Bands….. when should they just call it a day?

[Newfoundfreedom]

I wouldn't lump The Rolling Stones in with the rest of the pack on this.

 

Mick Jagger could never sing in the first place. 😂

Edited October 30, 2023 by Newfoundfreedom

[chris_b]

1 minute ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

I wouldn't lump The Rolling Stones in with the rest of the pack on this.

 

Mick Jagger could never sing in the first place. 😂

 

Neither could Brian Ferry, so why didn't the "authorities" ban them years ago?

[ahpook]

49 minutes ago, Rayman said:

 Or do they just plough on regardless and cash in for as long as possible?

 

Is it ploughing on or carrying on working ? Depends on how you look at it, I guess.👍

 

If you're not ready to retire, and people want you to carry on working, why stop ?

 

Edited October 30, 2023 by ahpook

[fretmeister]

14 hours ago, TheGreek said:

I'm with @Rayman on this.

Far too many formerly famous people just doing it for the money. 

Give it up...

 

I do my job for the money, and at the moment I'm doing it well enough to get paid.

 

Those bands are doing it well enough to get paid as demonstrated by the ticket sales.

 

There's no real difference. 

[Lozz196]

31 minutes ago, chris_b said:

Stevie Wonder is 73 years old and still singing his songs in the original keys.

 

OK maybe he's unique, but I believe he regularly sees a voice coach.

 

That might be the answer for these other croaking singers.

Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders is of similar age and still sounds great in the original keys of her songs too. 

[fretmeister]

Bands should only quit when they want to do so.

The idea that anyone else should get a say is laughable. 

 

It really does fall into the "I don't like it so nobody else is allowed to either" category.

 

Maybe a big band will end up only playing to 30 people in the Dog n Duck on a Tuesday, paid in pints and crisps... but so what? Don't buy a ticket if you don't want to see it.

 

When Iron Maiden are on a break, Harris goes out to play tiny clubs and pubs with 'British Lion' because he lives to play. He'll still be doing that when IM finishes. Maybe they'll be so few people wanting to watch that he'll have to pick between crisps OR a pint for pay.

 

It's just as much of a passion for those at the top as it is for us dreamers, and I would never contemplate demanding that anyone abandon a passion that hurts nobody.

[Reggaebass]

I heard that shaking stevens at pontins was busy  

 

[PaulWarning]

5 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

Bands should only quit when they want to do so.

The idea that anyone else should get a say is laughable. 

 

It really does fall into the "I don't like it so nobody else is allowed to either" category.

 

Maybe a big band will end up only playing to 30 people in the Dog n Duck on a Tuesday, paid in pints and crisps... but so what? Don't buy a ticket if you don't want to see it.

 

When Iron Maiden are on a break, Harris goes out to play tiny clubs and pubs with 'British Lion' because he lives to play. He'll still be doing that when IM finishes. Maybe they'll be so few people wanting to watch that he'll have to pick between crisps OR a pint for pay.

 

It's just as much of a passion for those at the top as it is for us dreamers, and I would never contemplate demanding that anyone abandon a passion that hurts nobody.

yep my thoughts exactly, carry on as long as they want too, one of the problems with social media and youtube etc, is, while people will enjoy a performance live, when looking at a video of the gig in the cold light of day it can sound awful

[Chienmortbb]

Nostalgia ain't what it used to be.

 

The old stuff my band plays goes down well where we play, and although many of the songs are approaching 60 years old, the younger ones love them too. It is weird, but nice, to hear a bunch of 20 somethings singing their heads off to I Want To Hold Your Hand or Born to Be Wild.

 

I went to see Black Country Communion a couple of years ago and Glenn Hughes' voice was as good as ever. It's a shame that his old partner in crime, David Coverdale, is not the singer he was. IMHO Burn was one of the classic rock albums, in a way that none of the other Purple albums were. Much more drive and superior vocals from the two of them.

 

Now, if people want to pay £250, that is fine. Elton John, Paul McCartney, Cliff Richard all lost what voices they had many years ago, but people still go to see them, so good luck to them.

[Rayman]

I think my point has been missed here

 

If a band can still do it, then absolutely they should. If they can’t….. they should stop? An athlete gets to an age when their ability compromises their performance, so they have to retire? Is it not the same for a singer who’s voice has deteriorated with age? Or do the paying punters just overlook the fact with rose tinted spectacles firmly in place.

 

I think a lot of paying audiences still go to see these bands because they are clinging on to their youth, much like the band they just paid to see.

And yes, I guess primarily I’m talking about vocalists.

[Paul S]

I used to think that once bands/performers had started to lose it they should pack up.  I've probably said as much on here before now.  But I have recently had a shift in mindset.  If they want to carry on that's entirely up to them.  The main question is - do I want to see them?  That's up to me.

 

Example.  Last week I saw the Hamish Stuart Band at The Maritime Room in the fabulous local venue The Cliff's Pavilion.  You can maybe squeeze 200 in there, tops.  Now Hamish lost the power and control of his magnificent falsetto many years ago and some might find his vocal performances in recent years to be toe-curlingly awful.  But he still has the funk and he still draws in a band of top session musicians.  Rhythm section was Ash Soan and Steve Pierce.  Playing in a small room.  It was a total thrill to hear them improvise thier way through some of Hamish's most famous songs.  As a vocal performance it was not great (he has been worse, tbh, but I guess his voice is well oiled, fresh from a tour with Ringo Starr) but as an enjoyable gig it was stupendous.

[ambient]

For every croaker, there's an artist still at the top of their game.

 

I know people who've been to see Nik Kershaw, Peter Gabriel, Howard Jones, Level 42, Midge Ure, Haircut 100 and Simple Minds recently. All from the 80s and earlier, and still sounding great.

 

Were those artists that don't sound good any good in the first place?

 

Anyway, if people still get pleasure from watching them, then that's really all that matters.

[diskwave]

Way I see it is...some people can pull it off..others most certainly cannot.  Some bands are totally of their time. They were what they were because when they were new they epitomised the youth scene of the time and its that young image that made them what they were (ok a right mouthful), I know what Im trying to say.

 

Having said that u have to hand it to Jagger and Co.  How Mick does it is a mystery..He's still the greatest frontman in the entire pop business but do I wanna go see them..nope. 

 

Same with the Pistols. They blew my mind bk in 77, but tubby old geezers doing that stuff now, not for me.  But yes, nostalgia, we all love it, long may it last.

 

  

[fretmeister]

16 minutes ago, Rayman said:

I think my point has been missed here

 

If a band can still do it, then absolutely they should. If they can’t….. they should stop? An athlete gets to an age when their ability compromises their performance, so they have to retire? Is it not the same for a singer who’s voice has deteriorated with age? Or do the paying punters just overlook the fact with rose tinted spectacles firmly in place.

 

I think a lot of paying audiences still go to see these bands because they are clinging on to their youth, much like the band they just paid to see.

And yes, I guess primarily I’m talking about vocalists.

 

 

So what?

 

That says to me there is a both a demand and a product for it.

 

And again - if someone wants to pay money to go an see David Coverdale sing these days then who am I to demand he quit? He's been a much reduced force for quite a while, and yet here are still literally thousands happy to pay money to see him.

 

Just let people enjoy what they want to enjoy - both performer and audience.

[tauzero]

UB40 should have called it a day rather than becoming an awful cod-reggae covers band.

 

I went to see The Who a few years ago. Daltrey has lost his upper register but has adapted, pitching the vocal lines lower, and while it didn't have the impact of the original it was still good.

[franzbassist]

Interesting thread.  I think it's absolutely the right of any musician to keep going for as long as they feel comfortable doing so.  No one is forcing audiences to sit and listen to them.

 

A few observations on some of the artists mentioned.  YMMV of course

 

Elton John: Sounded awful at the Queen's jubilee event but was good at Glasto.

Coverdale: Lost his power years ago, but has packed out stadiums in spite of this.  I think he's confirmed he won't tour again now?

Rob Halford: Priest have de-tuned for years to allow him to keep hitting the high notes, but even he is struggling now.

Chrissie Hynde: Still amazing.

 

7 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

Just let people enjoy what they want to enjoy - both performer and audience.

 

Agreed.

[TimR]

44 minutes ago, Rayman said:

An athlete gets to an age when their ability compromises their performance, so they have to retire?

 

I was thinking about this last night after reading the thread.

 

In athletics, athletes continue into the masters category. Over 40s, 50,50,70,80,90 for men and 35,45 etc for Women. Although people do go and watch, they're not so high on the TV ratings.

 

I suspect the same happens with Tennis, McEnrow et al have 'retired' but still play age group and exhibition matches. 

 

There will be an ever diminishing audience for Cliff Richard and others, it's just a matter of whether the fans die before the artists. 😆

 

Lots of ageism and sexism at display. How comes Tom Jones is great for going out and entertaining but Madonna isn't? 

[mowf]

1 hour ago, chris_b said:

Stevie Wonder is 73 years old and still singing his songs in the original keys.

 

OK maybe he's unique, but I believe he regularly sees a voice coach.

 

That might be the answer for these other croaking singers.

Not to be "that guy", but I doubt Stevie Wonder has ever seen a voice coach.

Edited October 30, 2023 by mowf

[fretmeister]

2 minutes ago, TimR said:

 

I was thinking about this last night after reading the thread.

 

In athletics, athletes continue into the masters category. Over 40s, 50,50,70,80,90 for men and 35,45 etc for Women. Although people do go and watch, they're not so high on the TV ratings.

 

I suspect the same happens with Tennis, McEnrow et al have 'retired' but still play age group and exhibition matches. 

 

There will be an ever diminishing audience for Cliff Richard and others, it's just a matter of whether the fans die before the artists. 😆

 

Lots of ageism and sexism at display. How comes Tom Jones is great for going out and entertaining but Madonna isn't? 

 

 

Quite.

 

There's loads of ex world class rugby players who now turn out for their village veterans teams. They are often still so far ahead of their new peers that it's a bit unfair on the normals.

[Clarky]

I didn't go to see Genesis on their last tour precisely because of the decline in Phil Collin's voice - and that's despite the huge nostalgia draw for me (my fave band in mid/late 70s and my first ever gig, Earls Court 1977). But I am just one opinion and clearly from the BC thread during the tour, loads of fellow BassChatters loved it. Its not for me to tell them they are wrong!

 

In short, I don't think aging musos should hang up their boots unless they want to, even if their musical abilities noticeably decline. Besides, they can still use studio trickery to sound good (take a listen to new Judas Priest single Panic Attack and you wouldn't think Rob Halford has lost any of his startling voice and range)

[steantval]

One other option is to see a top rated tribute band, the musicianship is spot on and the vocalists are of a younger age and can emulate the vocals in the original keys with ease.

[Mickeyboro]

I think for singers, a lot has to do with retaining match fitness. If you’ve never stopped performing you’re more likely to have retained your vocal abilities. 

[cetera]

59 minutes ago, TimR said:

Lots of ageism and sexism at display. How comes Tom Jones is great for going out and entertaining but Madonna isn't? 

 

Because Tom can still sing and Madonna can't. Hardly sexist 🙄

[Newfoundfreedom]

1 minute ago, cetera said:

 

Because Tom can still sing and Madonna can't. Hardly sexist 🙄

 

Plus he tends to keep his clothes on. 

 

Thankfully! 🤣

[Barking Spiders]

1 hour ago, TimR said:

 

Lots of ageism and sexism at display. How comes Tom Jones is great for going out and entertaining but Madonna isn't? 

Maybe because TJ has some dignity about him, something Madge has never had at any age