside of them is what finally lead to their deaths.

Kurt Cobain and Jim Morrison's lives are in fact very similar. Their great talents lead them quickly to stardom. And this stardom and their existing problems finally lead to their deaths. Their problems with drug abuse didn't help the others it was just another added problem that was also a great factor. They helped change the music world forever with their new styles and techniques. When asked about his music Kurt explained "I was looking for something a lot heavier, yet melodic at the same time. Something different from heavy metal, a different attitude.” Once Jim responded about his poetry by saying "If my poetry aims to achieve anything, it's to deliver people from the limited ways in which they see and feel." Alas, these men had writing the likes of which will probably never be duplicated, and were Renaissance men of their time. Different Eras. Different generations; and yet, these men are so similar. I love both of these men’s works, and see them as perhaps the best artists of their time. Telling their numbers does neither of these men justice, quite frankly, You can’t judge these men by the records they sold, but by the music they created, and the art they expressed through their short and turbulent career’s and lives. That is why I’ll leave you folks with the two best artistic creations of these men. Thank you for stopping by this edition of Compare and Contrast. Here, I present you with “Heart Shaped Box”, and “The End”.

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[X]

Nice Tenta, I've been watching this thread since you started it, waiting for a topic I'd be interested it. Prince and MJ are good, but didn't really peak my interest. But now you've got Cobain and Morrison, the two biggest musical influences in my entire life, and the two men who I have worshipped since I was a child.

Though they both are known as the "tortured genius", they were very, very different individuals. Both fought depression in their life time, both had serious drug problems, and both wrote poetry that is leaps and bounds among the songwriting of their peers. The big difference between the two men though was that Morrison's life was always one of exploration and wonder. Even in his darkest times, the man knew that there were countless unanswered questions to life and mysteries to be explored, and he wanted to go out and solve every last one of them. He wanted to dance naked on the Sunset Strip and than howl at the moon with the wolves in the desert. While he fought his fair share of depression, he always knew that life held so much beauty, and he wanted to try and share that beauty with everyone around him and anyone who would listen.

Cobain on the other hand fought a much more serious life-long bout with depression. Even at his best times, there was always a darkness inside of him that no amount of money, fame, or drugs could possibly soothe. The one thing Cobain wanted the most though was to make a mark. He wanted to be remembered, because he saw how men like his father's lives turned out, and he wanted nothing to do with it. He grew up in an environment of blue-collar loggers, and of course the natural rebellion was punk rock. Cobain was always an angry and very sad man, and that came through in every interview or TV appearance he ever made.

That said, it's a bit hard to try and compare the two. Completely different bands and music. Morrison wanted to make a stage show a transcendental experience in which the line between the audience and band was blurred, he wanted to make a concert a spiritual experience. Cobain on the other hand just wanted to reach you, the individual. All he wanted was for his music to mean as much to some kid as the music of a band like The Beatles meant to him. Morrison wasn't interested in his legacy; he lived in the present, and lived life to the fullest because of that.

I rank both men not only among the greatest musicians of the 20th century, but among the greatest poets as well. Their words and music have touched so many lives, mine among the millions. Though I prefer Morrison and believe him to be the superior poet, Cobain is still one of my idols and always will be. There's a reason my apartment is plastered with Nirvana and Doors posters.

Good job Tenta, thanks for bringing up two of the greatest poets this world of ours has ever seen. The only other musician I'd put on their level of greatness is Morrissey.

 

[TSG]

Tenta, I love you. Thank you so much for honoring this request of mine. Let me start off by saying, along with Jimi Hendrix and Michael Jackson, and somewhat Johnny Cash, these two men have had the most influence on my short, 14 year old life. It is weird because if, two years ago, if you asked me who either of these men were, I'd tell you I had no clue, I just started getting into them about that time, and about 2 and a half years ago, all I listened to was country. Now I have widened my horizons. Now, saying that, I'd say that these two, while coming from two completely different generations and types of music, are so similar to each other it is creepy. The first thing that pops out at me in their similarity is their writing. Both of the mens writings, poetry and song alike, while usually covering different subjects, are almost always deep. They contain deep, mystic meaning, something that most people don't have the intelligence to find. They are just such great writers, it's hard to put it into words. And they both thought similar. They both battled with depression, they both looked depper, diferently, and they both never seemed to like the stress or the drama they crowded their lives. Kurt hated the stress put on him, the drama surrounding his life, and the way he was treated. He just wanted to be himself and write. It was really the same with Jim Morrison. They had built the man up to be Jesus, one media outlet going as far to say "He could offer to die on the cross for us, and it would be okay, because he is Christ", or something along those lines. He hated it, and just like Tenta included in his post, he didn't want to be a god, he just wanted to be a poet. Both men really wanted the world to be better also, it is subtle, but it is there. They were both truly great minds, it is just amazing how truly great they both were. They were both deeply involved in drugs, and usually used them to fight their pain and escape the world. And the biggest comparison between the two both X and Tenta forgot, or just didn't mention, they both died at 27, just like Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and I'm thinking Brian Jones. These deaths have become so famous they are known as the 27 Club.

As in contrasting, there really aren't that many. Like X said, Cobain battled with really life-long epression 24/7, as Morrison wasn't nearly that deeply depressed, or that's how it seems. Also, I have always found Cobain to be much more sarcastic and darker in his writings than Morrison, and I've always even found his singing to be much more emotional and depressed. I do, though, happen to believe both of these men are two of the greatest minds of the past 200 years at least, possibly even more. At least of the 20th century if no more. They were at their own unique level of greatness, and I enjoy them both so much.

Suggestions for the next one:
Metallica/Megadeth
Hendrix/Clapton

 

[Tenta]

The big difference between the two men though was that Morrison's life was always one of exploration and wonder. Even in his darkest times, the man knew that there were countless unanswered questions to life and mysteries to be explored, and he wanted to go out and solve every last one of them. He wanted to dance naked on the Sunset Strip and than howl at the moon with the wolves in the desert. While he fought his fair share of depression, he always knew that life held so much beauty, and he wanted to try and share that beauty with everyone around him and anyone who would listen.

Cobain on the other hand fought a much more serious life-long bout with depression. Even at his best times, there was always a darkness inside of him that no amount of money, fame, or drugs could possibly soothe. The one thing Cobain wanted the most though was to make a mark. He wanted to be remembered, because he saw how men like his father's lives turned out, and he wanted nothing to do with it.

X, I won't lie, I was hoping to get you into here, because your wealth of knowledge on both of these men's lives is so damn good. As it stands, yes, you're completely right about how these men differed in their coping with depression. One thing that I find so fascinating about Morrison comes from his father being in the Military. I think being raised in that drifter mentality really influenced how he wanted to explore the world. Yet, being in that military upbringing may have made him desperate to take an alternative route around the world for his exploration. It's actually quite enthralling how much he wanted to see, and wanted to do. The man was well traveled, yet if you ask him, there was always more he wanted to see. He desired some type of enlightenment, and wanted to know so much. Again, his depression may have made him reserved at times, but this was the fucking Lizard King. No way he could have been too reserved. Now, Cobain dealt with his issues in whole different way. It actually makes me really sad, and makes me wonder just how he would've turned out if he had just opened up with his problems. Perhaps, he'd still be alive.

My question is this... Is the way these men lived what made them so legendary, and so fascinating to us?

 

[Tenta]

As in contrasting, there really aren't that many. Like X said, Cobain battled with really life-long epression 24/7, as Morrison wasn't nearly that deeply depressed, or that's how it seems. Also, I have always found Cobain to be much more sarcastic and darker in his writings than Morrison, and I've always even found his singing to be much more emotional and depressed.

I do think that Morrison was more of a man that hid his depression underneath a veil of erratic behavior and otherwise nonsensical proclamations. Simply put, the guy was out there... Really out there. Cobain was based far more in a dark, reserved nature, even on stage. I think it all depended on how these men were able to combat their respective cases of depression, and not allow for their inner demons to catch up with them on stage

 

[TSG]

X, I won't lie, I was hoping to get you into here, because your wealth of knowledge on both of these men's lives is so damn good. As it stands, yes, you're completely right about how these men differed in their coping with depression. One thing that I find so fascinating about Morrison comes from his father being in the Military. I think being raised in that drifter mentality really influenced how he wanted to explore the world. Yet, being in that military upbringing may have made him desperate to take an alternative route around the world for his exploration. It's actually quite enthralling how much he wanted to see, and wanted to do. The man was well traveled, yet if you ask him, there was always more he wanted to see. He desired some type of enlightenment, and wanted to know so much. Again, his depression may have made him reserved at times, but this was the fucking Lizard King. No way he could have been too reserved. Now, Cobain dealt with his issues in whole different way. It actually makes me really sad, and makes me wonder just how he would've turned out if he had just opened up with his problems. Perhaps, he'd still be alive.

My question is this... Is the way these men lived what made them so legendary, and so fascinating to us?

I think that is only part of the reason. I think there are three things that make these men so fascinating. One is, like you said, the way they lived They both were just living such a unique and different life styles, but not really enjoying what happened to them eventually, because they didn't like all the stress and stardom. But just the way these men lived their lives draws such intrigue. I think another thing that draws intrigue about the two is just the mysterious aura that has always surrounded them, the way they wrote, the way they acted, how they really felt. I think the third thing is how they both died. There has always been so much controversey and unknown questions surrounding their death. And while the way they are claimed to have both died are likely true, there have been so many stories and theories it's hard to tell. No one will really know how they died, and it just draws such fascination about how they may have actually died.