35. Trashed hotel room

Kurt Cobain ,Elvis Presley, Amy Whitehouse, Micheal Jackson ,Prince ,Karen Carpenter, Whitney Houston, George Michael ,Jimi Hendrix ,Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison are all pop starts that died early from either suicide or drugs or something similar. Goerge was worth £200m when he died and Michael £500m. Seemingly these people had everything to live for and achieved what most of us can only dream of. What is it that drove them to end their lives so early ? I guess they were all under intense pressure, had personal struggles and a full-on hazardous lifestyle. Sudden fame and loss of identity becomes a problem. as does demanding schedules, the pressure to succeed, mental health, high risk choices, substance abuse, easy access to drugs and alcohol, the pressure of fame and financial exploitation by others .Add to that a lack of a real support system and a distant family. Whitney died from cocaine abuse, Prince from Opioid abuse and Amy from alcohol. There have been many iconic songs written about pop starts who died to young including American Pie ( Buddy Holly),  Here Today ( John Lenon) and Never without you ( George Harrison).Liam Payne  is the pop star that died and inspired my song, ‘Trashed Hotel Room’. Liam died in 2024 at the age of 31, falling from a hotel room balcony in Buenos Airies. He auditioned on a TV show before joining One Direction, then embarking upon a solo career. However, he battled with substance abuse and mental health issues. His long- term friend said ‘ you could tell you were talking to someone who had not lived a normal life’. He had a son called Bear with the singer Cheryl Cole. He was dating Kate Cassidy, an American influencer at the time. He did not leave a will but was worth £30m at the time of his death. He will be remembered as a complex figure and a member of the one of the world biggest boy bands.

This is a song that incorporates everything I read about and listened to when news of Liams death was reported in the new .It struck as typical of all the similar pop star deaths I had read 

About previously, for example, Michael Hutchinson on of the band INXS, who died from suicide in 1997 at the age of 37. He had a daughter called Tigger Lilly with Paula Yates, who later died of an overdose at 41. My songs starts in the hotel room at Liams hotel, i.e. ‘Trashed hotel room, littered with pills. Gotta stay away from the window sills. Then we learn amore about his life, ‘Life spiralling out of control, it’s a final wake-up call. Descent into addiction, I got no time for reflection.’

He cries, ‘Can’t get through the day, argue with the escorts over pay’ More pressure comes his way when he claims ,’Posing for selfies. I’m becoming isolated. Still in my twenties.’

The papers reported that he was ,’Dancing on Instagram in my underwear. Waking up to a nightmare.’ ( sounds a but like Keth Moon of the Who ). He thinks about his journey singing, 

‘Starting down a path, don’t know what’s real, you do the maths. Fake rock n roll, give you

five thousand dollars, I’m out of control. '. The papers were reporting that he was offering $5,000 to local ladies of the night. It then turns even darker , ’Abusing drugs since my teens, now I know what that means. ‘He seems to know what needs to be done ,’ Need to face my reality, this life is just a fantasy’.  I think it's them appropriate to repeat the chorus over and over , like he is making the same mistakes over and over , ‘Trashed hotel room, littered with pills. Otta stay away from the window sills.’ Another lost soul. I doubt he will be the  last.