It's been less than a week since Ghost released their covers EP, Phantomime, which notably featured the Swedish occult-rock band's ghastly rendition of Tina Turner's smash hit, "We Don't Need Another Hero." Yesterday (May 24th), just a few days after Ghost's cover was released, the legendary "Queen of Rock & Roll" died at age 83.
Speaking with Metal Hammer, Ghost mastermind Tobias Forge paid proper tribute to Turner, who he referred to as a "fantastic artist" with a "well-deserved" career. He also touched on her life outside of music, specifically the abusive relationship she was subjected to while married to former bandmate Ike Turner, who died in 2007.
"I've always loved 'We Don't Need Another Hero,' and I've always thought Tina Turner was such a fantastic artist," Forge said.
"As with several other artists, our generation got a lot more acquainted with their lives through movies. Jim Morrison was a big one when the Doors movie came out in 1991, which had a big push for the cult around The Doors."
"Tina Turner had her own share of that," he continued. "And everything that had happened with Ike [Turner, Tina's late, abusive husband], which a lot of us became aware of thanks to [1993 biopic] What's Love Got To Do With It?
"I liked her songs for so much longer than that movie has been out, but that movie really made us aware of what an extraordinary uphill battle she's fought. Also, for lack of a better word, how well-deserved her enormous career in the 80s was."
Forge added, "Being a huge fan of the Rolling Stones, I'd been aware that she'd been around since the 60s and had a lot of bangers before they worked together, but in the 80s her radio and cinematic presence was that of a huge star. A chart dominating star, too. For her, at her age and with everything she'd gone through, it wasn't a given and must have felt like a last hurrah."
"I understand she was a sad person, which feels like such a sad thing, considering her talent and everything she accomplished," Tobias concluded. "But obviously, that motherfucker Ike… Rest in shame, Ike Turner."
