Crystal Passion Ch. 14

But I don't really agree with Polly at all however much my friends and I have benefitted from her critical re-appraisal. Crystal definitely didn't see herself as Rock Music's Messiah. In fact, she didn't have much interest in the mythology of Rock and Pop at all. No more than me did she believe that popular music is defined only in relation to the hallowed tradition of the four-piece electric guitar band. She didn't see herself as the natural successor of Elvis Presley, John Lennon or even Joni Mitchell. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy Rock and Pop music. It was that she believed in a broader, wider, more varied music tradition. She made no distinction between World, Jazz, Folk or Classical Music. She was more likely to listen to Steve Reich, Henry Purcell, John Coltrane, Mahalia Jackson or Tania Maria than anything by Pete Townshend or Bob Geldof (not that she actively disliked their music).

I don't buy into the myth that the history of music is defined by reference to Pop and Rock. There was a lot of good music around before the Teddy Boys ripped up cinema seats with their flick-knives after having watched a film of Bill Haley and the Comets play sanitised arrangements of classic Rhythm & Blues songs. And anyway, I'd rather go to a club and dance to House, Techno or Bass. And when I'm at home I'm more likely to listen to Boards of Canada, Aphex Twin or Flying Lotus than a tedious Rock album with macho guitar and dreary vocals. But that's my view. And I don't accept the view that there's ever been a major interruption in service during the time that I've been listening to music.

But I can't complain too much. I may not subscribe to Polly's opinions of Crystal Passion's significance and I certainly don't agree with the more extravagant claims of her greatness as a composer, a musician or a person, but I'm very grateful to the interest and attention paid to the music and the four albums that were released.

It particularly gratifies me to reflect that although Crystal Passion my lover was murdered more than two decades ago, Crystal Passion the recording artist and composer has now risen from the dead and is walking amongst us. I just hope that those who buy her records are actually listening to her music and not just acquiring them to keep up with fashion and to appear knowledgeable about contemporary popular music.

But if Crystal's music is to be remembered forever then I guess the significance of her death is that only her corporeal existence has come to an end and that she has somehow truly attained immortality.