Re: Even children get older, I'm getting older too.......

[Alan McKendree <amck@thenetdr.com>]

>Date: Tue, 23 May 2000 10:01:48 -0400
>From: "O'Neal, Kevin W." <Kevin.ONeal@vtmednet.org>Subject: RE:
>
>	We need to let go of our old attitude that 70 year old men can't
>rock.  Right now, most can't (my dad is 80....he can't).  BUT, mark my
>words, this will change.

Good news...it has already changed.  Ladies & gentlemen, I give you 
Link Wray (ObWho: "'He is the king; if it hadn't been for Link Wray 
and 'Rumble,' I would have never picked up a guitar,' the Who's Pete 
Townshend once said.").  For those who don't know, he was of the 
generation of young guitar slingers that included Elvis, Eddie 
Cochran, and Dick Dale.  I saw him play at a little club here about 8 
months ago.  The opening act (Webb Wilder) said when they came out, 
"Ladies and gentlemen, we're here to get our asses kicked by a 
70-year-old man."  (Quite an endorsement from someone who bills 
himself as "The Last of the Full-Grown Men.")  And it happened.  Wray 
got up on stage, a little stiffly but only due to a recent knee 
injury rather than arthritis or whatever, and proceeded to wham the 
crap out of his guitar in a dynamite show.  Black hair (dyed, I 
suspect) down to his waist, he opened with his big hit "Rumble" and 
was pounding the strings with a closed fist and just having a great 
time, as were we all.

For those interested in followup, a quick bite is at 
http://www.rockabillyhall.com/LinkWray.html -- more substantial bio 
is at http://home.wanadoo.nl/rock_and_roll/linkwray.htm, and an 
excellent review of a 1998 concert with contemporary photos is at 
http://www.fayettevillenc.com/foto/news/content/1998/tx98feb/f27rock.htm

I really think that Who fans would enjoy his shows...unfortunately 
apparently he doesn't tour much.

Cheers,
-- 
Alan

"It's not like bein' possessed or anything...it's just...*I* *do* *my* *job*."
    --Pete Townshend