I can get no “Satisfaction”

The photograph is old, low quality, black and white (not by intention but by design) and well...  Priceless. We see four people playing musical instruments. A person is singing into a mike and two more are positioned to record the instruments, one on a boom between the musicians and another in front to a nearly five foot tall amplifier. On the floor behind the amplifier a technician looks for guidance from the small group of men huddled in front of the stage. The stage is set up for a musical concert with lights, amplifiers, cameras and evidently, audience. The word “Circus” is written on a banner overhead. Circus? But where are the tightropes, the gymnasts, the elephants and surely the people on stage look like junkies, hippies...er... rockstars rather than clowns. This “Circus” is The Rolling Stones' TV special entitled The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus ( Recorded on 11 December 1968).‘ The project was originally conceived by Mick Jagger (Singer,The Rolling Stones) as a way of branching out from conventional records and concert performances. Jagger approached Michael Lindsay-Hogg, who had directed two promos for Stones songs, to make a full-length TV show for them.



The band playing was a one-time English supergroup consisting of John Lennon(multi-instrumentalist/vocalist,Beatles), Eric Clapton(guitarist, Cream/Yardbirds), Keith Richards (bassist, The Rolling Stones) and Mitch Mitchell(drummer, Led Zeppelin) that Lennon put together called “The Dirty Mac”. In the picture, we see the singer, John Lennon singing into a mike and looking away with a peaceful demeanour. Eric Clapton , and Keith Richards are strumming their guitars and Mitch Mitchell is drumming away.





So how does this photograph depict or remotely call on to expertise?

Well, the fact that the members are multiple Grammy winners, inductees in the Rockand Roll Hall of Fame (with Clapton being inducted 3 times); era definers, legends...(to cut it short “Gods of Rock”). Seeing John Lennon, Eric Clapton and Keith Richards on stage together should give one an idea that something magical is about to happen. This concert indeed seeded the formation of a super group-”The Dirty Mac”. Which perhaps answers our inquisition into context of the photograph, the explanation to which, lies ahead. Colvin’s idea of “practice makes perfect” and “no substitute for hard work”, “deliberate practice” and “adopting a new mind-set” is reinforced by the fact that the members, who are accomplished musicians, became so only after years of hard work. For example, Eric
Clapton started from an early age of thirteen. “He preserved his practice sessions using his portable Grundig reel-to-reel tape recorder, listening to them over and over until he felt he'd got it right.(Clapton 2007, pg 22)”[1]. He is also known to have broken strings mid-concert.  The Beatles' producer, George Martin, tells how Lennon "had an inborn dislike of his own voice which I could never understand. He was always saying to me: 'DO something with my voice! ... Put something on it ... Make it different.(Coleman 1992, pp. 369–370.)” So we can  clearly see that even this legend was not blessed with an innate musical voice. In the words of  biographer Barry Miles, "Lennon simply shredded his vocal cords in the interests of rock 'n' roll.(Miles and Badman 2003, p. 90)

Expertise or Godlike?

Experts are portrayed to embodiment perfection. They are not supposed to be challenged and are prodigies that are sent down by God. We see that Eric Clapton was compared to God's image in the episode "Holy Crap!" of season two of That '70s Show.(You will have to watch the episode to find out) But when we look deep into the lives  of these gods, we find their imperfect mortal forms perhaps similar to the ones in Greek Mythology. We see the amount of time and devotion that these people had to give in. Under the veneer of stardom and fame we see hippies and junkies who love their music. We do find that this fame coupled with the fiery urges of youth develop into arrogance, ignorance and indulgence into worldly vices. One question that comes in my mind after reading these articles on “talent‘ is that how are these “tips” relevant in those times to today's public? As Colvin states, “those extra steps are so difficult and painful they almost never get done.( Covin, last paragraph)” But what motivated, say, Eric to pick up his guitar?

These authors (Colvin/Coyle) seem to ‘upvote’ the concept of “Tabula Rasa‘(theory that  individuals are born without built-in mental content) , it does not seem true. Therefore, the picture is black and white not by intention but by fate. It oozes awesomeness  and expertise par excellence. It motivates to practice harder, do what you love - as the title  suggests (which is actually a song by The Rolling Stones) . The “Circus” is clearly that level  which is reached at the very end of ”Stairway to heaven.” (Led Zeppelin, 1971). So as I listen to  “Yer Blues (Beatles, The White Album)” and write this piece, I can definitely say (and many would

agree) this photograph is the manifestation of expertise itself.



* (I can get no) Satisfaction is a single by The Rolling Stones.

Sources:

Colvin, What it Takes to be great, Geoffrey Colvin
Clapton, Eric (2007) Eric Clapton: The Autobiography, pg. 22. Century, 2007
Miles, Barry; Badman, Keith. The Beatles Diary: The Beatles Years. Omnibus Press; 2001. ISBN 978-0-7119-8308-3.
Coleman, Ray. Lennon: The Definitive Biography. Harper; 1992. ISBN 0-06-098608-5.
Youtube, Yer Blues by The Dirty Mac