Search History #4: 27 Club

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia  The 27 Club is a term that refers to the belief that an unusually high number of popular musicians and others in the public eye (?) have died at age 27,[1] often as a result of drug and alcohol abuse, or violent means such as homicide or suicide (an explanation of ‘violent means’ felt necessary).[2] Literal studies have failed to find any unusual pattern of musician-deaths at this age. Hilarious to note is a study done that concluded it is not to do with the age, but rather that “young adult musicians have a higher death rate than the rest of the young adult population, concluding fame may increase the risk of death.” I repeat: Fame may increase the risk of death. That’s simultaneously somehow the most and least chic thing you’ve ever heard, right? Pretending like it’s got something to do with a magical number of 27 is more mystical, but also, imagine a death certificate that says, “Cause of Death: Fame.” [3][4][5] This shit gets a lot of press. Quite an anomaly—fame gets famous. Exclusivity gets a bit more exclusive when death enters the room. Also important to note is that you might feel a bit of panic when you’re the age of 27 because you’ll realize that if you die this year, you’ll not be a part of the club, probably. I don’t know, because I’m not 27, but it’s something I think about. Dedicated to the club, there have been exhibitions and novels and films and stage plays and this Wikipedia page you’re reading at the moment.[6][7][8][9][10] I will give you a list (you would not be on this page if you did not know who it consists of, I think) but it’s a curated list of a curated group. It’s the ones you’ve heard of. God, imagine being in the Wikipedia list of “27 Club Members” and not having a Wikipedia page? Sometimes I like to imagine the 27 club as a sort of offset afterlife. Like heaven but way different. Imagine that dinner party! So much angst! Also, I want to know why you ended up here, on this page. You probably do too. One time I did a project about celebrities and death in which we imagined a life in which your death literally granted you access to something. Which is this. God, fame, right?! Can’t let ‘em live, can’t let ‘em die. Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse, Jean-Michel Basquiat. You’re probably at this point thinking “God all these people are so cool” or maybe you’re rolling your eyes and saying, “God all these people are so similar.” Either way, I wonder why you think so.