Fandom--Continued (2)

Now that I've decided to use this blog to explore my relationship with fandom, and specifically fandom of Leslie Cheung, many thoughts come to mind.  For starters, perhaps it is worth laying out for readers of this tale the outlines of my encounters with fandom. Except for a brief pre-teen infatuation with Tiger Beat idols like David Cassidy and Bobby Sherman, I never considered myself a fan of an idol before.  There have been individuals I have felt a profound admiration for, but it was very much on the level of admiring an artist for their art.  I love the work that Daniel Lanois has released not as super-producer to the pop music superstars of the late twentieth century (think U2, among others) but as a solo artist.  The work is deeply personal and isn't afraid to dig deep into his psyche and mine what comes to light.  He is also a fine guitar player (and heavenly pedal steel player) and good songwriter with a raspy voice that truly fits the lyrics he writes.  His album Belladonna, if listened to under the right conditions, can produce a damn near out-of-body experience.  I am a fan of the work of Daniel Lanois as a solo performer, though I would hesitate to say that I'm actually a fan of the man himself.  He generally keeps a low profile and everything he does is at the service of the music he makes.  There are most likely "fans" of Daniel Lanois in the classic sense, but they seem to be fellow musicians and the lovefest is all about music and not the personality, persona or public aspect of Mr. Lanois himself.  He is simply a carrier for the music that we all care about.  He tries to get out of the way and let the music do the talking as much as possible.An even more interesting example of being transfixed by art is the case of Fernando Otero.  Fernando currently lives in New York City, though he originates from Buenos Aires, the home of tango and Astor Piazzolla, but also a fair amount of progressive jazz and some hard ass rock and roll.  Fernando writes music that defies easy categorization.  There are elements of tango in some of his work.  But there is plenty of music he composes that has as much to do with Bartok as with Piazzolla.  He is also a tremendous piano virtuoso and exciting jazz musician who can riff on classical tango melodies as easily as on his own harmonically and metrically out-there compositions.  He just won a Latin Grammy for best classical album, though you have to wonder what single category could contain his work.  His compositions, orchestrations (of his own work and as arranger for hire for one of Latin America's top singer-songwriters) and piano playing take me to a place unlike any other.  I contacted him through his website, and, much to my delighted shock, he wrote back.  We exchanged emails for quite a while on many topics, not only music.  I wrote a lot of poetry inspired by his music and he even put together a little private recital for me and a select group of his friends when I made a trip to New York a few years back.  To top it all off, he turned out to be one of the nicest people I have ever met:  generous to a fault, kind, positive and truly humble.  I count myself lucky to have met him in person.  But, while I'm a fan of the music and deeply admire the man who writes and performs it, I wouldn't say that I'm a fan of Fernando in the same way I am of Leslie Cheung.  Fernando is very approachable, the extraordinary talent not withstanding.  My relationship with Fernando is more like that of a dear friend or family member.  He doesn't project enough ego to have space to carry the projected hopes, dreams, aspirations, emotion and passion of a fan base.  It seems that to be an idol, an entertainer can't be too much like the rest of us.  They have to be like us, only better.  Truly outstanding in looks, talent, and charisma, approachable on some level, but not ordinary, never ordinary.    Next time--I discover Leslie Cheung and fall under the spell of his allure.  (Help, help--I've fallen and I can't get up!)