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Wednesday Coffee Break: Hold On To Your Ego

Posted at 8:40 AM on January 27, 2010 by Steve Seel (26 Comments)
Filed under: 9:30 Coffee Break

(updated below)

So it was just announced that Avatar is now the biggest grossing film in history, surpassing Titanic. What do these two films have in common? Director James Cameron - who's exclamation that he was "king of the world!" while accepting the best picture Oscar for Titanic not only echoed Leo DiCaprio's line in the movie, but also succinctly communicated how Cameron actually feels about himself. The man is known for having one of the larger egos in Hollywood, which is quite an achievement.

We thought about doing a Coffee Break set today showcasing some of music's more modest and humble personalities (to offer a kind of cosmic balance to this news), but the nature of egomania means that it's the egotists who get all the noteriety. So who are some of music's biggest ego's? That's the 9:30 Coffee Break topic today.

Update: Too many big egos to fit into one Coffee Break today; we didn't quite have enough room for Sting, Billy Corghan or Axl Rose (even Elvis Costello got a couple of votes), but here are the artists who pushed themselves to the front of the pack:

1) Oasis, "Live Forever" ("bigger than the Beatles"? Really?)
2) Frank Sinatra, "I've Got You Under My Skin"
3) Prince, "Baby I'm a Star"
4) KISS, "Calling Dr. Love" (Gene Simmons: possibly the biggest ego in the history of all music?)
5) Hole, "Violet" (Courtney Love was suggested by someone who suspected our set would otherwise be rather male-centric)

Comments (26)

kanye west

Posted by liz | January 27, 2010 8:55 AM

Oasis

Posted by Allyson | January 27, 2010 8:59 AM


Oasis
Sex Pistols
Prince

Posted by Nick | January 27, 2010 8:59 AM

Oasis (I do love them though)

Posted by Jamie | January 27, 2010 9:01 AM

I'm the Greatest -- the tongue-in-cheek Ringo Starr

Don Henley sure likes who he sees in the mirror

And I interviewed Daryl Hall years ago, he was the very definition of the word pompous [though he seems to he having fun in his House these days: http://www.livefromdarylshouse.com/]

Posted by lou | January 27, 2010 9:02 AM

Gene Simmons.

Just ask NPR's Terry Gross - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Simmons

Posted by IndyR | January 27, 2010 9:03 AM

Anton Newcombe - Brian Jonestown Massacre

(I second Kanye West and Oasis as well.)

Posted by jason | January 27, 2010 9:05 AM

I love the guy but after he did the f'n Lexus commercial it is hard not to say he is totally full of himself. Play some Elvis Costello for me. Veronica or Alison would be good or What's so Funny about Peace Love and Understanding?

Posted by matt kondracsek | January 27, 2010 9:07 AM

Guns n Roses
Oasis- defintiely
Kid Rock
Van Halen-Though, I think Eddie VH earned his ego. ROCK!


Posted by Justin | January 27, 2010 9:10 AM

Not that he's got a big ego - but the song It's Good to be King (by Tom Petty) would kind of fit the theme for today.

Posted by Trivbeck | January 27, 2010 9:11 AM

Isn't a big ego just a mask for deep insecurity? Or is that just something that my Grandma told me when people were mean at school?

That said, I suggest...

- Bono
- Latter-day Paul McCartney
- 2nd on Gene Simmons (I, too, remember the Terry Gross incident)
- 2nd on Prince

Posted by Shaun | January 27, 2010 9:14 AM

James Brown! Just look at some of his titles.. but also his track record. yikes.

Posted by Juliet | January 27, 2010 9:14 AM

Definitely Ryan Adams and Elvis Costello

Posted by Taryn Holmquist | January 27, 2010 9:15 AM

how about Amy Winehouse? that girl thinks she can get away with anything, but her music is so good.

Posted by Marya | January 27, 2010 9:16 AM

Shouldn't this just be six or seven Oasis songs back to back?

Posted by MAtt BAum | January 27, 2010 9:18 AM

Robbie Williams, from the album "The Ego has landed", how about the song Millennium.
How about someone from way out of left field and play a little Liberace!

Posted by jeff | January 27, 2010 9:20 AM

I vote for Kanye West. He certainly drove himself into the ditch, when he should have taken his own advice to "Drive Slow", homie.

Posted by monica | January 27, 2010 9:22 AM

um, Madonna.....

Posted by Chai | January 27, 2010 9:23 AM

There's a great little Boston band "Jim's Big Ego" that I was digging a while back (like 4 years. I wonder if they're still around).

Posted by Christian | January 27, 2010 9:23 AM

I have really been digging "Prizedfighter" by the Eels lately, and that song certainly fits the theme. However, I would not consider the band to be too high on the list of egotistical artists!

Obviously Mick Jagger and Prince both belong in this set...
The Rolling Stones "Sympathy for The Devil"
Prince "All The Critics Love You (In New York)"

But don't forget The Beatles - I hear they're bigger than Jesus!
"Baby, you can drive my car. Yes, I'm gonna be a star."

And I must say that I absolutely love the way Kevin Barnes wears his ego...
Of Montreal "Id Engager"

Posted by Robin | January 27, 2010 9:24 AM

Kanye West, of course, but PLEASE don't play anything

Don Henley

STING, STING, STING!!!

Posted by Roger | January 27, 2010 9:26 AM

Todd Rundgren. 25 years ago, my high school science teacher mentioned during class that Rundgren once performed at his college and he (my teacher) helped set up. He said that Rundgren was "the most arrogant a**hole I've ever met."

Posted by Alan | January 27, 2010 9:28 AM

Charlie Daniels: The Devil Went Down to Georgia.

I mean come on, it's a song about how he's such a great fiddler that he can beat the devil...who, you know, has supernatural powers and stuff. Sure, it's a third-person story about "Johnny," but some non-fictional person had to play "Johnny's" solo for the record.

Posted by Amanda | January 27, 2010 9:28 AM

On Todd Rundgren: It occurs to me that "Emperor of the Highway" might be doubly fitting to play.

Posted by Alan | January 27, 2010 9:33 AM

T.H.E.H.I.V.E.S. by The Hives. The chorus just repeats "we rule the world" over and over.

Posted by Angela | January 27, 2010 9:44 AM

YES!

Dr. Love - KISS

ROCK!!!!!!

Posted by Jon | January 27, 2010 9:51 AM

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