Is there a live retirement age for musicians?

General music discussion.
Post Reply
WestwayKid
User avatar
Unknown Immortal
Posts: 6691
Joined: 20 Sep 2017, 8:22am
Location: Mill-e-wah-que

Is there a live retirement age for musicians?

Post by WestwayKid »

Let me frame my question this way. My mom and dad raised me to appreciate the singer-songwriters of the 1970's and Gordon Lightfoot (yes - my musical tastes are pretty diverse) recently came to town and I really thought about going to see him. I did, however, check out some recent concert reviews and they were pretty bad. A lot of talk about how he seemed propped up and how his voice was barely above a whisper on many songs and so on.

I decided not to go. It is not simply about checking an artist off of my list. I want to see a good performance and more importantly, I don't want to see a poor performance.

The question is should musicians continue to play until it is no longer physically possible or is it better for them to recognize that there is a point where they are possibly hurting their legacy?

I came across one article where a theater actually posted an apology to those who attended a Lightfoot show. They did so because they got so many complaints and demands for refunds. I guess it wasn't so much an apology for the performance, more of an acknowledgment that they had received a large number of complaints and that they're just the venue.

Anyone have any experiences where they have been saddened to witness a performance by a favorite artist who simply could no longer deliver the goods? Or doesn't it matter for you?

Think of it this way: it would have been great to see Ali in his prime, but it would have been sad to see him pummeled by Larry Holmes in 1980. It would have been great to see Willie Mays in the 1954 World Series, but it would have been sad to see him hobble around in the 1973 WS.
"They don't think it be like it is, but it do." - Oscar Gamble

Silent Majority
Singer-Songwriter Nancy
Posts: 18694
Joined: 10 Nov 2008, 8:28pm
Location: South Londoner in the Midlands.

Re: Is there a live retirement age for musicians?

Post by Silent Majority »

I'd still go and see Dylan and Willie Nelson. And the Stones, actually (if the price was less than £50). Even artists where their voices have sadly deserted them, like Meatloaf, I think are worth hearing perform. Live music isn't about the technical brilliance of an artist at their peak for me. It's about the magic of people who share an interest coming together and hearing songs everyone there loves.

So long as they're compos mentis, that is. I recently watched the Glen Campbell documentary about his struggles with Alzheimer's and there was an artist whose family should have got him offstage long before they actually did. Hard to see.
a lifetime serving one machine
Is ten times worse than prison


www.pexlives.libsyn.com/

WestwayKid
User avatar
Unknown Immortal
Posts: 6691
Joined: 20 Sep 2017, 8:22am
Location: Mill-e-wah-que

Re: Is there a live retirement age for musicians?

Post by WestwayKid »

Silent Majority wrote:
02 Nov 2017, 7:55am
I'd still go and see Dylan and Willie Nelson. And the Stones, actually (if the price was less than £50). Even artists where their voices have sadly deserted them, like Meatloaf, I think are worth hearing perform. Live music isn't about the technical brilliance of an artist at their peak for me. It's about the magic of people who share an interest coming together and hearing songs everyone there loves.

So long as they're compos mentis, that is. I recently watched the Glen Campbell documentary about his struggles with Alzheimer's and there was an artist whose family should have got him offstage long before they actually did. Hard to see.
Good point. There is something about sharing the experience. I do regret - somewhat - that I did not go and see him. I would have gone with an expectation that I wasn't going to hear the Lightfoot of the 1967 or 1977 or 1987 and so on.

Maybe it is worse when you see a terrible performance that is not expected? I've seen plenty of bands completely half-ass it on stage. I've seen performers show up drunk or very, very stoned to the point where it resulted in a bad performance.

Getting back to the Glen Campbell documentary - wow - that was a hard viewing experience. It seemed like at the beginning of his final tour he did okay...but towards the end it seemed to go downhill very, very quick. My only thought is that maybe his family thought it was the one thing keeping him from declining at a faster rate?
"They don't think it be like it is, but it do." - Oscar Gamble

Low Down Low
Unknown Immortal
Posts: 4903
Joined: 21 Aug 2014, 9:08am

Re: Is there a live retirement age for musicians?

Post by Low Down Low »

Its a good question and the boxing analogy is a very apposite one. When your whole life is built around performing and the narcotic buzz that comes with it, I imagine how hard it must be to imagine a life without it. All that rage against the dying of the light. Maybe those who chose to promote it and keep the wheels greased should be asked the question too. Certainly that was the way with Ali anyway. And maybe there's a sense of caveat emptor about it too, not sure about that.

I actually saw an ad for a Gordon Lightfoot gig a couple of years ago and considered going, didn't know anything about his circumstances. I think personally I'd be willing to make allowances for physical debilities as opposed to going seeing a band like the Who and hearing a bunch of guys approaching their 70s punch out My Generation for like the millionth time. I think the Who could still be good and relevant musically but I'd have zero interest in that.

JennyB
User avatar
Mossad Van Driver
Posts: 22233
Joined: 16 Jun 2008, 1:13pm
Location: Moranjortsville

Re: Is there a live retirement age for musicians?

Post by JennyB »

Some should never retire, some should retire before they even start. :shifty:
Got a Rake? Sure!

IMCT: Inane Middle-Class Twats - Dr. M

" *sigh* it's right when they throw the penis pump out the window." -Hoy

101Walterton
User avatar
The Best
Posts: 21973
Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 5:36pm
Location: Volcanic Rock In The Pacific

Re: Is there a live retirement age for musicians?

Post by 101Walterton »

It depends what you want out of the show and how important the live element is to it.

Silent Majority
Singer-Songwriter Nancy
Posts: 18694
Joined: 10 Nov 2008, 8:28pm
Location: South Londoner in the Midlands.

Re: Is there a live retirement age for musicians?

Post by Silent Majority »

101Walterton wrote:
02 Nov 2017, 2:18pm
It depends what you want out of the show and how important the live element is to it.
Yes, if you're interested in seeing a corpse, it's not that important.
a lifetime serving one machine
Is ten times worse than prison


www.pexlives.libsyn.com/

101Walterton
User avatar
The Best
Posts: 21973
Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 5:36pm
Location: Volcanic Rock In The Pacific

Re: Is there a live retirement age for musicians?

Post by 101Walterton »

Silent Majority wrote:
02 Nov 2017, 2:46pm
101Walterton wrote:
02 Nov 2017, 2:18pm
It depends what you want out of the show and how important the live element is to it.
Yes, if you're interested in seeing a corpse, it's not that important.
😂

Marky Dread
User avatar
Messiah of the Milk Bar
Posts: 58839
Joined: 17 Jun 2008, 11:26am

Re: Is there a live retirement age for musicians?

Post by Marky Dread »

I saw John Lee Hooker at the Hammersmith Odeon in the late 80's and he had to stop playing because his hand had seized up. I think you should play as long as you feel good and can still carry a tune. If it's detrimental to your health then maybe your body is telling you it's time to stop. But a definite no to ageism.
Image

Forces have been looting
My humanity
Curfews have been curbing
The end of liberty


We're the flowers in the dustbin...
No fuchsias for you.

"Without the common people you're nothing"

Nos Sumus Una Familia

Marky Dread
User avatar
Messiah of the Milk Bar
Posts: 58839
Joined: 17 Jun 2008, 11:26am

Re: Is there a live retirement age for musicians?

Post by Marky Dread »

Silent Majority wrote:
02 Nov 2017, 2:46pm
101Walterton wrote:
02 Nov 2017, 2:18pm
It depends what you want out of the show and how important the live element is to it.
Yes, if you're interested in seeing a corpse, it's not that important.
So you won't bother going to see Heston when he is in his 70's on his "Who remembers KISS" tour.
Image

Forces have been looting
My humanity
Curfews have been curbing
The end of liberty


We're the flowers in the dustbin...
No fuchsias for you.

"Without the common people you're nothing"

Nos Sumus Una Familia

Flex
User avatar
Mechano-Man of the Future
Posts: 35753
Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 2:50pm
Location: The Information Superhighway!

Re: Is there a live retirement age for musicians?

Post by Flex »

I've seen plenty of old musicians who were probably past their prime. The most dubious is Brian Wilson, who probably is dealing with some mental shit while he get up there. Still, a great show. I saw Kenny Rogers a few years ago and his old person rasp actually made the set pretty bad-ass, and likely enjoyed it a lot more than I would have at the height of his powers. I've seen Dylan about a dozen times over the last decade and a half, and even though he's physically continued to deteriorate the quality of his shows doesn't necessarily seem directly related to that (one of the lesser shows I saw from him was a decade and a half ago and one of the best was the one a couple weeks ago, with many variable performances in between).

Stones still put on a killer show, probably double-tracked hell and back. Shows suck if the artist's heart ain't in it, regardless of their physical or technical prowess. If the musician/band still wants to be out on stage, go see 'em.

I wanna see Jerry Lee Lewis before it's too late. Probably won't happen.
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a bowl of soup
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead

Pex Lives!

Silent Majority
Singer-Songwriter Nancy
Posts: 18694
Joined: 10 Nov 2008, 8:28pm
Location: South Londoner in the Midlands.

Re: Is there a live retirement age for musicians?

Post by Silent Majority »

Flex wrote:
02 Nov 2017, 4:51pm
I've seen plenty of old musicians who were probably past their prime. The most dubious is Brian Wilson, who probably is dealing with some mental shit while he get up there. Still, a great show. I saw Kenny Rogers a few years ago and his old person rasp actually made the set pretty bad-ass, and likely enjoyed it a lot more than I would have at the height of his powers. I've seen Dylan about a dozen times over the last decade and a half, and even though he's physically continued to deteriorate the quality of his shows doesn't necessarily seem directly related to that (one of the lesser shows I saw from him was a decade and a half ago and one of the best was the one a couple weeks ago, with many variable performances in between).

Stones still put on a killer show, probably double-tracked hell and back. Shows suck if the artist's heart ain't in it, regardless of their physical or technical prowess. If the musician/band still wants to be out on stage, go see 'em.

I wanna see Jerry Lee Lewis before it's too late. Probably won't happen.
I don't think the Killer will actually perform again.
a lifetime serving one machine
Is ten times worse than prison


www.pexlives.libsyn.com/

Flex
User avatar
Mechano-Man of the Future
Posts: 35753
Joined: 15 Jun 2008, 2:50pm
Location: The Information Superhighway!

Re: Is there a live retirement age for musicians?

Post by Flex »

Silent Majority wrote:
02 Nov 2017, 4:52pm
I don't think the Killer will actually perform again.
Yeah, I don't think so either. He had a couple shows in Nashville early this year. Contemplated flying out for 'em but didn't work scheduling-wise. Probably missed my last shot.

Addendum: Actually, he's playing Nov. 24th in LA. Interesting.
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a bowl of soup
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead

Pex Lives!

Silent Majority
Singer-Songwriter Nancy
Posts: 18694
Joined: 10 Nov 2008, 8:28pm
Location: South Londoner in the Midlands.

Re: Is there a live retirement age for musicians?

Post by Silent Majority »

Flex wrote:
02 Nov 2017, 4:54pm
Silent Majority wrote:
02 Nov 2017, 4:52pm
I don't think the Killer will actually perform again.
Yeah, I don't think so either. He had a couple shows in Nashville early this year. Contemplated flying out for 'em but didn't work scheduling-wise. Probably missed my last shot.

Addendum: Actually, he's playing Nov. 24th in LA. Interesting.
If you can feasibly see Jerry Lee, I cannot encourage you enough to do so.
a lifetime serving one machine
Is ten times worse than prison


www.pexlives.libsyn.com/

muppet hi fi
Unknown Immortal
Posts: 5190
Joined: 19 Feb 2009, 1:10pm

Re: Is there a live retirement age for musicians?

Post by muppet hi fi »

The beauty of live music is that anything can happen, and frequently does. As Flex pointed out - as long as their hearts are still in it it's probably worth seeing.

Keef fucked up the intro to "Brown Sugar" last month in Germany, with Woody keeping Charlie on track, and then Keef gets mad at Mick for coming in perfectly on time. Fucking own it, Keef! You're old and you fucked up "Brown Sugar"(doh!). But they still seem to love playing, so good on 'em.
Strong shoes is what we got and when they're hot they're hot!
- Marky Dread and his fabulous Screaming Blue Messiahs

Post Reply