# Would you go to a "geezer" rock concert?



## Radames (Feb 27, 2013)

I'm not big on geezer rock. At a certain age rock singers should retire. I used to think age 40 was a good point to stop. But I think Billie Joe Armstrong might have a few years left in him. 50 has surely got to be the end for just about anyone though.


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## Wicked_one (Aug 18, 2010)

Deep Purple's Ian Gillan. What a voice in the 70's and 80's, what a mess now. Would I want him to quit? No chance. He squeaks some high notes, but the show and the songs (overall) are something that one shouldn't miss.


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## Celloissimo (Mar 29, 2013)

Black Sabbath in 2013 was the best show I've ever been to. Those guys are on the verge of going into assisted living, but Tony and Geezer are still rocking like there's no tomorrow.


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## Wood (Feb 21, 2013)

Radames said:


> *50 has surely got to be the end for just about anyone though*.


Young man, one may be a trifle withered, dried up and droopy at 50, but 'the end'? Never.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

I think yours is a rather silly question, OP  What have their ages got to do with anything?  It's how well they perform, isn't it? I admit that, when I see photos of the Rolling Stones today, I sometimes find the images a bit amusing, as they seem so antithetical to rock's image of rebellious youth, but their audiences love them. There are older classical musicians, older classical composers (Elliott Carter was active and relevant past his 100th birthday), older politicians, older writers, etc. To have such a narrow view of life, that it ends somewhere in one's 20s or 30s, is to reject 60-80% of the average person's lifespan. In your view, how many more years of relevance do you have left?


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

Billie Joel should've quit before he ever began -- a _horrible_ 'musician'.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Nothing to do with Rock, but Tony Bennett sang "God Bless America" at one of the US baseball playoff games a few nights ago and it was a complete embarrassment, strained, hoarse and struggling to stay in tune. Why do some stars of the past have so much trouble quitting while they are on top?


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

I wouldn't mind seeing the Kinks if they could get it together but time is seriously running out. However, I'd be completely crushed if they didn't reach my expectations. 

Too many groups have gone on for too long and ended up being little more than their own tribute bands, especially if there is no decent new material on offer and there are hardly any core members left. On the other hand, what else can they do if a) they can't afford to retire, and/or b) they enjoy it too much?


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

Musically, I agree that singers can go on too long. And that can be an embarrassment, especially on TV. 

But in live theatre, it's different. We've been to see quite a few 'old acts' - pop rather than rock, I admit - but the older artiste is often very funny and it's a way both of revisiting one's youth and enjoying a gentle laugh at one's younger self. Joe Brown (of The Bruvvers) can play just about any instrument and is amazingly energetic and witty; Helen Shapiro still has a belter of a voice; Paul Jones (of Manfred Mann) has everything he ever had, including sex appeal. We passed on our tickets to a neighbour when one of us was ill a year or two ago, and they had a fabulous time at a Marty Wilde concert.


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## Pyotr (Feb 26, 2013)

I think it depends on the type of music. I would never attend a stones concert.: Bob Dylan was "old" when he was 25, so it doesn't matter what age he is. I still attend every Moody Blues concert I can but I have to admit they're not what they used to be, but neither am I.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Radames said:


> I'm not big on geezer rock. At a certain age rock singers should retire. I used to think age 40 was a good point to stop. But I think Billie Joe Armstrong might have a few years left in him. 50 has surely got to be the end for just about anyone though.


In a lot of ways, this is no different than a classical performer somewhat past their prime, or an older sports player, i.e. what they lack in youthful energy, maybe less of a voice, maybe not so fast, is more than made up for in wisdom, canniness, and the years of experience.

In the case of both pop / rock or classical music, including opera, some of these older performers are such master showmen-performers that even the hot younger performer looks like an amateur next to them, so expert is the older performer in making the audience able to not have a worry 'if the performer will make it through the performance' and having an amazing focus to project to the audience, a laser-accurate and powerful ability to communicate, and convince.

I remember when I thought fifty must be ancient, and when even younger, thinking it impossible that I would even make it to forty; perspectives change, obviously.

Anyway, if nowadays 80 is the new 70, then 50 is the new forty, then if you are twenty something, sorry, you're just a wet behind the ears tween.


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

PetrB said:


> In the case of both pop / rock or classical music, including opera, some of these older performers are such master showmen-performers that even the hot younger performer looks like an amateur next to them, so expert is the older performer in making the audience able to not have a worry 'if the performer will make it through the performance' and having an amazing focus to project to the audience, a laser-accurate and powerful ability to communicate, and convince.


Good post. This is exactly what I have found with, say, Joe Brown. He makes his audience laugh at themselves and the ageing process; as he says himself, 'There's nothing in this world so sad as a room full of balding Teds*!' 

** Teddy Boy (also known as Ted) is a British subculture typified by young men wearing clothes that were partly inspired by the styles worn by dandies in the Edwardian period, styles which Savile Row tailors had attempted to re-introduce in Britain after World War II. The subculture started in London in the 1950s, and rapidly spread across the UK, soon becoming strongly associated with rock and roll. - Wiki *


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

Depends how old you are. When you're 15, 25 is too old. Then you turn 25 and extend the cutoff to 40 to fool yourself into thinking that you're still cool. The problem now is that you're 20 years older than the band and audience. You look like the awkward dad who chaperons his daughter to her first rock show. This is where geezer rock provides an important community service. You may be balding and need a wheelchair ramp to get in but everyone else in the audience is the same. Besides, you're still younger than the band and Keith Richards gives you a false sense of immortality. Did anyone really think he'd make it this far?


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## SimonNZ (Jul 12, 2012)

Radames said:


> 50 has surely got to be the end for just about anyone though.


Just recently saw a superb concert by the 73 year old Bob Dylan. And he was focusing on his recent material - it was no nostalgia show.


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## Guest (Oct 9, 2014)

What is geezer rock?


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## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

Marty Wilde seems to be appear on Cromer pier quite often. He wasn't one of my favourites among the early rock n rollers (better than Sir Cliff, I suppose!) but I would rather hear Marty than another Abba tribute act!

I wonder if he still sings Teenager In Love. :lol:


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

gog said:


> What is geezer rock?


It is when someone seriously old, as in geological time seriously old, blows off.





Geyser -- Geezer.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I'd go to see a Geezer show any day. Tony too. I never was much of an Ozzy fan though. 

Actually the question is a little offensive. I wouldn't go to a younger show. The younger musicians don't or can't rock.


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

Fun fact #652...only 2 rock songs have gone #1 in the U.S. this century.

Coldplay's _Viva la vida_ in '08 and Nickelback's _How you remind me_ in '01.
Whilst the rock credentials of either band may be questioned, you can understand the desperation to qualify anyone with guitars/drums.

So I guess that no band has formed after '96 and gone #1.

By the way, both of those bands would easily qualify as geezer rock. Feeling old?


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Couac Addict said:


> Fun fact #652...only 2 rock songs have gone #1 in the U.S. this century.
> 
> Coldplay's _Viva la vida_ in '08 and Nickelback's _How you remind me_ in '01.
> Whilst the rock credentials of either band may be questioned, you can understand the desperation to qualify anyone with guitars/drums.
> ...


I'm never too old to dislike Coldplay


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Figleaf said:


> Marty Wilde seems to be appear on Cromer pier quite often. He wasn't one of my favourites among the early rock n rollers (better than Sir Cliff, I suppose!) but I would rather hear Marty than another Abba tribute act!
> 
> I wonder if he still sings Teenager In Love. :lol:


One of my all time faves along with Tears on my Pillow!! Ah!!! To be young again and in love....


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## HaydnBearstheClock (Jul 6, 2013)

Pyotr said:


> I think it depends on the type of music. I would never attend a stones concert.: Bob Dylan was "old" when he was 25, so it doesn't matter what age he is. I still attend every Moody Blues concert I can but I have to admit they're not what they used to be, but neither am I.


Haha, you got Bob Dylan bad!


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## HaydnBearstheClock (Jul 6, 2013)

Weston said:


> I'd go to see a Geezer show any day. Tony too. I never was much of an Ozzy fan though.
> 
> Actually the question is a little offensive. I wouldn't go to a younger show. The younger musicians don't or can't rock.


That's right, all the secret Black Sabbath fans on this forum just need to come out of their closets.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

You haven't been following?  Isn't Black Sabbath what we're all into here?  I came out of the closet in September :tiphat:


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## HaydnBearstheClock (Jul 6, 2013)

Haha, we're all metalheads aren't we? I tell you, metal's a great gateway into classical.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

HaydnBearstheClock said:


> Haha, we're all metalheads aren't we? I tell you, metal's a great gateway into classical.


Despite liking BS as a teen, I was never a metalhead and metal never got me into CM  I got into CM through Krautrock, Tangerine Dream, etc. :tiphat:


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Richard Thompson can still sing. I'd definitely go see him. Same for Roy Harper.

Adrian Belew has an incredible voice, and he's over 60.


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## cwarchc (Apr 28, 2012)

Not geezer rock, but I'd jump at the chance to see Leonard Cohen or BB King, both in their 80's now


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

And then a few of us are _rabid_ Ian Anderson / Jethro Tull fans. He is still touring, and yes his voice is not what it used to be, but has actually been slowly improving over the last decade. The Thick as a Brick / TAAB 2 tour was a thrilling success. No voice problems here in Nashville to speak of. Coming right on the heels of a reunited Dead Can Dance, and a few weeks after a Moody Blues concert in Knoxville, that was one heck of concert year! Last year or two years ago -- I forget.

(Or am I thinking of '79? Geezer rock indeed.)


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## Kevin Pearson (Aug 14, 2009)

I saw YES in concert in August and it was a very good performance. I think they still have mileage ahead and I'll continue to go out to see them for as long as they tour. They got a huge standing ovation when they entered the stage before even one note was played. The concert was sold out so I guess they still have a lot of fans here in the Dallas area.

Kevin


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I've always liked these two geezers.


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## HaydnBearstheClock (Jul 6, 2013)

Weston said:


> And then a few of us are _rabid_ Ian Anderson / Jethro Tull fans. He is still touring, and yes his voice is not what it used to be, but has actually been slowly improving over the last decade. The Thick as a Brick / TAAB 2 tour was a thrilling success. No voice problems here in Nashville to speak of. Coming right on the heels of a reunited Dead Can Dance, and a few weeks after a Moody Blues concert in Knoxville, that was one heck of concert year! Last year or two years ago -- I forget.
> 
> (Or am I thinking of '79? Geezer rock indeed.)


I've always been somewhat irritated by Anderson's vocals - I think that he was one of the best rock musicians in terms of musicality though. I also like his lyrics much more than Led Zep's, hehe.


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## HaydnBearstheClock (Jul 6, 2013)

....................


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