Wo., 9-2
There is another sort of news that is somewhat worrying and around a lot in the 5 weeks this year is old. Farewell tours.
First Neil Diamond had to stop
his tour due to dementia. Somewhere around that date Elton John
announced a, three year, farewell tour. I already saw the posters up
along the roads announcing a show in big letters, golden coloured,
saying "FAREWELL". Then Slayer announced its final tour, definitely a
younger generation, so it can always comeback. Yesterday a show by Paul
Simon was announced in the newspaper: 'Homeward Bound. The farewell
tour".
We are saying goodbyes in more
ways than we thought just a few weeks ago. This is about ending a
career, by people who have entered their seventies (plus). Or at least
their live playing days.
Now I'm not a big fan of either
of the four, although three of them have their moments, with Paul Simon
liked best by me. It means that more will follow and probably sooner
than later. It is not a taboo to actively end a musical career.
Well yes, I am afraid that this is a fact of life… we are
all getting older, and pro-musicians and artists have to plan carefully
how they tour as even air-con/private plane/limo/hotel suite at ’senior’
years have a huge impact on performance. Elton is only retiring from
touring… that doesn’t mean he will not do the odd appearance or even
concert when the mood takes him. I saw him in a recent interview and he
said he wanted to see his children grow up…. Touring would preclude
that…
But in general, we must expect the inevitable for our
heroes and idols, eventually they will all become too old, infirm, ill to
perform, write or record. The unpalatable truth is that they will ALL
eventually die. In recent year the deaths of Emerson, Lake, Bowie, Rick
Wright (this list is not exhaustive have brought closer the realisation
that my era of music is passing… Where before the deaths of people like
Hendrix, Joplin, Paul Kossoff through drug abuse was tragic but
understandable, and later artists passing like Freddie Mercury because
of illness. But now our heroes are dying… from old age!
It is the way of the universe and although no matter how
tragic, bleak and uncomfortable this truth is… I know I must be thankful
that I lived through such an amazing period of great music. I believe I
am so lucky to have been born in the late 50s and to have been old
enough to see and hear the great artists, bands and music of the 60s and
70s.
I feel sad that my children are unlikely to be able to
experience the kind of musical creativity that I took for granted….
Indeed, it seems that the younger generations do not enthusiastically
relate to music in the same way that our generation did?
I hope that future generations will rediscover the music
of the 60s and 70s much like today people are rediscovering jazz, big
band, folk and classical music? I refuse to believe that such a
wonderful period of innovation and creativity will be forgotten?
Wo. 9-2
Well the good news on my end is
that, my son is an even bigger Beatles fan than I am. And my two
youngest step sons love to go to The Analogues shows with me as a
birthday present and got to know The Beatles first mostly through my son who made them a compilation for in the car during a holiday. Now my son
certainly is not an example for his age group.
The good thing about raising
him on lots of good music is that he has bought me a ticket for the
first time. We are going to Franz Ferdinand next month in his new
hometown. BTW I got the new album today and it, again, is great.
What I notice about the
youngsters in my life is that they listen to everything. From the latest
rappers and stuff, to things like Steve Miller Band or just as easily
sing along to a very early Stones hit. What I am not sure of is whether
they appreciate music the way we did. They have everything one click
away. We depended on many factors to be able to hear something and
sometimes never heard a song again for years. It was just something in
my mind until I found a second hand copy decades later. What we had was
valued a lot more and to get an album that you did not like, was nothing
short than a disaster as we had to wait until the next special occasion
before we could ask for the one we did want.
I just listened to a Stones
greatest hits compilation over dinner, nearly all songs we heard were
from around 1965. I could sing along to every song, like I can for 40
years or more, but so could the stepkids to some of them. Even Gimme
Shelter.
So yes, it's different, but I
do think they will find out what they really like if they haven't
already. There is just so much to distract them from music and their
money goes into games. They don't own a single record. My son does, but I
think they were all presents. Now he's earning money, perhaps this will
change. I'll ask him when I visit his home.
In the meantime we just have to
wait who retires next, voluntarily or not. Not me I hope. We just
played 'Come Together' for the first time and did that feel nice. A
blues cover from a blues cover is up next: 'It's Your Voodoo Working'' by
Eilen Jewell.
P.S. Wo., 14-03
This week I read that Lynyrd Skynyrd is embarking on its farewell tour in the U.S. this May.
Gary
Wo.
P.S. Wo., 14-03
This week I read that Lynyrd Skynyrd is embarking on its farewell tour in the U.S. this May.
Gary
Wo.
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