Viewpoint: The 27 Club
By Patrick Barrios
What do Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Amy Winehouse, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison have in common?
They’re all members of the “27 Club”.
In other words, they’re among the oddly numerous superstar musicians who died at age 27.
Morbid though it may be, this concept inspired the name of downtown Ottawa’s newest music venue: The 27 Club. The business is tapping into the public’s adoration of deceased pop-culture icons as a branding tool.
And the number 27 is doubly significant. Launched in September, the new nightclub is located at 27 York St. in the Byward Market.
Cobain, the Nirvana frontman and grunge icon from Seattle, committed suicide in 1994. American guitar legend Hendrix was found dead in 1970 with high levels of barbiturates in his system. Winehouse, a soulful English pop star, died of alcohol poisoning in 2011. The Texas-born Joplin, who shot to fame after performing at the landmark Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, died of a heroin overdose in 1970. And Florida native Morrison, lead singer of The Doors, died of unknown causes in Paris in 1971.
Paying tribute to these pop-culture icons by referencing their premature deaths might seem macabre, but it’s also business-savvy.
When certain artists pass away, especially as abruptly and tragically as these ones did, they become symbols representing certain values, social classes, or eras.
From a marketing perspective, such celebrities are ready-made, well-known brands. No effort is required to maintain their popularity or relevance.
Most of all, they generate nostalgia, a powerful emotion – and serve as a powerful marketing tool.
It’s what prompts people to buy products associated with long-gone artists. For example, in 2016, according to Forbes, the estate of Elvis Presley earned $27 million, while those of Prince and John Lennon earned $25 million and $12 million respectively.
But whether capitalizing on their popularity is business-savvy or not, seeking financial gain from the legacy of a dead person can be distasteful.
Consider British footwear company Dr. Martens’ 2007 marketing fiasco, which featured an image of 27 Club member Cobain sitting on a cloud, wearing nothing but white angel garments and a pair of the company’s boots.
It’s probably not something Cobain would have appreciated.
After condemnation from fans and Cobain’s widow Courtney Love, Dr. Martens’ issued a public apology and withdrew the ads.
However, a marketing tie-in can work if a deceased musician’s memory is used in a way that builds upon the values or ideals they’ve come to represent.
The 27 Club falls under this category.
In the words of owner Zach Parker, the club’s foremost focus is to offer a great space for people to enjoy live music.
Its eclectic lineup over the next month features various local bands, and encompasses punk, electronica, indie, soul and more.
Even the venue’s set-up seems right.
From the timeless look of its logo to the exposed brick of its interior to the six-metre-long church pew sitting in a corner, it seems an appropriate embodiment of what the convention-smashing artists of the 27 Club represent — unfiltered passion, grit, and a recklessness that defined them, for better and for worse.
As long as its management maintains the club as an edgy gathering space for live music aficionados, the venue should be seen as a respectful tribute.