The 5: The Great Muses of Rock and Roll
Sex has always been a riding undercurrent in rock n roll. But a muse is about something else. Great women inspired musicians (and all artists) since the dawn of creativity. Some women were a muse for one– others were a muse for many. Here are five musical muses that had a tremendous impact on artists and culture in rock and roll.
The Muse: Patti Boyd
The Artists: George Harrison, Eric Clapton
As a model in London during the swinging 60s, Patti Boyd found herself at the center of the biggest cultural explosion of the 20th Century. Boyd met George Harrison during the filming of A Hard Day’s Night and were married with two years. She was the subject of Harrison’s greatest songs including ‘I Need You’ and what Frank Sinatra famously called ‘the greatest love song of the 50 years’, ‘Something’. Boyd was also at the center of the first true rock n roll love triangle when Eric Clapton – George’s best friend – fell in love with her. This unrequited love was the source material for Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs, which contained future classics ‘Bell Bottom Blues’ and the explosive title track. Boyd would eventually leave Harrison for Clapton and their relationship became the source for such songs as ‘Wonderful Tonight’. They would eventually split up in the late 80s, but Boyd maintained her ties to the rock community as an internationally acclaimed photographer and author.
Derek & The Dominoes – Layla
The Muse: Edie Sedgwick
The Artists: Andy Warhol, The Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan
With a radiant smile and vibrant personality, Edie Sedgwick was an immediate hit on the social scene and the most celebrated of all of Andy Warhol ‘Superstars’. In addition to being the muse for several of Warhol’s films, Sedgwick was the basis for the future Velvet Underground classic, ‘Femme Fatale’. Her friendship with fellow Chelsea Hotel resident Bob Dylan was the impetus of some of his seminal work from 60’s ‘electric’ period including ‘Like A Rolling Stone’, ‘Just Like A Woman’, and ‘Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat’. Even after her sudden passing in 1971, the quintessential ‘It Girl’ still had a hold on pop culture. Sienna Miller perfectly captured Sedgwick’s spirit in the 2006 biopic Factory Girl and her vintage look is still being emulated by models all over the world.
Velvet Underground – Femme Fatale
The Muse: Libby Titus
The Artists: Carly Simon, Dr. John, Donald Fagen, Levon Helm
Music has been a constant throughout Libby Titus’ life. She had a brief, but critically acclaimed solo career, Artists such as Carly Simon, Dr. John and Donald Fagen have written songs about her. She was the longtime companion of the late Levon Helm and their daughter Amy is also an accomplished singer/musician. But Libby Titus’ greatest contributions were behind the scenes as a producer. Towards the end of the 1980’s, Titus rented out restaurants and clubs for a series of private, informal all-star gatherings. These shows would evolve into The New York Rock And Soul Revue, which would feature, among others, Fagen, Phoebe Snow, Michael McDonald, Boz Scaggs, Eddie and David Brigati of The Rascals, and the late Charles Brown. Fagen credits Titus for ending his reluctance to perform live and the catalyst for the reformation of Steely Dan. The Fagen-Titus went beyond professional: They’ve been married since 1993.
Libby – Carly Simon
The Muse: Marianne Faithfull
The Artists: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Graham Nash, John Lennon
Discovered by Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, Marianne Faithfull had a string of hit singles including a cover of the Jagger-Richards penned ‘As Tears Go By’. She became a mainstay on the gossip pages when she left her husband for Mick Jagger and was discovered at a drug raid at Keith Richards house wearing only a fur rug. Faithfull provided the fuel behind a number of Stones classics from that period including ‘Sympathy For The Devil’, ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’, ‘I Got The Blues’ and ‘Sister Morphine’, which she co-wrote. Faithfull’s allure went beyond the Stones: Graham Nash wrote The Hollies gem ‘Carrie-Anne’ for Faithfull but admitted he was too shy to use the real name. The Beatles ‘And Your Bird Can Sing’ was allegedly John Lennon’s response to Jagger’s public boasting about his pop star girlfriend. Faithfull and Jagger ended their relationship in 1970 and she spend the better part of the decade battling drug addiction. Her 1979 album Broken English was a critical and commercial smash and thrust Faithfull back into the limelight. Faithfull kicked drugs for good in 1985 and has maintained solid career as a recording artist (often collaborating with many of the artists she inspired) and actress.
The Muse: Bebe Buell
The Artists: Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Elvis Costello, Jimmy Page, Iggy Pop, Steven Tyler, Todd Rundgren
Known as ‘The girl with the Windex eyes’, former Playboy Playmate Of The Month and Ford model Bebe Buell was known as ‘The Friend To The Stars’ having close ties with everyone from Jack Nicholson to Andy Warhol. She dated Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Elvis Costello, Jimmy Page, Iggy Pop, Steven Tyler and an on-again, off-again relationship with Todd Rundgren for seven years. After a brief relationship with Tyler, Buell gave birth to a daughter Liv, though she did not reveal that Tyler for the father for several years. Buell is also an accomplished singer and has recorded with Rick Derringer and The Cars. Buell played a key role in then-boyfriend John Taylor’s formation of the successful Duran Duran side project Power Station. She asked Taylor to put a band together to back her up on a cover of the T. Rex hit, ‘Get It On (Bang A Gong)’. The musical chemistry between Taylor, drummer Tony Thompson (Chic), Robert Palmer and fellow Duran member Andy Taylor that it became a full on album project. Long time friend Cameron Crowe based the character Penny Lane on Buell and according to her, some of the film’s dialogue was lifted from actual conversations the two of them had back in the 70s.
Buell would step away from music for several years to manage her daughter Liv’s successful modeling and acting career, but resumed her singing career in 1998 releasing several EPs and albums. She is currently working on new full length album.
Latest posts by Earl Douglas (see all)
- Earl’s World: The Filtered Excellence: September 7, 2021 - September 7, 2021
- Remembering Fez Whatley - August 15, 2021
- Earl’s World: The Filtered Excellence: July 23, 2021 - July 25, 2021
