Old rockers. Should they give up or carry on?

[rh100]

They should carry on if they want - but they are never quite the same as you remember them.

Growing up in the '80's I was a fan of Simple Minds - went to see them a few years back and quite dissapointed. The Waterboys are excellent live though.

Dylan - bloomin' awfull live IMO
Joan Baez - saw her at Brum the other week - fantastic
And the oldest I've seen - Leonard Cohen - he puts all of them in the shade. I think he's 80 odd - but what a voice.

What do you mean they aren't rockers? They were around long before me so I only know their earlier stuff from recordings.

 

[rh100]

Magazine were on Later last Friday and were absolutely fantastic, Howard Devoto was imperious, he may well be 57 but could teach plenty of performers about stage presence.

Shot by both sides

Short interview and The Light Pours out of me

Pure Class

Wasn't impressed - but never heard them in their yoof. He seemed a bit of a twit to me, but just my opinion based on that one show.

 

[rh100]

What about old bands that continue after the main man has gone?

Queen springs to mind

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Let it be

 

[Fnaar]

Weller is an example of someone still pushing out decent (mostly) new material while ageing (dis)gracefully

 

[slowmotion]

What about old bands that continue after the main man has gone?

I saw the Stranglers at the Shepherds Bush Empire a couple (?) of years ago. The new (?) lead singer did not diminish an evening of utter joy. Always the Sun...magic.

Mind you, the Doors didn't last too long after JM checked out.

 

[vernon]

It's kept Chuck Berry in work all this time and he hasn't written a song for about 50 years - mind you what a back catalogue!

I went to a Chuck Berry gig at Newcastle City Hall in 1976. He played a 35 minute set. No encore and his daughter sang a third of the songs. Utter 5hite.

 

[bauldbairn]

Try not to see bands that I missed in their heyday!

Music snobbery at it's worst I know - but I would hate to be disappointed in some ageing rockers not living up to expectations.

Although passed up a chance to see "the Who" at SECC with Entwhistle(my hero) before he died - and have regreted it ever since.

Got a mate who has saw "Dylan" all over the world for more than 25yrs and been disappointed every time - but he says if he's good just the once it'll all be worth it. Now thats dedication.

I suppose it's all down to personal choice - I wouldn't slag anybody off for doing it!

 

[bauldbairn]

I went to a Chuck Berry gig at Newcastle City Hall in 1976. He played a 35 minute set. No encore and his daughter sang a third of the songs. Utter 5hite.

Frank Sinatra played to 50,000 at Ibrox in 1990 - think it lasted 30mins(wasn't there-from newspaper reports), where's the respect to loyal fans that paid well over the odds to see their hero.

 

[sheddy]

On the Electric Proms: Shirley Bassey Fri 23 Oct, 8 - 9:15pm Radio 2
and Smokey Robinson Sat 24 Oct, 8 - 9:15pm Radio 2

 

[PaulB]

Saying all that, the greatest gig I ever saw was by Lee Perry who is without doubt my all-time hero and he's 70. Mind you, he's still got it and is still producing new music.

 

[vernon]

What about old bands that continue after the main man has gone?

Queen springs to mind

Saw the Blockheads this summer at Solfest - they are a shadow of their former selves without Ian Dury's presence

Saw The Animals last month in an open air gig in Darlington - they didn't pass muster as a tribute band to themselves - I left after three songs. Good job it was a free gig.

 

[PaulB]

Saw the Blockheads this summer at Solfest - they are a shadow of their former selves without Ian Dury's presence

I saw them last year too but thought they were good. The loss of Dury would affect any band as he had such presence but even with Phil Jupitus doing a karaoke Ian Dury, they were entertaining.

 

[Yellow Fang]

I wouldn't mind if an old band hadn't written any good songs in decades, just so long as their old stuff was good and they play really well. I've seen scores of young bands who've written their own songs but who sound like just everyone else for the last thirty years.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I suppose they're the first generation who have grown up being professional pop and rock musicians. What else would anyone expect them to do?