RE: Older Bands and........STU!

["L. Bird" <pkeets@hotmail.com>]

>What did they mean with "come to terms with being an older rock band"?

Beats me.  It was a bunch of interviews I was reading.  That point stuck in 
my head, and I think it was one of TED that said it.  From the way Pete has 
commented, I'd figure one problem is having something that seems relevant to 
say.  Also, rock is a more energetic musical form than, say, blues, which 
has an entirely different set of expectations for the musicians.  Nobody has 
ever commented that Clapton should give it up, have they?


>I can't help but feel like the world is ready to let
>go of this notion that only The Youth can create meaningful music.
>Who is out there?  Nobody!  One or two hit wonders, as our as esteemed 
>colleague ML has noted. Carlos began the fight, and I'm looking to The Who 
>to end it.  With age does come wisdom and skill for crying out loud.

Rock was a new form in the 20th Century, so it's still in the process of 
definition right now.  If nobody pushes the definition, then it'll remain a 
young man's game.  And if it's a limited career, why start?  An artist could 
always go the hiphop route instead.

It does seem that a hard rock approach is required to make the music last.  
You can look back through the cycles where the artists have experimented 
with this and that, and it always seems to come back to attitude.  Simon and 
Garfunkel and James Taylor, as huge as they were back in the seventies, and 
as intelligent and meaningful as the music is, have little standing now.  
The Who, on the other hand, is still interesting to all ages.


>To be clear, the fire in The Who still burns hot enough for me.  Is it hot 
>enough for "the youth"?

So far, so good, it seems.  The summer tour attracted some attention from 
younger fans.  My niece and nephew went and didn't say the first thing about 
TED looking old.  Still, it's going to be hard to continue that energy level 
through the next 20 years that a blues career would last.  Likely that's 
what they mean by "coming to terms."  How can they keep the energy level up 
without  a) looking silly and  b) killing themselves.

You're right that Carolos did a nice job.  He came off looking really good.

>Is that another way of saying that people are starting to really analyze 
>music and realize that what's "new" isn't necessarily "better or even good"
>?
>God, I hope so.

It's going to be hard to stamp out fresh, new bubble gum music produced by 
sexy teens.  It's sort of proved it's popularity.  ;)


> >I've been looking at the current pictures of Pete on his
> >website, and somehow he looks pretty contemporary.
>
>He *does* look contemporary.  But, I too, like Schrade, hear folk say "how 
>old they all look".

Are they commenting on the contrast between age and sound?  And who's saying 
it?  Is it just a comment or is it actual discrimination?  BTW, I haven't 
heard a soul say that Tina Turner is too old for it. ;)


keets

P.S.  Happy sixtieth to Joan Baez today.
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