Amy Winehouse

[Blockster]

I loved Amy she was a star in the true sense of the word.
I do wonder how she would have fared in this crazy world today. Since she died anyone who is influenced by black music and her voice was Billie Holiday/Sarah Vaughan like in style and being white, would she have been accused of apporiating those artists, she was Jewish which is problematic amongst media types now and her song Stronger Than Me she sings about ladyboys so she would probably not be able to sing that because of transphobia. Oh boy how the world has slid of the rails in such a short time.
I'd like to think in true Amy style she'd stick her tongue out at them all and be unapologetic.

 

[Boogs]

Whilst there is no doubt that her relationship with Blake was really toxic I blame her father for a lot of what happened. I think he is a huge part of why she was such a vulnerable, damaged, adult. I think the man is vile.

 

[Flowerpotgirl]

I was giving them the benefit of the doubt for a minute, and I do think Mitch is miffed and thinks that he should have that money. But they say these were things gifted to them, and that Amy would have wanted them to sell them. If true and they were strapped for cash then fair enough, but it says they gave 156 items for the auction. That’s a lot of things to have been gifted, I’d be curious to know what they were as there was a lot of rubbish sold at that same auction - a used candle, a tube of Simple moisturiser, empty perfume and body wash bottles, half-used makeup bits to name a few. It just looked like a total raid of her house, like someone had taken every little thing. But the one that grabbed me the most was a Polaroid photo of Amy and Catriona, I find it shocking that it was being sold. Why would she want to part with that? If it were me I would never want to sell that, I would treasure it. Especially as it’s a personal photo, with my so called “best friend” - to me that tells me exactly what to think of Catriona.

When I saw the list of items, I could have cried. Single earrings, half used eye liner, driving test manuals. It WAS literally like someone had gone in and grabbed anything that was there. Shocked there was no half used soaps and tubes of toothpaste. So so distasteful

 

[clueless]

Some Amy fans are nuts and take things too far sometimes!

I have an Amy Instagram account on the side and one of the big accounts on there (amywinehousecommunity) was posting all this stuff that Amy was bi-sexual, Amy was an ally etc. for pride, and everyone was commenting omg wow, so excited to find this out, they didn't know etc... someone commented that that was rubbish and she was straight and I agreed with them and I've been immediately blocked! It's not for anyone to surmise on her sexuality over ten years after her death, how dare people do this, it makes me angry. A lot of Amy fans are so obsessive and seem to think they actually really know her, and are almost competitive in how much they know her more than others. It's bizarre.

Anyway this account is spreading this because of that Reclaiming Amy documentary where her "friend" Catriona claimed to have slept with her, ten years later. Other commenters were actually using it as a source "if you'd watched reclaiming amy you would know" - yeesh. We chatted on this thread before about how disgraceful that programme was; Amy can't confirm or deny anything, and I personally don't believe it but even if it were true, it's the last piece of her privacy to be sold off by, guess who, Mitch and fake friends, as always. The Asif Kapadia is the only trustworthy documentary (you know, the one with her actual friends?) and I stand by that.

 

[Sideboard Bob]

I loved Amy she was a star in the true sense of the word.
I do wonder how she would have fared in this crazy world today. Since she died anyone who is influenced by black music and her voice was Billie Holiday/Sarah Vaughan like in style and being white, would she have been accused of apporiating those artists, she was Jewish which is problematic amongst media types now and her song Stronger Than Me she sings about ladyboys so she would probably not be able to sing that because of transphobia. Oh boy how the world has slid of the rails in such a short time.
I'd like to think in true Amy style she'd stick her tongue out at them all and be unapologetic.

I think that’s a really fair point. What I would say about Amy though, is that she always acknowledged and referenced the black singers and musicians she was influenced by. She didn’t try to pretend she came up with it.
She’d talk about these singers in interviews, bringing them to the attention of a whole young audience. Her love and respect for the artists and the genres was always so clear.

Dusty Springfield was another white artist who got popular singing soul music, and she was the same, she got Motown acts booked on UK tv shows, and used her fame here to promote these amazing singers who weren’t yet known in the UK at the time. Again, it was all about her love and respect for the music she was influenced by.

 

[Sideboard Bob]

There’ll be a new documentary about Amy from the BBC soon, with her mum involved.
What‘s everyone’s thoughts? I think it will be lovely to hear more from her mum‘s perspective.

“The BBC said her story would be told in the new documentary "primarily through her mum", whose version of events "often differs from the narrative we have been told before".
Janis will be joined by family and friends, and the film will offer "a new female-driven interpretation of her life, her loves and her legacy", the announcement said.”

Amy Winehouse's mum Janis makes documentary 'to save memories from MS'

Janis Winehouse is to tell Amy's story in a new documentary on the 10th anniversary of her death.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[YeahBrackie]

We were in London at the weekend and walked past Amy's statue. Loads of people there taking photos with it. There's a gold sheen to her shoulder from so many people putting an arm around it for a picture. I actually felt immensely sad. It was almost as though, even in death, she still can't escape the cameras and everyone wanting something from her.

 

[Venuslurker]

Amy is one of the only celebrity deaths that I've actually cried over, loved her music and style and she was so funny and witty. The way she died was so sad. I love Camden and always think of her when I visit.

 

[Foxvint]

I think it’s clearly a good thing that we’ve become less tolerant of transphobia though! Not sure how being Jewish is problematic now either?

I think the posters point was that trans activists will find offence where none was intended. Amy's tounge in cheek lyrics, glorification of old London gangster aesthetics that enshrine strict gender roles and a traditional wife persona weren't at all woke. It's interesting to speculate where she'd have fitted in today, if she'd have grown out of that posturing etc. And posturing it was. It's easier to talk about dying for Mah Man than to be keeping the home fires burning when he's in nick, which she didn't do. Amy was a creation a bit like Marilyn imo. A buffer zone between the real person and the world. Missing out on the music of a mature older wiser Amy is a loss we can't fathom.

 

[Foxvint]

I feel like it was always gonna be slated- some ppl find it in poor taste (the OD scenes and involvement of mitch), it's too soon for some, no one is ever gonna look and especially sound like Amy. So there's legit objections. I just reject and am annoyed by the sort of self-righteous high horse declarations that are all-over SM about no real fan of Amy should go and see this film. Scuse me? Off you fuck determining whats acceptable culture. I'll watch anything about Amy and make up my own mind. My daughter and me both big fans- I'm gonna watch it, she would never. Its all good. But make up your own mind and don't pretend you're some sort of purer pedigree fan if you don't imo.

 

[FrostyChops]

The documentary film made a few years ago is a real eye opener. Her poor friends.

 

[Peterboroughmum]

Loved her - loved the music and how funny and sweet she was. Never saw her live and I'm kinda glad I didn't.

RIP Amy

 

[Tweacle]

I can't believe that she didn't want to buy a drink. I would have thought that she was buying round after round, no even realising how much she spent. I just had that impression.

I am kind of glad that she didn't allow everyone to take advantage of her. It seemed a bit like it to me and this made me sad.

Did she sometime sing when you went out (I heard that she sometimes liked to break into song)? Was she always dressed up in her usual style?

I cannot believe you knew her and spoke to her. I kind of want to shake all your memories of her out of you, haha

She never shut up she quite often burst into song. She loved company too, especially those who didn’t give a fig who she was. Honestly she would disappear rather than buy a round. She was good fun, but she had a serious side too. Most people think of her as a loud mixed up girl. And she could be. But she was also really kind, she loved hearing other people’s good news too.

 

[clueless]

I was re-watching the film ‘Amy’ about her the other night. It mentioned that Rehab was written about an attempt to get her into rehab pre-Blake and pre-drugs to deal with her alcoholism. It was alcohol that liked her, she hadn’t taken drugs in a long time, and also the bulimia pre-dated him too.

Plus it’s easy for the press to point fingers at him when I remember how dreadfully the press hounded Amy, which definitely added to her problems, distracts from their role.

I think the thing with Blake is that a lot of people don’t realise he and his brother went through a lot and had a fucked up childhood. So if you’re pointing fingers of blame, someone fucked him up too.

I dunno. He did his rehab in the city I live in and I used to see him around a lot in the period around Amy’s death. He was a bit of a sad, pitiful and lonely character with a boatload of issues, not the demon he’s sometimes made out to be.

BIB: but it wasn’t pre-Blake, when he broke up with her and went back to his other girlfriend was when she really went off the rails, Amy said this herself. She also said the turning point for her was when she started writing the album Back to Black, writing those songs helped her feel better and she then “had something good out of something bad”.

She had another boyfriend and was doing well, Back to Black was really taking off… then guess who comes crawling back. I wish Amy had have been stronger; Blake said in an interview around that time “it’s taken tenacity and fucking perseverance, but there was no way we were never going to be together” - funny how his feelings changed when he seen her growing success, fame and money.

Blake introduced her to crack and heroin right after they got back from America married, she had never done either before. I really feel that he waited til after they were married to do this so they were more tied together in a sense, as he had already used before.

 

[H1988]

This is exactly what I think too and it really annoys me ha! It seems everyone wants to claim that they were her “best friend” but I would be inclined to believe that her best friends were Juliette, and Lauren, and maybe Tyler who I believe did live with her a couple of times and at the last. The Asif Kapadia documentary is the only source I really trust.

And didn’t Tyler say in his book about Catriona living with Amy’s druggie hairdresser or something? And the only pics of Catriona and Amy are when they’re out on the drink. I get hanger on vibes from her, happy to go along with the party lifestyle. And all this talk about being lovers and Amy being confused about her sexuality literally over a decade after her death is just despicable and attention seeking.

Funny we were chatting on here about Naomi and Catriona selling her belongings just yesterday, there’s an article in the Sunday Times supplement today about how Mitch is taking legal action against them and the story around that. Have any of you seen it?

I was giving them the benefit of the doubt for a minute, and I do think Mitch is miffed and thinks that he should have that money. But they say these were things gifted to them, and that Amy would have wanted them to sell them. If true and they were strapped for cash then fair enough, but it says they gave 156 items for the auction. That’s a lot of things to have been gifted, I’d be curious to know what they were as there was a lot of rubbish sold at that same auction - a used candle, a tube of Simple moisturiser, empty perfume and body wash bottles, half-used makeup bits to name a few. It just looked like a total raid of her house, like someone had taken every little thing. But the one that grabbed me the most was a Polaroid photo of Amy and Catriona, I find it shocking that it was being sold. Why would she want to part with that? If it were me I would never want to sell that, I would treasure it. Especially as it’s a personal photo, with my so called “best friend” - to me that tells me exactly what to think of Catriona.

I agree the only doc I found believable was the’Amy’ one by Asif. It was brilliant and all felt really true. I think I might have to re read Tyler’s book now. I found the ‘reclaiming Amy’ by the mum just felt strange. Don’t get me wrong I feel bad for the mum but she seemed on another planet a bit and that she was talking about Amy as a little child rather than an adult. I mean they all just talked about how wonderful she was and how well she did and just brushed over the fact that her life went into a total car crash. She was a bulimic for years and years, alcoholic and drug addict and it was just barely mentioned when actually it’s pretty relevant because it killed her at 27. Also no mention of the fact that she was allowed to do lots of performances where she was obviously completely out of it.

 

[Phil Anne Throw Pee]

For all that drugs were a part of her story it was the pedestrian old ale that killed her. She'd been clean of class A's for a long time before she died and she hadn't been around Blake for years either. I bet some of those cunts who stuck half litre voddy bottles in the impromptu shrine outside her house are the same people who'd have Mitch and Blake in the pillory over her death.

We want simple answers to tragedy. She was a stubborn wealthy woman with agency. Hagiography springs up when someone dies young. Like all addicts she put her family through hell. I always wonder what amazing music we missed out on by her dying but it's equally possible that she might not have done anything else but be papped looking a mess in grotty pubs. The press were always speculating that she wouldn't make any more albums, treating her like a has been, treating her like the punchline of a sad joke. It must've seriously affected her as a woman with an eating disorder and poor self imagine. There's a little story in Tyler's book about a girl in the loos saying to her omg you look just like Amy winehouse except you're a lot prettier. He said she was crushed by stuff like that. Anyway I'm rambling. See the film or don't but I didn't find it gratuitous myself.
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I don't think he did come off well in it. He just wasn't a 2D villain either. It also shows her dad letting her down, not going to one of her early gigs. No one comes out of it smelling of roses. It's not the simple black and white thing some people who haven't seen it have decided it is.
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Does anyone have the tea on all her clothes currently being sold on ebay? That's presumably one of her 'friends' doing. I assume I can't post ebay links but for example there's a pair of her ballet pumps for 7.5K. Not being sold for charity either.

I personally think it wasn't just one thing that killed her. I mean, technically, yes, she died of alcohol poisoning but her organs must have been shot to shit for years when you combine the drinking, the drugs and probable malnutrition due to the size of her. I think she would have died at some point after she did even if she hadn't been caning the booze - her poor tiny body was subjected to so much.

I haven't seen the film but I think I will. Amy was a unique, once in a lifetime talent and she was let down by everyone around her. She was a fucking Queen.

 

[orlyb1310]

I wonder about her relationship with Mark Ronson. He obviously cared about her, made a record with her that is a future classic and seemed to bring out the best in her talent and writing. The record also made his career as well I think. As a friend I don’t think he had much influence over her especially with the drugs and alcohol and husband choices but it must be hard for him to think of how the third album could have been. When she sang with Tony Bennett she seemed so happy in the film. I remember watching it and being so sad for her friends and so cross with her dad. Her father and husband manipulated and abused her.

After writing Rehab she should have been put in rehab. The tortured artist trope should be dispensed with, Adele writes soulful songs and is perfectly happy with her life.

Mark and Amy were a force to be reckoned with. The way he was in awe of her talent was so beautiful to see and the magic that they created together will be hard to ever replicate. He’s such a talented producer and I so wish Amy was still with us. I always say that if I could bring back any musician who is no longer with us, I’d choose Amy

 

[James.P.Sullivan]

I remember reading some interviews with her in glamour when her first album came out and couldn’t believe the change in her by the time back to black came out. I was never a huge fan but her talent was amazing, she could have gone so far. Its really sad that she’s gone

 

[DCICassieStuart]

Very sad. Don't like the blogger. She was excited and would have flogged them all on ebay. It's sad, not thrilling. All that money and talent and Amy was still a little girl thrilled about ballet shoes.

Caroline Hirons is a nasty piece of work. Stooping even lower than usual here

 

[LennyBriscoe]

Completely.

I don't even think that her parents could have done more, she was an adult after all and living by herself.

But what I find hard to deal with, in hindsight, is that there were so many photos of her in newspapers, demonstrating how derailed she was, and we all looked at them and didn't do anything. I cannot even say what could have done by "the public", but it feels extra cruel that the whole world watched her collapse in a way.

I don't think I am expressing myself very well. I think that maybe some pictures should not have been printed and that her management should have been alerted (it probably was), maybe there could have been some sort of intervention, I don't know.

I know what you mean but if those closest to her - who had her genuine best interests at heart - couldn’t help her then the wider public wouldn’t have been able to. I’m a recovering alcoholic and I know that if I was a famous person when my alcoholism was at it worst, if someone saw me drunk on the front of a scummy tabloid and offered to pay for me to go to rehab for six months - I may accept and go, but if I wasn’t ready to put everything I had into recovery, I would have started drinking as soon as I got out.

The tabloids fed off that kind of story back then. I don’t what it is about the British media, they build someone up and then revel in their downfall. People saw it unfolding in front of their eyes and it was awful to see