From October of 1982, this was about the death of Bill Haley, who had the 1954 hit "Rock Around The Clock." (It is often referred to as the first rock record, though most musicologists credit Ike -- later to find fame as Tina's hubby -- Turner's 1951 recording "Rocket 88" with that trophy. Ironically, Haley, with an earlier band than the Comets, recorded a cover version of it, too.) Haley had died a year and-a-half before, and it was sad to read of his last years. He had a lifelong battle with alcoholism, and his increasingly erratic behavour -- pestering people in restaurants, showing them his driver's licence, etc. -- was largely blamed on that. It later came out that he had been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, so doubtless that explained part of it.
So herewith my exploration of the corrosive nature of fame and celebrity. Fortunately my steady character and unshakable principles (and, it should be noted, my completely non-existent musical career) will see to it that my death will be in utter obscurity and will be noted by only a few insignificant bloggers (assuming they have totally run out of other things to talk about), the way God intended it!
Hey, waitaminute . . .