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

[Barking Spiders]

No 

3 hours ago, chris_b said:

 

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

Yes indeed. That's what happens in an industry with no quality control. BTW who was the first to sing in that very affected way of Bowie, Ferry, Jim Kerr?

[diskwave]

55 minutes ago, steantval said:

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.

This. Just clocked the Thin Lizzy guys on YT with Brian Downey who still can play as he did, and the others are just top notch, specially the singer....and, visually it all hangs together too...so yes, as an eg, works superbly.

[EssentialTension]

11 minutes ago, Barking Spiders said:

 

BTW who was the first to sing in that very affected way of Bowie, Ferry, Jim Kerr?

 

 

 

[fretmeister]

2 hours ago, Reggaebass said:

I heard that shaking stevens at pontins was busy  

 

@Reggaebass

 

His new album came out earlier this year.

 

 

 

[Newfoundfreedom]

2 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

@Reggaebass

 

His new album came out earlier this year.

 

 

 

 

He recently did a guest spot on The Cleaner (Greg Davies' comedy show) starring as a Shaking Stevens tribute act. 

 

He actually sounded really good. 😆

[Reggaebass]

3 minutes ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

 

He recently did a guest spot on The Cleaner (Greg Davies' comedy show) starring as a Shaking Stevens tribute act. 

 

He actually sounded really good. 😆

As much as you try and convince me.. I’m not buying the album 😁

[Newfoundfreedom]

1 minute ago, Reggaebass said:

As much as you try and convince me.. I’m not buying the album 😁

 

If you play his album backwards it sounds like satanic reggae. 

[Woodinblack]

5 hours ago, NancyJohnson said:

I'm not being ageist, but if that was mum up there doing what Madonna is doing, I'd be horrendously embarrassed.

 

 

Well, she is someones mum, wonder how they feel!

 

2 hours ago, ambient said:

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.

 

I have heard peter Gabriel recently and yes, he sounds good, but not as good as he used to. He still puts on a great show and is still writing, and I would still happily go and see him if the ticket price was in any way reasonable (which it never is), but it isn't quite the same.

[bassbiscuits]

I think there's truth on both sides of this argument.

 

If you're old but still doing a good job of it, can still play and sing well and put on a good show, then brilliant - crack on.

 

However there are definitely a few bands who just don't seem up to that standard anymore, and seeing them limping on is painful. 

 

So it's not the age I have any problem with - its when the ability has gone that's the problem for me.

[TimR]

Toyah seems to pull quite a crowd for some reason...

[Lozz196]

2 minutes ago, TimR said:

Toyah seems to pull quite a crowd for some reason...

I can see where you’re going Tim….

 

Its a mystery

[cetera]

7 minutes ago, TimR said:

Toyah seems to pull quite a crowd for some reason...

Judging by her recent vids with her husband I think there are probably two reasons...

[Newfoundfreedom]

Yup. Made me feel physically sick.

 

And people accuse Madonna of having no class. 

[Rayman]

34 minutes ago, bassbiscuits said:

I think there's truth on both sides of this argument.

 

If you're old but still doing a good job of it, can still play and sing well and put on a good show, then brilliant - crack on.

 

However there are definitely a few bands who just don't seem up to that standard anymore, and seeing them limping on is painful. 

 

So it's not the age I have any problem with - its when the ability has gone that's the problem for me.

This ^^ was exactly my original point.

 

Its not about age, I’m 58 and still singing our original stuff. When my voice goes, I’ll have to stop. I understand that music isn’t my sole income, unlike someone “famous” who rely on the income. So I accept that it’s a difficult decision, but nevertheless, if you’re a singer who can’t sing anymore……. 

 

Maybe it’s more about genre? Maybe, as a rock guy, I see singers fronting metal bands who literally cannot hit the notes anymore. Maybe in other genres of music it’s less noticeable?

[bassbiscuits]

16 minutes ago, Rayman said:

Maybe it’s more about genre? Maybe, as a rock guy, I see singers fronting metal bands who literally cannot hit the notes anymore. Maybe in other genres of music it’s less noticeable?

Quite possibly. I’m thinking Motley Crue, Axl Rose and - much as I love them - even AC/DC are a far cry from the band I fell in love with in the 1980s. 
 

No doubt it’s easier to sing like Johnny Cash than it is to sing like Axl Rose when you’re older - and folk, country, blues etc lends itself to some old craggy characters and voices nicely. 
 

I went to see both Elton John and Kiss this year - and both did a sterling job despite their age. 

 

But for me there are some bands who have definitely used up their resources and maybe should think about calling it a day with their legend still intact. 

That’s just me tho - I totally appreciate other people have different views. 

 

[Muzz]

OK, let's put the cutoff at 55...anyone on here still going to be gigging? Yeah, I didn't think many... Want someone in the pub to come up and tell you you're too old to gig? I'm sure there's 20-year olds who think 40 is too old to gig...

 

Personally, I'm not a fan of gig arena stuff these days (tho the 79-year-old Roger Waters put on a hell of a show recently*), which is where the older 'legend' bands tend to be, but if people want to go see them, great. There are also plenty of older musicians (and singers) who can still do it; Steve Hackett's 73, and his last tour was breathtakingly good. 

 

 

* With some compromises, obv, and we paid about a third of the price for the tickets (Twickets is a good thing), otherwise I wouldn't have gone...I'm not that big a fan...

Edited October 30, 2023 by Muzz

[bassbiscuits]

I’ll probably still be gigging when I’m 55. Im nearly 50 now.
 

As long as I tailor what I’m doing to suit my abilities at that point (I’m a singer, bassist and acoustic guitar player) I don’t see why not.

 

If it sounds dreadful, or I can’t be bothered anymore with it, then hopefully I’ll take note and ease off.
 

[TimR]

I'm still gigging and in 3 bands. 2 originals and a covers band.

 

 

[Rayman]

I’m 58, still gigging, still proud of our music and still deafeningly loud 😆

 

We have no plans to stop anytime soon, I guess until I just can’t sing the stuff anymore. I’ll be honest, there’s a couple of our songs from the 80s that I’m finding physically hard to sing, songs that when I was 18, were easy, but not any more. when the time comes, I’ll be too proud to struggle on through them, but again, I don’t rely on it to pay my bills, so I don’t have to.

[Newfoundfreedom]

I'm 48 and can't be arsed.

 

Fair play to those still doing it in their 70's. 

[Lozz196]

58 in December, still gigging though have had to slow it down a bit from my more frantic gigging years. 10/15 a year more than enough for me now.

[fretmeister]

1 hour ago, Muzz said:

OK, let's put the cutoff at 55...anyone on here still going to be gigging? Yeah, I didn't think many... Want someone in the pub to come up and tell you you're too old to gig? I'm sure there's 20-year olds who think 40 is too old to gig...

 

Personally, I'm not a fan of gig arena stuff these days (tho the 79-year-old Roger Waters put on a hell of a show recently*), which is where the older 'legend' bands tend to be, but if people want to go see them, great. There are also plenty of older musicians (and singers) who can still do it; Steve Hackett's 73, and his last tour was breathtakingly good. 

 

 

* With some compromises, obv, and we paid about a third of the price for the tickets (Twickets is a good thing), otherwise I wouldn't have gone...I'm not that big a fan...

 

I'm 50 and I'm still going, and I hope to be until the day half the people in this thread would prefer that I didn't.

And then I'm going to keep going out of spite.

[Paul S]

I'm 66 and feel every bit as energised about a forthcoming gig and, on the night, playing as I ever have.  Next day is another matter...  

 

I have a low-level neurological condition called 'essential tremor' that makes my hands shake.  It's getting worse - a full mug of tea rarely stays full for long  - and I guess this will ultimately decide for me when to pull the plug once I can't play accurately any more.  Given that I don't play anything complicated that day is most likely a long way off  

[Rayman]

32 minutes ago, Paul S said:

 

I have a low-level neurological condition called 'essential tremor' that makes my hands shake.  It's getting worse - a full mug of tea rarely stays full for long  

You should see me trying to eat peas on a fork, most of them end up on the floor….

 

I can still pound the hell out of a Thunderbird though 

[Dad3353]

6 minutes ago, Rayman said:

You should see me trying to eat peas on a fork, most of them end up on the floor….

 

I eat my peas with honey; I've done it all my life. It makes the peas taste funny, but it sticks 'em to the knife.