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Rock simply should not be played by fifty-five-year-old men with triple chins wearing bad wighats, pretending still to be excited about playing songs they wrote thirty or thirty-five years ago and have played some thousands of times since. Its prime audience should not be middle-aged, balding, jelly-bellied dads who've brought along their wives and kids. It should not be trapped behind glass in a museum display and gawked at like remnants of a lost civilization. This is not rock 'n' roll. Rock 'n' roll is not family entertainment."
—John Strausbaugh, Rock Til You Drop, 2001
Aging Rockers Who Should Retire Immediately
Seeded on Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:54 PM EDT
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- Public Discussion (45)
No kidding! I cringed when I saw the Strolling Bones do the superbowl show.
- 2 votes
#2 - Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:39 PM EDTI LOVED that show! LOL Everyone I know who saw it was one way or the other.
- 1 vote
Mick was always a strolling bone, and big lips. Nothing has changed. ;)
- 2 votes
Luckily I missed that but many of these have stayed in the public view far too long.
- 1 vote
#3 - Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:53 PM EDTPut them in a wind and the wrinkles flutter so bad they look like a blur.
- 2 votes
I have to agree with the article. A sixty year old man on stage playing rock music is out of place.
- 1 vote
Have you BEEN to a Rod Stewart concert? My last was about 4 years ago and he still did an awesome show.
- 1 vote
My last concert was New Kids on the Block about 15 years ago.
- 1 vote
ROFL....wow. Well, nevermind. I wouldn't have gone if one of my sisters wasn't a huge RS fan. I'm not a big crowd person anyway.
- 1 vote
I was dating a woman and her 12 year daughter insisted that all three of us go.
Lemmy, Iggy, Paul McCartney, and the Who-I think they're all still great. It kinda bugs me when some critic tells me what "rock & roll is". If they put on a good show, and people like it, I say "rock till you drop".
- 4 votes
#4 - Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:24 PM EDTOzzy is just ozzy no matter what the age, and McCartney is doing ok on sound, but some people look better on the radio, I had to change the channel over the Stones.
- 3 votes
While some of them will still sound good, seeing them in person or on video to me is like watching a once great athlete try to play when over the hill.
- 2 votes
heh heh-well I probably won't be able to afford front row seats anyway!
- 2 votes
Why is there a double standard when it comes to rock music? When you see or hear these 70+ jazz and blues musicians everyone says how dedicated and talented they are. Should the Buena Vista Social Club been forced into retirement at 50? I saw Tom Waits last year and it was one of the best shows I've ever been to. I'm 43 and play drums better than I did at 20, and the guys in my band are in their early 20's and just starting and they have to work to keep up . Talent doesn't have an age, and if you have the talent chances are good you were meant to use it until it becomes physically impossible to do so.
- 6 votes
#6 - Fri Aug 31, 2007 3:15 PM EDTI agree. Perhaps it's the "hot guy" costumes they sometimes try to carry off. I am all for these guys hanging on and showing what still can be done.
- 2 votes
If they can still play and still have an audience at any whatever age.... ROCK ON!
- 3 votes
#9 - Fri Aug 31, 2007 9:38 PM EDTWho cares if they are still playing? I think its cool because they are still being true to themselves. You don't like it? Don't buy their music, or go to their shows. I'd love to be in their position.
- 4 votes
#10 - Fri Aug 31, 2007 10:04 PM EDTAll things must end someday. Knowing when to quit is important.
- 2 votes
#11 - Fri Aug 31, 2007 11:21 PM EDTWhy should they quit if they still have an audience? If people pay to see you play why stop?
- 4 votes
OK. I agree. If they want to perform live and people will pay to see them, let them rock until they are 90.
- 2 votes
I knew you'd come around :) Hell, most I've ever played for was a couple thousand people. Wouldn't trade that feeling for anything...
- 2 votes
@ CarolS.... Our work is done here. Who else can we gang up on tonight??.... :-)
- 2 votes
Thanks to both of you for making me see the light. I'm going out to buy Elvis ticket.
- 1 vote
#12 - Sat Sep 1, 2007 2:00 PM EDTOK.......
I hate to break it to you,
but.............
Elvis died!
(((( sobbing quietly while gazing at a photo of the King )))
:-)
- 2 votes
Yes, but he lives on in bobbled head dolls, and nightclub inpersonators. ;)
- 3 votes
And he still makes more money than most live people.
Sad but true.
Even sadder, he's making more money now that he's dead then he did when he was alive.
Surreal. ;)
- 2 votes
Folks pay lots of money to see old jazz musicians, I don't see how rock and roll is any different. I'd go to see Eric Clapton when he was 80.
- 1 vote
#14 - Mon Sep 3, 2007 3:59 PM EDTRock concerts are more active than jazz and a 70 year old dancing around a stage screaming seems odd to me but if people want to see it then let it happen.
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