Stairway to Heaven: The coming death of just about every rock legend ...

[Slacker]

Just about every rock legend you can think of
is going to die within the next decade or so. ...

Behold the killing fields that lie before us: Bob Dylan (78 years old); Paul McCartney (77); Paul Simon (77) and Art Garfunkel (77); Carole King (77); Brian Wilson (77); Mick Jagger (76) and Keith Richards (75); Joni Mitchell (75); Jimmy Page (75) and Robert Plant (71); Ray Davies (75); Roger Daltrey (75) and Pete Townshend (74); Roger Waters (75) and David Gilmour (73); Rod Stewart (74); Eric Clapton (74); Debbie Harry (74); Neil Young (73); Van Morrison (73); Bryan Ferry (73); Elton John (72); Don Henley (72); James Taylor (71); Jackson Browne (70); Billy Joel (70); and Bruce Springsteen (69, but turning 70 next month).

The coming death of just about every rock legend

 

[DanOregon]

And yet, everyone says the 70s were a bad music decade. I realize the "golden era" of Hollywood was dead when Rickles and Jerry Lewis died and there were no contemporaries left to tell stories about the old days. I'm guessing Eastwood is the last brick in that wall.
DeNiro, Pacino, Scorcese
Hanks, Denzel, Sean Penn, Streep, Harrison Ford.

 

[swingline]

Harrison Ford is, like, Gene Hackman old. I mean, he's really old.

Pacino is older than his ugly-ass false teeth.

 

[DanOregon]

And I remember in the '80s wondering if Madonna would still be a thing 20 or 30 years later. She really isn't. I kind of figure Beyonce is in the same boat. Still famous, still marketable - but probably no longer considered an "icon." I don't know if performers just aren't "as good" as the previous eras, more likely it is just a fractured media landscape (more channels, more audio outets, more options)

 

[Batman]

That long of a list, and you don't even mention 68-year-old Phil Collins?

 

[I Should Coco]

Once upon a time, we'd argue here about who on that list of soon-to-be-dead classic rockers was worthy of A1 (see Collins, Phil).

Sad truth is all of them have outlived "A1" of the print edition ... or at least the time when being on it mattered.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

Just about every rock legend you can think of
is going to die within the next decade or so. ...

Behold the killing fields that lie before us: Bob Dylan (78 years old); Paul McCartney (77); Paul Simon (77) and Art Garfunkel (77); Carole King (77); Brian Wilson (77); Mick Jagger (76) and Keith Richards (75); Joni Mitchell (75); Jimmy Page (75) and Robert Plant (71); Ray Davies (75); Roger Daltrey (75) and Pete Townshend (74); Roger Waters (75) and David Gilmour (73); Rod Stewart (74); Eric Clapton (74); Debbie Harry (74); Neil Young (73); Van Morrison (73); Bryan Ferry (73); Elton John (72); Don Henley (72); James Taylor (71); Jackson Browne (70); Billy Joel (70); and Bruce Springsteen (69, but turning 70 next month).

The coming death of just about every rock legend

Why would anyone put Keith Richards on that list?

 

[lakefront]

And I remember in the '80s wondering if Madonna would still be a thing 20 or 30 years later. She really isn't. I kind of figure Beyonce is in the same boat. Still famous, still marketable - but probably no longer considered an "icon." I don't know if performers just aren't "as good" as the previous eras, more likely it is just a fractured media landscape (more channels, more audio outets, more options)

New generations have their own icons, they don't want our old ones.

 

[tapintoamerica]

Why would anyone put Keith Richards on that list?

Just because it’s incredible that he’s still alive.

 

[justgladtobehere]

New generations have their own icons, they don't want our old ones.

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

 

[DanOregon]

True, but the all-time greats span the generations.

 

[swingline]

I want to see Keef pickled and on display like Lenin.

 

[Starman]

One real advantage of being rich and having awesome health care, access to trainers, etc etc, is that you live longer. Plus you can buy fancy super-nutritious non-fattening food that tastes good too.

John Entwistle, I believe, coked out at age 61-62. (Edit: 57.)

If you haven't drugged out by your early sixties, you probably won't.

So I'd guess a fair number of those guys (and gals) will make it well into their eighties.

When the final stats come in in about 2050, and 108-year-old Keith Richards is the only person from the "classic rock era" of 1960-1990 still alive, the final actuarial numbers will probably be about average.

 

[HanSenSE]

Once upon a time, we'd argue here about who on that list of soon-to-be-dead classic rockers was worthy of A1 (see Collins, Phil).

Sad truth is all of them have outlived "A1" of the print edition ... or at least the time when being on it mattered.

At the rate things are going, they may outlive print editions.

 

[TigerVols]

Back when I worked at a struggling cable TV network that fancied itself as a E!/Discovery ID hybrid, I half-heartedly pitched the id of rebranding the network RIPTV, with the focus being on all the celebrity deaths that will be happening for the rest of our lives.

It's not just rock stars -- the fame machine really kicked in with the advent of TV and hasn't let up since, so everyone we're familiar with will be dead soon enough, and the celebrity grief industry will be there to chronicle every Alan Alda to Steve Zahn who croke in the coming decades.

 

[lakefront]

True, but the all-time greats span the generations.

Yeah, but maybe not so brightly?

 

[Starman]

**** VanDyke is the last man standing among classic 50s/60s teevee stars.

 

[micropolitan guy]

Dave Clark, Gerry Marsden, Eric Burdon and Stevie Winwood are still alive. So are Graham Nash and Allan Clarke of the Hollies and Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits. Robbie Robertson and John Fogarty too.

 

[garrow]

Krieger and Densmore of the Doors are still alive.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

One real advantage of being rich and having awesome health care, access to trainers, etc etc, is that you live longer. Plus you can buy fancy super-nutritious non-fattening food that tastes good too.

John Entwistle, I believe, coked out at age 61-62. (Edit: 57.)

At age 57, in his sleep, after having presumably filthy sex with a stripper. Smoked 20 cigs a day and had heart disease.