Being A Teen Idol And 'Feelin' Alright'

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It's strange, but whenever a pic with DC smoking a cigarette is published on a group dedicated to him, it raises maybe not controversy, but there will always be someone who has to be surprised that DC smoked at all and how horrible and unlike him it was. Or 'is', because some fans keep writing about DC in the present tense.

But he did smoke, like many in the 60s or 70s (me included), but he was also very aware of his teen idol image. He said in October 1971, "Sometimes I yell at the top of my lungs. Not at people. Only when I am all by myself.(...) I was in my room alone and yelled a word which I better not repeat. It's not becoming of a teen age idol." And besides smoking he did other things undercover. It became a habit of him. A second nature. "Like a lot of people, I turned to substance abuse. But I did it very quietly. No one ever knew what I was doing.." (May 1994).

Some fans simply ignored his Rolling Stone's confession. For them DC was Keith Partridge and nothing could change it. They didn't want to know the real person behind the image. He lost some fans. They didn't want him anymore as their idol. Louise Poynton has written at the beginning of her book that 'he belonged to us'. He was our generation's teen idol, I think it's what she's meant, but there is something more in it. And it's not a very pleasant thought that fans have had  their share in pigeonholing David Cassidy. He was a perfect teen idol, he became a dream boy, not someone real.

And the music. When he started playing concerts again in 2000, at first everything was great. He performed with Lon Bronson's Band, he played his hits and songs from 'At The Copa', and he was very happy to be with his fans after many years. Later new songs appeared, 'Cry', 'Ain't No Sunshine'. Fans were so happy when he again played concerts in the UK. They were singing with him old hits. His concerts in the UK were always sold out. 

But when he recorded new versions of his old songs (with Craig J. Snider) and started performing them live, there were some disappointed fans who didn't like the changes in the old hits. They felt that not only  David but also those songs belonged to them. They didn't want him to move forward, they wanted everything to stay the same. For some time DC played those new versions, but in later years he gave up, he lost faith his fans ever let him change, he didn't want to fight any more.

Personally I like the most footage of his American concerts,  in rather small venues, in casinos or clubs, those he played when he was after 60. He had a lot of personal and health problems. His voice changed.. but what an amazing blues and rock singer he became. How I wish to be in this audience. Just 450 seat. The Bears Den, Seneca Niagara Casino, Niagara Falls, NJ, NY. 21 June, 2013. 11 years ago. Heartstopping, moving and painfully sincere David's version of 'Feeling Alright..'Gloria', 'Wild Nights'..and be sure to watch this video to the end..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wmzks_GNNUE&t=279s


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