Mr. Sinkevics is at it again, two days in a row!
Perhaps he got enough e-mail response to feel compelled to justify his position.
Stars of rock 'n' roll's golden age have reached their golden years
By John Sinkevics | The Grand Rapids Press
November 15, 2009, 5:44AM
Perhaps the time has finally come.
Aerosmith, just pull the plug.
The Rolling Stones? Time is no longer on your side, so you might consider rolling into retirement.
The Who? Who are you kidding?
Consider it evasive action to avoid debilitating injury and the tarnishing of a legacy.
Do it before another one of your own tumbles from another stage, tears a knee ligament, breaks a hip or embarrasses himself with hoarse, screeching vocals that can't begin to hit the intended notes.
Do it for yourself, and do it for your fans.
The prospects of honest-to-goodness retirement stares an entire generation of high-profile, graying rock stars squarely in the eye. It's an unsettling truth for those who crave the spotlight, even if they've earned more than enough money to settle comfortably into hammocks on the Riviera.
Consider this: Many rockers who soared to fame and fortune (and avoided a drug-induced demise) in the '60s and '70s are now, well, in their 60s and 70s. Let's me put it another way: We've reached a critical juncture in the history of rock 'n' roll as stars from the golden age become golden agers.
This way-past-mid-life crisis came into focus last week when word leaked out from Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry that dynamic frontman Steven Tyler was quitting the legendary band, which seemed fine with Perry because it opened the possibility for touring with a new lead singer.
The statement came after an especially rough year for the 61-year-old Tyler, who pulled a leg muscle while performing, then broke his shoulder and gashed his head when he fell off a stage.
Of course, many fans' message to Perry was: Dream on. Aerosmith without Tyler? Are there toys in your attic?
Now, Tyler, apparently getting wind of all this hubbub and fretting that his golden Aero-goose was about to soar off without him, quickly joined Perry on stage in New York a few days later to make it clear that he's not leaving, according to Billboard.com.
But the cracks in Aerosmith's wings are starting to show, so I'm thinking it won't be long before they all move on, pack up their platinum records and commence a chair-based sort of rocking.
As one commenter on my blog noted, it's not like they "haven't earned time off" after 39 years. Absolutely. Devoted fans also don't deserve to have Aerosmith's reputation besmirched by an impersonator crooning "Sweet Emotion" while Perry & Co. pad bank accounts with cash from $125 tickets sold to nostalgic baby boomers. Aerosmith simply can't be Aerosmith without Tyler's gaping lips and twirling scarves.
The crisis is even more acute for older rock acts, but they, too, have turned their deaf ears to the quit-while-you're-ahead message.
Word on the Internet is that The Who, essentially now a duo with a current average age of 64.5, and The Rolling Stones, average age of 65.25, are planning tours again next year. (Drummer Charlie Watts, 68, recently dismissed rumors that he was quitting the Stones, which really would have signaled a need to put this band to rest.)
Now, this doesn't pose the same dilemma for folk singers, blues guitarists and jazz musicians. Renowned bluesman B.B. King can still entertain fans at 84 -- which he did quite admirably last month at DeVos Performance Hall -- because he stays seated on stage during shows. No one expects a stage slide from B.B.
But fans do expect that from forever-youthful rock stars, especially those playing arenas and stadiums. They're supposed to scramble to and fro, leap from speakers, fling mic stands, bend backward for guitar solos, do windmills and utter occasional screams and falsetto yelps.
That's significantly tougher at 65 than 45. My cousin, Dr. David Zadvinskis, informs me that older rockers have less cushioning on their joints and are "further accelerating arthritis by physically stressing them." They also don't recover as quickly from injuries and are prone to reinjury.
Of course, Stones singer Mick Jagger (always in tip-top shape) and guitarist Keith Richards (who's not, but he's probably not human) have proven they can handle more touring stress than the average rocker. And with the help of trainers, personal physicians and muscular roadies who cart all that heavy equipment, The Stones and other bands have managed to extend their careers.
But as much as I've long admired these bands, there will come a day when fans will sadly shake their heads and wonder why these much-faded, wrinkled stars have mounted another world tour, a day when Jagger can only shuffle -- not shimmy -- down a runway.
It can be a reality check for local musicians, too.
After undergoing knee surgery awhile back, 58-year-old Grand Rapids blues guitarist and singer Weezil Malone (aka Larry Fitzgerald) certainly feels his age, knows his limitations and now restricts the number of live shows he does. He no longer pretends he's a 20-something act.
While he still enjoys being on stage, "if it wasn't for 5 Hour Energy, I don't think I could do the third set anymore," he quipped. Loading gear at 3 a.m. just adds to the strain.
"It's just like a football player. There's a time when you've got to let the next generation take over," he advised. "You blazed your path, you planted your seed, you sowed your crops and now someone else owns the land."
E-mail John Sinkevics:
[email protected]http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/11/stars_of_rock_...
Pages: 1 2
Who should hang up their rock 'n' roll boots? (Read 2,011 times)
