Vic Chesnutt RIP

December 24, 2009 10:33 PM

Vic Chesnutt dead of apparent suicide. The link covers his biography just fine, including the extra gut punch that he was apparently facing huge medical debt, so I'll just link to this fine live performance of an appropriate song of his. So sad to see you go Vic.
posted by malphigian (97 comments total)

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posted by kowalski at 10:37 PM on December 24, 2009

Jesus fucking Christ no.
posted by bardic at 10:38 PM on December 24, 2009

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posted by pearlybob at 10:38 PM on December 24, 2009

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posted by Donnie VandenBos at 10:40 PM on December 24, 2009

dammit.
posted by swamptiger at 10:42 PM on December 24, 2009

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terrible, terrible news.
posted by Auden at 10:42 PM on December 24, 2009

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posted by flapjax at midnite at 10:44 PM on December 24, 2009

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posted by youcancallmeal at 10:44 PM on December 24, 2009

I saw him open for Bob Mould at Liberty Lunch in 199...something. I had no idea what to expect, and was pleasantly surprised. His stage presence was engaging, open and funny, and he stole the show. I got to speak with him later, and he was very friendly and gracious. I saw him many times after that, and he always won the room with his warmth, humor, and honesty.

This is tragic and heartbreaking.

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posted by louche mustachio at 10:45 PM on December 24, 2009

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posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 10:46 PM on December 24, 2009

A recent interview with Terry Gross.

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posted by infinitewindow at 10:50 PM on December 24, 2009 [1 favorite]

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(What a fucked-up way to start Christmas. I just started geting into his music...)
posted by vhsiv at 10:53 PM on December 24, 2009

I heard the interview with Terry Gross when it first aired. He was amiable and thoughtful, and a fantastic musician.
posted by sadiehawkinstein at 10:55 PM on December 24, 2009 [2 favorites]

Hell with the moment of silence "." - if Vic was here, he'd have known what to say, and it probably was either that he clearly wasn't ready, or that Jesus, he was ready

Damn

I'm Not Ready, for me, or for this

no period, please
posted by Graygorey at 10:57 PM on December 24, 2009

Poor fellow.

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posted by Dee Xtrovert at 11:07 PM on December 24, 2009

Jesus, no.
posted by The Bridge on the River Kai Ryssdal at 11:10 PM on December 24, 2009

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posted by dancestoblue at 11:18 PM on December 24, 2009

Damn it all to hell.

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posted by ktrey at 11:19 PM on December 24, 2009

Ah fuck.

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posted by eyeballkid at 11:25 PM on December 24, 2009

Shit. BitterOldPunk mentioned this earlier elsewhere and I was hoping Chesnutt would pull through.

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posted by fairytale of los angeles at 11:29 PM on December 24, 2009

a man must take his life in his own hands
hit those nails on the head
and i respect a man who goes to where he wants to be
even if he wants to be dead

-Vic Chesnutt
"Florida"

link
posted by Clay201 at 11:33 PM on December 24, 2009 [3 favorites]

Ah, shit. Goddamn.
posted by librarina at 11:36 PM on December 24, 2009

Well, shit.
posted by contessa at 11:38 PM on December 24, 2009

a man must take his life in his own hands
hit those nails on the head
and i respect a man who goes to where he wants to be
even if he wants to be dead

Nice sentiment, provided we're walking about a reasoned, unconstrained decision to die (though I'm not sure how possible such a thing even is.) You have to wonder though, how much this stuff was a factor -- and to what extent we let the bastards who are responsible for deaths like this one off the hook

He told Spinner earlier this year that "right now, I am in huge trouble in that the hospital is suing me for $35,000 for payment, which is terrifying -- and the rub is that I have health insurance." His heath care debt reportedly totaled more than $50,000
posted by PeterMcDermott at 11:47 PM on December 24, 2009

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I am so sorry to hear this. Bless his heart.
posted by smartyboots at 11:55 PM on December 24, 2009

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posted by Quonab at 12:11 AM on December 25, 2009

Ugh, this is so upsetting.

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posted by punchdrunkhistory at 12:11 AM on December 25, 2009

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posted by tokyoeye at 2:12 AM on December 25, 2009

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posted by lapolla at 2:26 AM on December 25, 2009

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posted by titus-g at 3:08 AM on December 25, 2009

Earlier this month I noted that the list Said the Gramophone made, of the best songs of the year, was such a good list, because it contains work by ánd Shakira ánd Vic Chesnutt.

The song names there, "Flirted With You All My Life", contains the words:

O death
I am not ready

And I believed him.
posted by ijsbrand at 3:15 AM on December 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

ah, shit.

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posted by msconduct at 3:46 AM on December 25, 2009

I flirted with you all my life
Even kissed you once or twice
And to this day I swear it was nice
But clearly I was not ready

When you touched a friend of mine
I thought I would lose my mind
But I found out with time that
Really I was not ready


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posted by null terminated at 3:59 AM on December 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

oh shit . . .
posted by elmono at 4:18 AM on December 25, 2009

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posted by Rykey at 4:36 AM on December 25, 2009

Tragic

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posted by fourcheesemac at 4:53 AM on December 25, 2009

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posted by scruss at 5:00 AM on December 25, 2009

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posted by Smart Dalek at 5:22 AM on December 25, 2009

His "Soft Picasso" was one of the first songs I learned to play on guitar. I've listened to his albums whilst bent out of my brain, hours passed in quiet, attentive admiration. This is a truly major loss, and I'm aghast at the USA medical system.
posted by honey-barbara at 5:27 AM on December 25, 2009

I saw this guy back in June I think opening for Jonathan Richman. By using "this guy" I'd obviously never heard of him previously. He was engaging and amusing (and tortured) but unfortunately Richman hates A/C and I literally had to walk out of the building and miss most of the show or several bits of it so as not to pass out from the heat.

Sad day for his fans, himself, and his family. Horrible how the medical system in the States works.
posted by juiceCake at 5:58 AM on December 25, 2009

I saw him back in 92 or so and even then it was clear he was a really tortured soul with a great many emotional and substance abuse problems. Frankly, I am very surprised he persevered this long and it's probably a testament to the therapeutic power of music.

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posted by Slarty Bartfast at 6:09 AM on December 25, 2009

shit
posted by ardgedee at 6:24 AM on December 25, 2009

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posted by waraw at 6:27 AM on December 25, 2009

I noodled around on the bass with Vic at his house when I first got to Athens. I remember thinking he was crazy. He must not have thought much of me because I never got a call back, but things were pretty loose back then.

"and the rub is that I have health insurance."

Yeah, that.

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posted by daniel9223 at 6:39 AM on December 25, 2009

This is awful news.

I've been working on a post about Vic on and off for about a week. Found a few links that I thought would flesh out a nice FPP. I guess they might as well go here

Vic Chesnutt - Cobbham Blues

Vic Chesnutt PSA

Vic Chesnutt - DNA

Vic Chestnutt's Tiny Desk Concert at NPR Music


So long Vic.
posted by nola at 6:47 AM on December 25, 2009

Wow. Shit.

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posted by item at 6:56 AM on December 25, 2009

how sad. a very great talent.

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posted by readery at 7:01 AM on December 25, 2009

Wait. I'm a little confused. All of the news links say that he's still in a coma, there are only a few blog posts that say he's dead. I'm not putting my dot down yet, it seems a little premature.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 7:25 AM on December 25, 2009

NY Times says a coma, Billboard says a coma (but the link says "dead"). Google news search is mixed.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 7:33 AM on December 25, 2009

Apparently a few blogs posted news of his death yesterday but have since retracted. Here's Athens Music Junkie's coverage of the story.
posted by googly at 7:49 AM on December 25, 2009

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posted by bshort at 7:52 AM on December 25, 2009

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posted by glycolized at 7:53 AM on December 25, 2009

According to the Augusta Chronicle, as of 10 am this morning, Chesnutt is in a coma.
posted by Atreides at 7:58 AM on December 25, 2009

Stumbled across Vic Chesnutt while checking out show listings on a local music website. The name would have totally slipped me by if it were not for the "w/ Guy Picciotto and members of Silver Mt. Zion and GYBE" part. The show was at one of the worst music venues in Ottawa (Maverick) that is avoided at most, almost all costs because even freakishly talented performers can't save the venue from its shitty sound and nonexistent ambience. It's where great music goes to die. It's one of those places where saying something like "I saw the best show of the year (Vic Chesnutt) at Mavericks" can never be understood as anything other than sarcasm. Somehow, though, that actually happened. Vic managed to salvage the venue by making us forget the physical space ever mattered. He was pure anomaly. His songs transfixed us into a trance of haunting, cavernous emotional depth that completely defy any tangible explanation. And you thought his songs are touching coming out of your speakers. Phew.

I interviewed Vic for an arts weekly rag piece and he was undoubtedly the most genuine artist I have ever met. I was pretty apprehensive about talking to him on the phone because well, Vic was, as you can imagine, very reserved, which only exacerbates the awkwardness already inherent in a phone interview with a stranger. But we warmed up to each other pretty quickly and he told me some great stories. There was this fascinating modesty/confidence dualism in his answers, too. Vic told me about how Jonathan Richman helped him get over his stage fright. During one of his tours Vic was experiencing intense anxiety and he confided in Richman, who told him "Hey Vic, music is a revolutionary thing. Do you think Laurence Ferlinghetti gave a shit what people thought about him when he read his stuff? Do you think he gave a damn? Vic, that's who you are. You're Lawrence fucking Ferlinghetti!" Then he wrote "Vic Chesnutt is Lawrence fucking Ferlinghetti" on a piece of paper which Vic carried around with him in his guitar case for every show as a kind of talisman. After, I asked him if he believed in the idea that artists always write with an intended audience in mind. Vic said that it's naive to create art thinking there is no audience no perceive it. Vic knew very well his music isn't for everyone -- he said "I'm not Lady GaGa or Snoop Dogg." While he never made the conscious effort to write for a specific audience, he knew that his fans were ultimately listeners who wanted to "delve into the darker sides of human existence."
posted by Menomena at 7:58 AM on December 25, 2009 [7 favorites]

Sad news. It's been a difficult year for Athens musicians:

Randy Bewley - Pylon guitarist

Gerhardt “Jerry” Fuchs - Maserati drummer

Fred Mills - trumpet player
posted by Andy's Gross Wart at 8:19 AM on December 25, 2009

Goodbye Vic.
posted by quarterframer at 9:19 AM on December 25, 2009

I hope the RIP is premature and that he pulls through this.
posted by secretary bird at 9:30 AM on December 25, 2009

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posted by soft and hardcore taters at 9:38 AM on December 25, 2009

:(
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 10:03 AM on December 25, 2009

User FlagpoleMusic on Twitter, about an hour ago: "Spoke with a friend that was at the hospital this morning, Vic Chesnutt is still with us although he is on life support."
posted by statolith at 10:03 AM on December 25, 2009

10 minutes ago from a friend who knew him:

Hi (friend). Our statement of yesterday still stands...

Vic is in the middle of a serious medical situation, he is in a coma, and his family and friends are with him. We have no comment right now on the specifics other than that his doctors are continuing to assess his condition. We will issue a full statement at an appropriate time. In the interim, we request that everybody respect Vic's privacy and that of his family.


Don Wilkie

Constellation
posted by kuujjuarapik at 10:19 AM on December 25, 2009

Kristin Hersh's Twitter feed, from an hour ago:

You people are so full of love-thank you for sending it vic and tina's way-the situation is complex and sad, but there's still a little hope

He's still in a coma as of now.
posted by jokeefe at 11:13 AM on December 25, 2009

I flirted with you most of my Life,
I even kissed you once or twice.

When you touched a friend of mine,
I thought that I would lose my mind.

Is it just me, or does anyone else find that chilling, even without the suicide attempt?

His latest record dropped in September and on Christmas Eve, he's killing himself because he's $40k in debt? We know he's got plenty of well-heeled friends. It must be drugs or alcohul talking there, because something just doesn't add up.
posted by vhsiv at 11:21 AM on December 25, 2009

vhsiv: There's a long history of medical problems there, and previous attempts.

However: Fuck the US so-called health care system straight to hell.
posted by jokeefe at 11:26 AM on December 25, 2009 [4 favorites]

No matter what happens, I hope he finds peace.

And I've never wanted to hit Joe Lieberman and Ben Nelson quite as much as I do right now. Fuck you, Mr. Senators. Fuck. You.
posted by youcancallmeal at 11:32 AM on December 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

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Holy fucking shit. I met him two months ago. I hope to god that he comes out of this coma.
posted by azarbayejani at 11:47 AM on December 25, 2009

It's probably worth mentioning, Menomena, that that show in Ottawa was only like a month ago.
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posted by Flashman at 1:14 PM on December 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

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posted by chairface at 2:01 PM on December 25, 2009

He's NOT dead - he's still in a coma (also at pitchfork).
posted by mike3k at 2:44 PM on December 25, 2009

NY Times- Vic is dead now.

Here's to your cozy, cozy coffin, Vic.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 2:50 PM on December 25, 2009

Confirmed by his label.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 2:52 PM on December 25, 2009

One of the most amazing things in Athens is Nuci's Space, which provides practice space as well as free/reduced price health care and mental health care to Athens musicians. It was founded by parents who lost their son, an Athens musician, to suicide.

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posted by hydropsyche at 3:01 PM on December 25, 2009

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posted by weederman at 3:39 PM on December 25, 2009

been a fan for so many years. just saw him the first of this month and it was a great show. he will be missed.
posted by PugAchev at 3:46 PM on December 25, 2009

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posted by Menomena at 3:59 PM on December 25, 2009

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I feel particularly sad for his wife Tina and for Kristin Hersh, who has unfortunately been put in the position of publicly dealing with all this.

There are a lot of people hurting now, but I suspect they will come together over this.
posted by markkraft at 4:54 PM on December 25, 2009

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Rest in peace, Vic.
posted by porn in the woods at 4:55 PM on December 25, 2009

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posted by mkim at 4:57 PM on December 25, 2009

http://kristinhersh.cashmusic.org/vic/

For donations to help cover his health care costs, via Kristin Hersh.
posted by gingerbeer at 7:10 PM on December 25, 2009

Can't say I've ever been a fan of his music, but I've always been a fan of the way he lived his life.

Godspeed, Vic.
posted by lekvar at 9:27 PM on December 25, 2009

God damnit! So sorry Vic.
posted by thirteenkiller at 9:53 PM on December 25, 2009

http://kristinhersh.cashmusic.org/vic/

I was hopeful this morning. So sad to lose him after that little sliver.
posted by The Bridge on the River Kai Ryssdal at 10:38 PM on December 25, 2009

Awwww. I saw him play in Seattle around the time I had just seen Speed Racer: Welcome to the World of Vic Chesnutt. He sang a bunch of songs at the Tractor Tavern in Seattle and the crowd wanted to hear him sing Steve Willoughby but he said he didn't remember all the words so he played and some random girl came up on stage and sang it through with him. I could listen to his song Thailand pretty much over and over forever.
posted by jessamyn at 11:34 PM on December 25, 2009

vic's work transcended maudlin sentiment

human being.
posted by Hammond Rye at 11:42 PM on December 25, 2009

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"Chesnutt, his lower body being immobile, had the most mobile head in the world. In the extremes of passion to which his music forced him, his head seemed to arch upward, his eyes rolling. He seemed to try to lift himself out of the chair purely by the use of his skull. I reflected that I wouldn't be able to let myself sing like that: I'd be afraid of rupturing a blood vessel. Sometimes, what with the wheelchair, the stage lights and this transfiguring howl, he seemed about to become a Francis Bacon painting.

"
posted by chavenet at 5:36 AM on December 26, 2009 [1 favorite]

This breaks my heart. I hope he has found some peace.
posted by vespertine at 6:17 AM on December 26, 2009

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posted by scottymac at 6:19 AM on December 26, 2009

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posted by belvidere at 3:08 PM on December 26, 2009

Vic Chesnutt performed at WMUC (the station I work at) on October 30. My friend Reese kindly provided me with a recording of Vic's performance along with the interview he conducted with Vic.

This is all pretty heartbreaking. We all looked forward to having him at the station again.
posted by azarbayejani at 3:13 PM on December 26, 2009

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posted by ameliajayne at 4:28 PM on December 26, 2009

"I'm not too eloquent talking about these things," Chesnutt said. "I was making payments, but I can't anymore and I really have no idea what I'm going to do. It seems absurd they can charge this much. When I think about all this, it gets me so furious. I could die tomorrow because of other operations I need that I can't afford. I could die any day now, but I don't want to pay them another nickel."
posted by thirteenkiller at 6:44 PM on December 26, 2009

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posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 8:03 PM on December 26, 2009

This has been weighing heavily on us here in our Atlanta household since we found out last night. Mrs. Intermod has Vic in her Top 5 of all time favorites, I think only Lambchop surpasses Vic in her musical universe. In fact, now that I think about it, we saw Lambchop play at a small club here about, oh, 8 years ago, and when Vic showed up in the audience Kurt Wagner ran up to greet him and I don't think I've ever seen two people as happy to see each other as those two. Two peas in a pod right there.

I had little snippets of Vic's twang echoing around in my head all day as I did yardwork outside, including my biannual death-defying gutter cleaning expedition. The graviteeeee of the sitooowayyyshunnnnn ....

I hope to hear of any tribute events (radio shows, concerts, online) before they happen so we can be there.

And as the family statement said, the situation is complex and sad, but fuck Joe Lieberman anyway.
posted by intermod at 9:19 PM on December 26, 2009

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posted by transporter accident amy at 4:03 AM on December 27, 2009

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posted by aught at 9:55 AM on December 27, 2009

From the record label's home page:

"A tribute at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, Georgia, will be held some time in the near future."

There's a nice quote from Jem Cohen there too.
posted by intermod at 12:52 PM on December 28, 2009

A recent interview with Terry Gross.

A follow up, In Memoriam: Sweet, Sad Rocker Vic Chesnutt. Michael Stipe, Guy Picciotto, and Jem Cohen offer their memories.
posted by peeedro at 1:07 PM on January 7, 2010