Old rock and not so rock groups

[Gandahar]

Now I have been a fan of AC/DC for a long time and they define heavy rock for me since I was wearing short pants and a blazer, but I saw then on a youtube video recently and they looked really old and they looked slightly tired doing it and for the first time I thought best to watch the old stuff in their prime. I then thought of Queen and how Freddie's untimely death meant that group as a whole got captured in time.

Are some groups now too old to keep going with any pride?

Having said that I will now shoot my own argument in the foot and both legs by saying this is not growing old with dignity and I love it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxAA1KyS3Q0

Friday night, some beers and that on youtube, yes please.


Thoughts?

[StevieBee]

Saw Whitesnake last year at Wembley. One of my favourites and a group I never caught live in their heyday.

I wished I'd left it like that!

[vournikas]

I'd say Pink Floyd are still very much on good form, although not "rock" by any definition.

I've always been a Zep person, and I'm sure Page / Plant / JPJ / Jason Bonham are a tight outfit but I'd still wish I'd have seen them playing Madison Square Garden in 1974.

[Marlin45]

I made the mistake of going to see Deep Purple a few years back

[TheChampers]

Maybe not Rock as such, but saw Gary Numan last summer and he was brilliant, as were Queen with Adam Lambert earlier this year, great nights

[anonymous-user]

vournikas said:

I've always been a Zep person, and I'm sure Page / Plant / JPJ / Jason Bonham are a tight outfit but I'd still wish I'd have seen them playing Madison Square Garden in 1974.

I agree, the mid 70s seem to be their best years, Earls Court shows be another example but by the time of Knebworth they had already lost a bit of magic.

[IanUAE]

Never seen Motely Crue live. Putting that little issue to right on November 20th as they are playing in Abu Dhabi. Not sure the wife was over the moon with the news that we are going LoL.

[Tom_C76]

The Who can still do it, though even Daltrey's voice is going a bit. It's mainly the vocals that let bands down if they carry on too long, as per Whitesnake and also Bon Jovi.

[droopsnoot]

I think The Stranglers still do a good show, obviously different line-up for Hugh's vocals but I think Baz (guitar / vocals) is 50-odd so not exactly a young replacement, and bass and keyboards (for me pretty much the defining sound of the band) are as good as they ever were live. In fact many would say they're a better live act now than in the last couple of years of the original line-up. I didn't see them back in 77/78 due to not being anywhere near old enough, so I can't compare to then.

[hairyben]

All depends on the band and whether they're still able. Caught the eagles last year (one of the wifes faves) and they were great.

Justin Sullivan (new model army) hits 60 next year but will still play 2+ hours of 120mph impeccable all out rock that'd put the average man half his age to shame.

Seen a fair few much younger men giving tired half arsed performances who're passed it and have no right to be on stage, frankly.

[Fantuzzi]

Saw Black Sabbath in 2007 for the reunion with Dio, it was rather awesome.

Dio was ace, Iommi was the same as ever - perfect, Geezer seemed the same as the vids in the 70s, as did Vinne Appice.

I there new material at that time was good as well.

I think some bands age better than others, people who sing about rocking and rolling and partying look a bit silly when they have to push to pee.

Obviously voices fade so whilst the rest of the band may be tip top if the singer's lost it, the whole thing can sound a bit crappy as a result.

[Wacky Racer]

vournikas said:

I'd say Pink Floyd are still very much on good form, although not "rock" by any definition.

I've always been a Zep person, and I'm sure Page / Plant / JPJ / Jason Bonham are a tight outfit but I'd still wish I'd have seen them playing Madison Square Garden in 1974.

Zeppelin never played any gigs anywhere in 1974.

But they did play MSG in '73 and '75.


I saw them at Earls Court in '75 and both Knebworth's in '79.....


Plus Deep Purple in '74 with Coverdale/Hughes...

But not with Gillan/Glover/Blackmore in '72.....

[castex]

Queen with Adam Lambert? Hello?
We will rock you the musical with Ben Elton?
Leave it alone. Accept that you missed the boat.

[MikeT66]

castex said:

Queen with Adam Lambert? Hello?
We will rock you the musical with Ben Elton?
Leave it alone. Accept that you missed the boat.

+1.

Anyway, as I (very rapidly, it feels) approach 50 I think "Who cares if AC/DC/Thunder/Jimmy Page et al have aged - so have I, and better to grow old disgracefully and still hitting the stage than putting on slippers and giving up.

However, Queen really just should have stopped.... but that I think is a different discussion and not really related to age.

[AdeTuono]

vournikas said:

I'd say Pink Floyd are still very much on good form, although not "rock" by any definition.

Have I missed something? Sure you don't mean The Endless River, mainly recorded 20-odd years ago. Abd .i don't recall any live performances for several years, certainly not since Rick Wright died...

[Pixel Pusher]

A good friend of mine saw the Rolling Stones in Minneapolis a couple of weeks ago for the 8th time (in 15 - 20+ years) and said it was one of the best he'd seen from them.

[garycat]

I've been watching youtube vids of the Rush R40 tour - 3 guys in their early 60's playing 3 hour sets and still leaping about the stage.

The stage is gradually "undressed" as they go back in time to their 1974 beginnings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLRdlVi-_H0

[option click]

IanUAE said:

Never seen Motely Crue live. Putting that little issue to right on November 20th as they are playing in Abu Dhabi. Not sure the wife was over the moon with the news that we are going LoL.

I've always wanted to see Motley Crue, however I'm debating whether to go to this tour as I know they won't live up to my expectations - they're waaaay past their best. I also suspect Mick Mars actually died a few years ago and is only touring thanks to string and mirrors.

[onlynik]

option click said:

IanUAE said:

Never seen Motely Crue live. Putting that little issue to right on November 20th as they are playing in Abu Dhabi. Not sure the wife was over the moon with the news that we are going LoL.

I've always wanted to see Motley Crue, however I'm debating whether to go to this tour as I know they won't live up to my expectations - they're waaaay past their best. I also suspect Mick Mars actually died a few years ago and is only touring thanks to string and mirrors.

I've seen them twice in the past few years.

They can still out on a great show.

The last gig I saw them (2011), they were touring with Def Leppard and Steel Panther.

Debating with the wife whether we will go and see them this time.

[kuro]

garycat said:

I've been watching youtube vids of the Rush R40 tour - 3 guys in their early 60's playing 3 hour sets and still leaping about the stage.

The stage is gradually "undressed" as they go back in time to their 1974 beginnings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLRdlVi-_H0

A truly great band. Seen them quite a few times since the early 80s. My 15 year old daughter has seen the light and now nicks my cds and 2112 is her favourite.