How old is too old to rock?

Define "rock."

 

Well, those are "alternative" rock bands for one thing. They are also still relatively young - at least in their 40s. I will credit Green Day, in particular, with growing as a band to stay relevant over two different decades.

 

The problem with the Stones live now is Jagger's voice. He just has a hard time replicating the songs of his youth and almost sounds out of breath at times, where it just doesn't match up to the version of the younger days.

The plus side of all these Stones tours is they've pulled out a bunch of deep cut tracks to make part of the show--things you never could have hear live otherwise. '2000 Light Years' and 'Memory Motel' are a couple examples there.

Saw KISS last year and thought they did a great job. Paul Stanley's voice sounded the same as if it were 1977.

Another band that seems to defy the aging process is AC/DC. Maybe it helps if you're a 60 year old dressed up in a schoolboy outfit.

On the flipside, the Who's performance at the Super Bowl was nothing short of embarrassing. First of all, you ought to hang it up anytime half the band is dead. maybe, it's 'hope I retire before I get old'.

 

No one has yet cited Jethro Tull's "You're never too old to rock and roll if you're too young to die"? For shame.

 

Can't remember her exact quote, but a while back, Chrissie Hynde noted how it's different for women rockers -- or at least a certain kind of women rockers.

She said something to the effect of, "If your whole appeal is prancing around and sticking your tits out for the audience, your career can only last so long." (and yeah, she used the word "tits")

I feel there will always be a place for women who are great musicians to "age gracefully" in concert. Chrissie is an example, so is Sheryl Crow. And Carole King put on a great tour with James Taylor in the past year or so.

For an example on how NOT to age gracefully, listen to the Liz Phair's self-titled album from 2003.

 

Pretenders blog entry by CH from 11/25

"We are in Perth Australia touring with Blondie. First show was last night. Had to knock off a bit a rust but it didn't take long. We rocked!"

Case closed.

 

I don't know, but it is surprising how old a lot of rock stars/bands are, even the ones that skew to a younger audience.
You look at metal bands, for example. Slipknot has a ton of fans who are teens or twenties but the band members are all pushing 40 and one (Clown, for those familiar with the band) is 41.

 

Nope. As a die-hard AC/DC fan for many years, I can say without question they have gotten significantly worse in the last 15 or so years. They've all slowed down and that's understandable, but it just seems they don't give a flying fuck about the performance anymore. They're the kings of stale setlists.

My most pleasant oldster rock show was the New York Dolls a few years ago. I think the show was $15. It's just David Jo and Sylvain Sylvain from the original band these days, but the new guys do justice to those who came before. To be honest, I never really got the overall appeal of the Dolls until I saw them live. When you're hearing a packed house howl at the moon during "Personality Crisis" it sort of puts things into focus.

 

Weezer, Foo Fighters and Green Day are all pushing 40, too. That still is a long way from 60 or 70.

 

What is the difference between "rock" and "alternative rock?"

Is there a special instrument alternative rockers play? Alt rockers play more chords, but it is still two guitars and a drum set.

 

It's just a matter of adjustment. If you lose your fastball, mix in your other pitches.
Siouxsie Sioux doing old Banshees tunes as a solo - not so good. She had a couple of nodules removed from her throat, and has probably lost an octave or so, bringing down the key on her older songs.
Siouxsie on her new songs - fine. She still rocks, and songwritingwise, adapted well to her current circumstances.
Same with Maria McKee. Probably late '90s of so, she lost the otherworldly voice she once had, and admits she cannot do many Lone Justice songs anymore. She adapted, and still brings it.

 

Oh man...I just found this clip of the New York Dolls on French TV from about a month ago. They've actually gotten better since the last I saw them.

Holy shit...this is white hot.