It's always a problem when people (whether they are musicians, artists, movie stars, politicians, athletes, etc.) are assigned god status, whether it is assigned by themselves, the media, their fans, or whoever.
First of all, they are not gods; they are just people with talent. They may develop egos that convince them otherwise but it doesn't change the fact. Second, if they take all the praise to heart, they may forget the contributions of those who came before them, those who paved the way and made their road easier to travel.
There are some huge talents that probably were destined for greatness. I think that they should show respect for others in their professions, regardless of the heights that they have personally attained. But I don't know how I would act if people had been bowing down to me for decades, so I can't really say.
It puts me off to hear some of the disrespectful things that celebrities say about others (including some things on Stanley's official website). I think a little humility is a great thing for a person's character.
That said, over the last 35 years I have enjoyed a lot of Stanley's music. Whether or not I buy more of his CDs, go see him play live, or pay any attention to him, I will always have the things he has contributed to my life in the past.
The most important thing he has given me is making me aware of Alembic. That is something that has given me a lot of hands-on enjoyment just about every day of the last 6 years.
Rich
