So You Want To Be A Rock ‘n Roll Groupie
I’ve found in many major cities like London it seems that every other guy I’ve causally meet and am attracted to are rock ‘n roll musicians dreaming to become rock stars. They are cute with funky hairstyles, ‘bad boy’ attitudes and gold jewellery, but for a change I’d like to fall for a more humble artisan type (if there is such a thing); perhaps a shy painter, writer or even a chef would be nice.
I was married to a ‘so called rock star’ and it was stereotypically wonderful and mostly painful. Perhaps this golden dream of young men is popular because it transcends social class, an entertainer icon is like royalty viewed in all its riches and glory.
Also it is my observation that just as many gals dream of meeting their prince and if not secretly, by being a successful groupie. Some gals may want to ‘save’ a self-destructive rocker but it’s more often a desire to live though the fame of another, a double-edged sword and a case of La Femme Fatale. A gal, who already has a rock musician boyfriend, might be cautiously confident about his sudden success; though heady, the relationship will change it’s balance in power dynamics and means she is most likely to have less.
The real truth is a successful rock ‘n roll groupie is as rare as it is for a musician to be a part of a platinum selling rock band. It’s winning the lottery, it takes a gal allot of luck, the right grooming and being in the right place at the right time and that’s just for an introduction. What defines ‘successful’ you may ask? It would not apply if the rock band of choice hasn’t sold at least a million CDs or can’t sell out a stadium concert and lastly if he’s past the age of 30 and still hasn’t made it yet. The truth is the rock ‘n roll industry is as cruelly youth orientated as the modelling world. Jagger and Macca are still doing it because they started fame in their early 20s.
If the rock star is successful, then the definition of a ‘successful’ groupie is exacting, as there are many other girls on this venture that will come and then leave, but basically a successful groupie evolves into a girlfriend and then into a wife. Okay you get the picture; she is not the girl who parties with the band or sleeps with them for weeks vicariously claiming to be a girlfriend without a future marriage certificate. It is through this certificate and contract that a groupie turned girlfriend and then promoted to wifely status that can be assured a financial ticket for support and care after the relationship ends and then again there are no guarantees.
The partnership is intense and an all consuming job and though it is glamorous there’s only a sliver of chance to have the freedom to build a career or attend higher education once you’re both in the fast lane of the entertainment industry. If lucky perhaps the marriage lasts long enough to accommodate self independence and though it’s noble to ‘stand by her man’ the odds are stacked up against her that a rock star will never truly grow up and settle down, even after a glorious wedding and the dream ends. It is a probability as well that successful rock star days are on borrowed time even after the multiple platinum recordings, if not because of drugs and alcohol abuse then by sheer unpopularity and the change of music trends. Would I do it again if given half the chance now? Well, where are the painters, writers and chefs?
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