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[Tedster]

I think everyone has peaks and slumps. It's as inspiration strikes. Often times, too, a particular artist's perceived "slump" is because they've gone away from a mainstream, or changed direction. For many, Elton John's peak years were in the late 80s, when he was turning out hit after hit. For me, however, he peaked with "Madman Across the Water" and "Tumbleweed Connection"...and almost everything since that has blown chunks. I think it's unrealistic for fans to expect an artist to put out consistently accessible stuff CD after CD. A lot of songs "grow on me" too, I won't be too hot on it the first couple of times I hear it, but after awhile I like it more. Me? I've never peaked. One whole long slump, that's me.

[Lee Flier]

I think it kinda depends on the artist. A lot of artists do have "peaks" and some have more than one peak, like a series of peaks and valleys. Then there are some like Richard Thompson who just seem to consistently put out great stuff. It takes a LOT of energy to maintain going through an artistic peak. It's almost like you're having a perpetual orgasm. :D There's just no way to make it last forever, you have to rest. This can be especially true when you have stardom to contend with as well as artistic achievement. I think that's why guys like Thompson have been more consistent - he's never been a huge star and had to deal with all the pressures coming at you when you're in that situation. Then too there are a lot of people whose creativity is sparked by struggle and ambition - so if they become huge, wealthy stars with nothing left to prove, they can lose it. Chemicals can aggravate the situation too - they can bring on huge creative peaks but then people who reach a peak that way tend to fall hard, often never to recover. It's tough to maintain the kind of energy and balance to be consistently achieving in top form. Personally? I don't think I've reached my peak yet. I've strived more for balance and consistency in my life. Chaos isn't particularly inspiring for me like it is for a lot of people - I need a secure base from which to work, in order to do my best. Now that I have a band that I feel strong and secure about I think I'm entering a VERY strong period of creativity that hopefully (knock on wood) will go on for awhile. And yeah, a lot of people seem to peak in their 20's but I think that's often because like I said earlier, they shoot their whole wad at that time, either they get into drugs or become a star young or both. I can't remember who said it, but I remember reading a quote somewhere that said basically: most people just cannot handle the combination of youth, fame and wealth at the same time. --Lee

[Sylver]

I peaked last night. Oh, musically? If I've peaked, then I refuse to admit it, playing a whole new instrument and all.

[halljams]

[quote]Originally posted by Sylver: [b]Pardon me ... would you happen to have any Grey Poupon?[/b][/quote]You know i went through about 10 different hot mustards last year and i just bought a jar of the poop-on last week, and damn is it great!

[WFTurner]

>>>he peaked with "Madman Across the Water" and "Tumbleweed Connection"...<<< Those we're the most inspiring alblums from a writers view point and I agree his best stuff. Could stand a listen to those again.

[Tedster]

Mmmmm...perpetual orgasm...shooting one's wad...

[Sylver]

[quote]Originally posted by wewjams: [b] [quote]Originally posted by Sylver: [b]Pardon me ... would you happen to have any Grey Poupon?[/b][/quote]You know i went through about 10 different hot mustards last year and i just bought a jar of the poop-on last week, and damn is it great![/b][/quote]It is great. I just thought it was an interesting tag line. Guess I'll need a new one soon.

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[Gator Wing]

I wouldn't mind seeing Britney's peaks.

[Anderton]

Well, I've had *commercial* peaks and valleys, but I think I'm objective in saying that my *artistic* abilities are on a linear upward track. I think what I'm doing now is so much better than what I was doing 5 years ago, which was better than what I was doing 5 years before that, and so on. My last "peak" began in 1998 when I started doing gigs over in Germany, and it hasn't stopped yet. I enjoy what I'm doing so much, and see so many possibilities I haven't even BEGUN to tap, that I think this peak may end only when I do. Something to aim for, anyway.

[Skip_dup1]

IMO, to `peak` means putting out great music at a reasonably constant rate. A lot of great artists continue to make great music, but release music less often. I`m just working on a new song, that I think is as good or better than average for me, but I`ve really been dismayed at my volume of work lately. I`m one of those people who thinks that interesting music comes from leading an interesting life, but distractions are the downside of that.

[suWeW]

id rather just ride downhill, dont have to pedal so hard.

[Rog]

If an artist has peaks then the definition of peak has to be either my own personal one or a measure of success in terms of record sales, etc. I know plenty of people who think the early Beatles stuff is better than the later, more experimental stuff. For me, they peaked with Revolver though. Other people think Abbey Road is their peak. So who is right?

[alphajerk]

not the people who think the EARLY beatles stuff is the best... :p im on the death valley of peak scales.

[Rog]

[quote]Originally posted by alphajerk: [b]not the people who think the EARLY beatles stuff is the best... :p im on the death valley of peak scales.[/b][/quote]Well, they're right in their own minds. Most of these people are 60+ though ;)

[KenElevenShadows]

[quote]Originally posted by wReOwGus: [b]If an artist has peaks then the definition of peak has to be either my own personal one or a measure of success in terms of record sales, etc. I know plenty of people who think the early Beatles stuff is better than the later, more experimental stuff. For me, they peaked with Revolver though. Other people think Abbey Road is their peak. So who is right?[/b][/quote]I think you nailed it. They had an interesting, viable career that was *consistent* creatively and otherwise, so a lot of it is more a matter of personal taste. For an artist, they can usually sense it, when things are flowing right, when they are really "on" creatively, what their own best work is, etc. I feel like I have been really really lucky in that ideas keep coming, keep coming, and I keep thinking that they're better (or at least as good) as things I've done in the past. My music also often gotten increasingly "weirder", so this cannot be measured by album sales necessarily, so for me, thinking about the peaks has more to do with creative energy.

[Tedster]

[quote]Originally posted by wReOwGus: [b]I know plenty of people who think the early Beatles stuff is better than the later, more experimental stuff. For me, they peaked with Revolver though. Other people think Abbey Road is their peak. So who is right?[/b][/quote]For me, the Beatles were the classic example of a band that went through a few peaks and lulls. I think they peaked early on with the "Hard Day's Night" stuff. After the "yeah yeah yeah" thing began to get a bit old, they hit a little lull trying to redefine themselves. They began to come out of the lull and peaked again with Revolver and Pepper. A minor lull followed, as the psychedelic stuff began again to get old, and they searched to redefine themselves again. Although I really like the White Album, there was much of it that I'd call a "minor lull" as they again searched to redefine themselves. They went into quite a lull with "Let It Be"...they weren't sure at all where they were going there. They were trying to "Get Back" to their live roots, and for much of the sessions, it wasn't happening. Blame it on Yoko, or Allen Klein, but, I think they were bored with being stuck in that box called "Beatles". They wanted to get out and play with other musicians...be it Elephant's Memory, or Delaney and Bonnie and Eric, or some Nashville session cats, whatever. Finally, they peaked once again with "Abbey Road" and said "Let's bury it before it starts to stink". That's my assessment of the situation.

[Curve Dominant]

[quote]posted by Craig Anderton: [b]Well, I've had *commercial* peaks and valleys, but I think I'm objective in saying that my *artistic* abilities are on a linear upward track. I think what I'm doing now is so much better than what I was doing 5 years ago, which was better than what I was doing 5 years before that, and so on.[/b][/quote]I'll drink to that. The Curve hasn't peaked yet. I'm having more fun now with music than I [b]ever[/b] have in my whole life. Technology is affording me ever-expanding capabilies. Age and experience have afforded me a more confident approach to creativity. And the industry is changing in ways that is advantageous to the way I like to work. The work I'm doing today is way beyond anything I ever imagined possible when I first started playing in clubs and studios, and I have a feeling that 10 and 20 years from now, the music I'll be producing will make today's stuff seem like small-fry. Artists who peak early and fall off...perhaps they were not "artists" to begin with, but rather people who stumbled across a good hook or two accidently, and didn't have the foundation of skills necessary to build a long term career. The fact is, there just aren't many true artists. The myth that musicians are inherently artistic or creative in any way is something I have seen practically no evidence of. In all of my years as a bandleader, the most frustrating thing ever was trying to get musicians to [b]think[/b], even though most of them were excellent players. But when it came to saying "no" to innovative or out-of-the-box ideas, [b]that[/b] was easy. I've met very few musicians who had a problem turning their backs on something new. Probably the main reason I have such a strong collaboration going with Oshia, is because I finally found someone who is even more experimental than I am. But that's a hiphop artist for you: say want you want about the rapping; when it comes to the music, hiphop is the most creative form of popular music that exists today. Your mileage will most certainly vary, I'm sure...(LOL!)

[alphajerk]

[quote]Originally posted by wReOwGus: [b] [quote]Originally posted by alphajerk: [b]not the people who think the EARLY beatles stuff is the best... :p im on the death valley of peak scales.[/b][/quote]Well, they're right in their own minds. Most of these people are 60+ though ;) [/b][/quote]everyone is always right in their own minds ;) personally i think the early stuff was just warming up for the later stuff. it can easily be said that their early stuff is certianly higher peaks than most commercial artists ever peak. i prefer their later stuff.

[Tedster]

Looking at the Beatles, there are three reference points to consider...their own point of reference, one from someone witnessing the current phenomenon of a brand new group with "long hair" singing "Yeah Yeah Yeah"...and watching said new group redefine themselves...and lastly through the eyes of someone looking back on their career. Anyone looking at it from the second reference point, living through the sixties, will remember them "being on top" then, who's better, the Beatles or the Dave Clark Five, (the poor Beatles have had it)...then the Beatles again, then who's better, the Beatles or the Stones (the poor Beatles have had it again)...then they've quit touring, then John says they're more popular than Jesus (it doesn't matter what you believe now, during the mostly hyper-conservative mid sixties, misconstrued or not, that was a sure death sentence). Major lull. No more Beatles. They've had it. And other more interesting bands are starting to emerge, the Who, the Animals, the Kinks, etc...then Revolver and Pepper and they're back on top again, defining once and for all who the top dogs were.

[Tom Capasso]

I don't think the Beatles had peaks and valleys like many artists did. Their valleys were too small and their peaks too high. Much as I like the early Elton John, I would think the peak lasted longer. And it was inconsistent (not necessarily all bad) after that. And Elvis Costello - moves up to peak, goes down slowly, and instead of hitting bottom, moves sideways. Brutal Youth and his current album show him stepping back into the rock world - if not in peak form, certainly enjoyable for fans. As a player, I think I peaked in my 20s. I'm hoping to regain some good form. Emotionally, I'm much better to work with now, so I don't know. Creatively, I've had ups and downs all thru, and I can't recognize points as dramatic as peaks and valleys. Sometimes I suspect my style is smooth, sometimes I'm with Ted - one bad slide... Tom

[Dan South]

Great topic!!! I think that GROUPS peak, because it's difficult to establish and maintain the optimum group situation. Artists have ups and downs, but that's not all bad. You can't expect to have breakthroughs if you never step back to gain perspective. I haven't peaked. I'm on a long, gradual, slippery incline, and I take two steps back for every three steps forward. :D

[DC]

I think Dill Scallion peaked with; 'You Shared You.' Yeah, as several of you mentioned, I think age has cleared away a lot of my youthful frustrations in being able to play instruments and operate recording equipment in an efficient manner. I can get ideas finished much faster now. I'd say there's more raw passion in youth. Especially teens are all passion with little if any planning. I think us middle aged folks still have passion though, and it's deeper. So yes, I think my best work is yet to come. I wrote and recorded an all synth tune in two days last week. Quite a departure for me as most of my tunes are guitar oriented, but it was fun. As far as the Beatles discussion, I'll pretty much agree with Tedster 100%.

[Wewus432]

Well I didn't read the whole thread but I think most artist have "said" what they had to say by their third or fourth album, case in point, Jackson Browne, I totally loved his first four albums and then he really was Running On Empty, funny he just went ahead and told everybody. Sample lyrics " She's got to be somebodies baby, she must be somebodies baby". Then he started beating everybody over the head with his political agenda. Jackson Puhleeease!

[ZA]

To follow what the Curve said... If you're banking on sheer energy/enthusiasm, you'll peak early. Personally I find pursuits more rewarding if practitioners get better with age, not worse. But maybe I'm just setting myself up to be content with my own choices. Anyway, of course, in any variable there will be high points and low points, and usually you can point to one lifetime high. But what is the artist/writer supposed to do with that information?