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Remembering Chet: theorizing the mythology of the self-destructive bohemian artist as self-producer and self-consumer in the market for romanticism

University of Exeter, UK, a.bradshaw{at}exeter.ac.uk

Morris B. Holbrook

Columbia University, USA, mbh3{at}columbia.edu

From the viewpoint of marketing theory and the potential blurring of the distinction between production and consumption in the sphere of arts, entertainment, and culture, we explore the lived tragedy and mythology of Chet Baker as an epiphenomenon of the market's thirst for self-destructing artists that has plagued jazz for much of the past century. Historically grounding the iconic self-destructing artist as an inheritance from Romanticism, we consider the competing career orientations arising from the contradictory demands for musicians to produce aesthetic experiences for an audience of experts, cognoscenti, or devoted fans while also facing the need to earn cash in the mass market constituted by non-experts. This conceptualization gives rise to a framing of the ideal bohemian musician as self-producer and self-consumer. In marketing terms, pure bohemia entails both the production and consumption of one's own artistic genius and aesthetic experience. But unfortunately — pushing the artist past the need to scuffle to make a living — the market, geared to Romantic expectations, may demand an additional component of self-destruction. Further, with reference to the consumer-research literature, we question the origins of this fascination with the artist as self-destructive icon and conclude by calling for ethical considerations in the consumption and production of jazz.

Key Words: Key Words • artist bohemia • jazz • musician • mythology • Romanticism • self-consumer • self-destruction • self-producer

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