DL - What Do We Know About John Cougar Mellencamp?

Well, Edith Massey appeared in one of his early videos (really)

She was also on one of his album covers

Edith Massey we have never heard of her.

alwys been bi rumors bout johnny boy,,,,thats why he fights, cusses, drinks and smokes 24/7: o man he so butch yea. he all wasted now, his voice souds like a thousand ciggy butts.

Oh now I understand. We looked her up on google.

I met edith when she did her one woman show tour, in frisco, after he big success with john waters.

she threw hot dogs into the audience, and wore tight slit spandex outfit.

loved her...waters owes a lot of his early films success to her eccentricity.

My first impression was of a cocky little bantam rooster who was positioning himself as a Midwestern Bruce Springsteen. It might have even been this video, as it was about 35 years ago.

There was something appeal g about him at one time.

It was the 80s

R8 definitely drugs. The backup dancers are just bizarre.

His last name is actually Summercamp. And we all know what happens at summer camp.

R10 now that was funny. Loved it.

I wonder what show OP's clip is from. I've also never seen Mellencamp affecting a preppie look, usually he tried to be Springsteen Jr. And then there's the James Brown imitation at the end...

[quote]My first impression was of a cocky little bantam rooster who was positioning himself as a Midwestern Bruce Springsteen. It might have even been this video, as it was about 35 years ago.

Spot on, but his lyrics are inane so he never got the critical acclaim that Bruce did.

The record company forced him to use “Cougar” and he hated it. I think the record co was looking for a pop star and Johnny just liked to play folksy, bluesy rock.

He had no gaiety at all: didn’t you see the “dancing”???

R13 ITA

The first time I ever saw him was on “Solid Gold” way back in the 80s. Thought he was gayer than Christmas. Was quite surprised to find out later he was straight.

R16 we love him too. Although, that video is such a turn off.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

Gayer than gay

I don't remember him as being such a tiny little thing. He probably had very little to do with that performance. As others said, his manager at the time and his label forced him to change his name, and to affect that stupid greaser/preppy look.

His idiotic sons, Hud and Speck, have been in trouble with the law.

At the end of that video you can almost hear Bobby Bear thinking “What kinda queer shit was that?”

He’s like Madonna. Started out with fun music about parties and sex and good times and evolved into a boring scold who resents the fans. “No one appreciates my brilliance!” They’d make the perfect couple.

R12 someone in the comments of that bizarre (Japanese?) Youtube clip commented that he was affecting a "Mitch Ryder thing" with the sweater. Any deets on what Mitch Ryder used to look like or wear? This is a truly dorky performance, but I like the guy, in general.

He was married to that gorgeous model for years and he is such an asshole. I do not know what she saw in him.

Google is your friend

$$$$$$$^

He woke:

"Mellencamp was critical of Ronald Reagan through his music in the 1980s and wrote some scathing lyrics about Reagan in his 1989 song "Country Gentleman:" "He ain't a-gonna help no children/He aint a-gonna help no women/He just gonna help his rich friends."[71]

In 2003, Mellencamp became one of the first entertainers to speak out against the Iraq War when he released the song "To Washington", which was also critical of the 2000 U.S. Presidential elections".

Also, married three times, five kids, so probably no dong for us

So yeah, that's what it is. The record label styled him as Mitch Ryder.

R21:

They fight authority. Authority always wins.

his kids are nightmares....spoiled brats … nasty

Holy moly, Google really IS my friend. Mitch and little Johnny Cougar, together

“Might of been”, OP?

indeed, proper form would be "might could"

Young Mitch was actually pretty cute

and john, even after the sweet bloom of youth had fled, was doable

He dated Christie Brinkley.

christie had a knack for scoring good dick

Didn't Ryder release an album in the 1970s that dealt with his sexual proclivities? He definitely had a gay side..

I seem to recall too that Mellenballs (sorry fans, I'm not one) was signed with Bowie's MainMan organization, and they glammed him up, which he apparently wasn't having, and they released him. Too long ago, just things I recall, anyone else have any more?

R33 damn it, I’m always typing that damn phrase. I need to stop it. Sorry.

[quote]christie had a knack for scoring good dick

Are we talking about the same Christie who married Billy Joel?

you think that vpl is padding, pal

I always thought he was under-rated, and never really shook the "Springsteen Lite" tag.

[quote] a Midwestern Bruce Springsteen.

That was Bob Seger, whom I always thought was better than Springsteen. All the rock press were on the Boss' dick though, so Seger was under-rated.

So, so wrong, R31. Are you that whore Erika Jayne?

He definitely had some good songs, even if he was Springsteen-lite. "Check It Out" and "Cherry Bomb" both always get to me. Lisa Germano's violin was a great addition to his band around that time.

R31 spill the beans. You sound like you are in the know.

r42 When you're a raging alcoholic, it really doesn't matter.

R47 doesn’t he smoke a hell of a lot too?

He gets his ya yas painting creepy, dismal schizoid which doesn't appeal to me but I do like some it. His gentle portraits are better. It's like a he has a split personality.

r49 He's no Richard Butler.

I like that he’s a leftie which pisses off his fans who are mainly right wingers.

I agree with R14. Don't see any gay. None. Zilch. I do think he may have studied David Johansen. Well David was a straight guy who knew how to move and camp it up. Poor John.

When he performs, he has someone backstage holding a lit cigarette so that he can get a few puffs in between verses or whatever. So he’s got that going for him, which is nice.

He’s a major pussy hound who can’t keep it in his pants. It’s what caused the breakup of all his relationships. He said so himself in an Howard Strn interview.

lung cancer at its best...

He is part Black on a Grandmother's side, and is a decent painter. Very liberal.

He had a heart attack in his early 40's. One of his daughters is in some reality housewife show.

I saw him in person in the mid-90s and he is indeed a tiny, tiny man. With swagger, however, and an amazingly beautiful ass. He was rocking a pair of worn-in Levis and cowboy boots. I remember thinking "who knew he was so hot?"

I see why women wanted what was going on down there...

Huge cock

A slightly rough little pocket Adonis. I would have back in the day.

R28 is right.

Here's some info about his song "Pink Houses":

In 2004, the song was played at events for Senator John Edwards' presidential campaign.[1] The song was also used at events for Edwards' 2008 presidential campaign.[4]

[italic]"Pink Houses" along with "Our Country" was played by Senator John McCain at political events for his 2008 presidential campaign. Mellencamp contacted the McCain campaign pointing out Mellencamp's support for the progressive wing of the Democratic Party and questioning McCain's use of his music; in response, the McCain campaign ceased using Mellencamp's songs.[/italic]

And some more:

[italic]In January 2009, Mellencamp played "Pink Houses" at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial.[/italic]

And finally:

[italic]In 2010, "Pink Houses" was used by the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) at events opposing same-sex marriage. At Mellencamp's instruction, his publicist sent a cease and desist letter to NOM stating "that Mr. Mellencamp's views on same sex marriage and equal rights for people of all sexual orientations are at odds with NOM's stated agenda" and requesting that NOM "find music from a source more in harmony with your views than Mr. Mellencamp in the future."[/italic]

He raised stupid kids, especially his sons.

yes theyr wretched butts

[quote]When he performs, he has someone backstage holding a lit cigarette so that he can get a few puffs in between verses or whatever. So he’s got that going for him, which is nice.

Dionne Warwick did this too, I don't know if she still does. An assistant would have an already-lit cig for Dionne as soon as she stepped offstage.

I love JCM since he hates Trump.

we wont hear his gay walk on the wild side storys till he is...gone?

I used to work for Polo, and there was an outlet store in Indiana, where he had a home and lived with then-wife. He and his wife would come into the store, and he was obnoxious and rude and HORRIBLE, and his wife -- the model, I forget her name -- would go around to all the employees apologizing for his bad behavior. I knew that marriage wouldn't last; who wants to have to apologize for your husband all the time?

I also have a friend who was his road manager for a while. His band and crew called him Little Bastard. He would make them rehearse and rehearse until they were about to pass out. On one hand, it's great that he is so dedicated, but he is a bulldozer and doesn't treat people well.

R68 thanks for the scoop.

Ex-wife who was a model = Elaine Irwin.

Ive always liked him, especially Cuts like a Knife, Jackie Brown and Cherry Bomb. He’s mentioned in a few songs that he’s a good dancer/likes to dance.

Fun fact - I remember MTV had a contest back in the day to win twin pink houses in Indiana.

R73 good dancer? He must of had lessons because in this video he looks like he is about to have an epileptic seizure.

His daughter is so adorable people call her "TeddiBear." Incredible equestrian, incredible mother and wife, incredible human being: a real person in a town of phonies.

Ugh, the photo at R71. Gross.

Isn't "Cuts like a Knife" a Bryan Adams song?

Win a house, a Jeep, and enough Hawaiian Punch to fill the garage!

The gal who won the house from MTV quickly sold it after getting the tax benefits.

According to the book I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution, MTV purchased the house cheap, for about $20K. And then they learned why. Rolling Stone reported that the house was located across from a toxic waste dump in Bloomington, so MTV had to then purchase a second home to actually give away. They sent Director of Promotions John Sykes back out to Indiana to find another house. That first house still belonged to MTV until about 1992. They ultimately wrote it off.

R79 great scoop! Love it.

If you’re a child of the 80s, you’ll find this book laugh-out-loud funny

R81 I’m going to read it.

R81 any Scoop?

Didn't he write a musical with Stephen King, of all people?

I'm watching "The Ryan White Story" on Netflix, he's mentioned and played a lot in it so he must have been friendly with Ryan or at least sympathetic to him, so that's good.

My mother loved Pink Houses.

He’s ugly

We know he was a watered down Bruce Springsteen and his daughter Teddy is a mistake.

Peak JCM was great - a lot of hits I loved.

He is hard to get a handle on. Pint sized, energetic; generally seems cool. I could totally see him being gay, or not. I actually never though much about it. I actually like him better than Springsteen - though neither is really close to my favorite music.