Too old to rock?

[matthew rosedon]

I'm 53 and probably one of the oldest Hideout members.  This started me thinking.  Here in the UK you would have first heard Elvis in 1955.  If you were 16 then you'd be 72 now.  Does anyone know of senior citizens out there who are still rocking?  By rocking I don't mean listening to Oldie stations on a Sunday drive.  I mean actively listening to the Chocolate Watchband, Beefheart, Downliners Sect or whoever.  Or even seeking new and wild sounds.  Can you be too old to rock?

[CRAIG MOORE]

Now you're talkin'! You sound like our drummer - case of beer on the deck out back! That's great about Roger's son. The next generation is also 'priceless'. Do you know The Vees? Bobby Vee's sons? An absolutely amazing rockabilly band in their own right, and session players of the first order in any situation. Our drummer's son is also a multi-talented musician, now busy raising his own next generation.  Gerry Gabel from Gonn is Doctor of Music at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, for decades he's been writing everything from Cage-ish performance pieces to classical themed music, previously taught at Dartmouth, USC, has works being performed at universities in Unkraine and elsewhere. Nonetheless he's done the majority of Gonn things since 1996 but finally had to bow out on the latest series with such demanding and diverse other interests & irons in the fire. I've had your album pass through my business a number of times.  Next time, it goes straight to the turntable. I have to hear what you're set's gonna be like on those youtube videos of The Abstracts reunion tour!   

Don said:

No argument with any of the above Craig.

What I'd enjoy most would be to get the guys onto my porch on a summer day with an open tap of cold brew and just wail. That I am hoping we can find time for.

And as regards fans, yup. Would you believe that the President of the Abstracts Fan Club has contacted us. She - about 14 when I first met her and 16 going on 17 when I last saw her - is now a grandmother, retired and living in Florida. But she's still a fan! (and we sent her an autographed copy of our album to show her our ever-lasting gratitude for all she did for and with us back then.)

Of course she has her memories too. Of being a guest on The Cousin Brucie Show -- then the hottest radio show in metropolitan NY -- to talk about the Abs.

Yup, we musicians have quite the life and help create quite the life for others!  Wonderful isn't it? :)))

-don

And this post script - if we do get together, be it for a weekend, a studio session or a tour - we have a bass player lined up. Jordan Ponzi, Roger's son who plays and teaches bass professionally, has offered to step into his dad's size 12 shoes.  So glad Roger's great genes weren't wasted!

CRAIG MOORE said:

Don, so sorry to hear about your bass player. That's tough. It's a sad fact we'll all have to contend with. We have been fortunate so far... knock on wood. I  don't disagree with you in general as to moving into other careers, etc, and leaving the old band behind, but there is a lot of validity to those who regroup. It's about the music, not the money, age irrelevant, and if the spirit moves you, why not? There are countless such examples of careers going in very different directions, including members of my own band. And yet, here we are. I'd bet there is an audience out there who would dearly LOVE to see your band. And I'd bet that after you did it once, you'd be quite pleased to do it again...  You might see something in your music and your band that you hadn't noticed before or forgot about, coming back at you from the audience. It's infectious. Anyway, comment threads can get out of control & get all misconstrued, so I'll bow out here.  All the best !!!

[RJFait]

The music I play now is more mature, because I'm more mature, but no less Rock 'n' Roll. And if maturity had moved me in a completely different direction (shiver) I guess I'd have to go that way. But, there's an old saying in the punk rock community that a very much stand by: "If you're not now, you never were".

[John Battles]

I'M GOING TO SEE BIG JAY MCNEELY. HE'S 85 , OR MORE. i SAW HIM RIGHT AFTER HE TURNED 80 , AND HE KILLED ! So , Honeyboy Edwards was the oldest performer I've ever seen,he was 93 or 94 the last time I saw him.He was a Bluesman , but , he always brought The Rock.  I am going to read the previous comments , but I'm going to be 48 , soon , and I've got the Rheumatism in both eyes , and the misery in my back , and the Arthur - Itis , and I told so many lies in my day , I contracted Phlebitus (You'll have to be over 45 to understand that.). 

[John Battles]

A

Point well taken. I first saw The Fleshtones in 1984 , and , make no mistake ,it was a great show , but , they're so much better , right here , right now , right everything.

YOU'D BE HARD PRESSED TO FIND SUCH A HIGH ENERGY SHOW , ESPECIALLY FROM SO MANY YOUNGER BANDS WHO NEVER HAD TO PLAY AS THOUGH THEIR LIVES DEPENDED ON IT.

Alison said:

I think the "energy and passion" are keys.  Rock n' Roll is youth culture so we are all a bit juvenile here.  It's bands that become "mature" with age and start playing all mid tempo and clean that feel "old."  You have to stay dirty and unhinged.  The Fleshtones are still doing push-ups at their shows!  And if you are a fan, avoid the temptation to grouse about how much better the scene was in your day because rejecting the new kids makes you a geezer.....and an ass!

Tom McLoughlin said:

Here's a bizarre but true story regarding this subject.  We just reformed THE SLOTHS at the end of this summer. All of us Sloth members we apart of the Hollywood Sunset Strip era of 1964 to 1966. No one knew that 'Makin' Love' the 45 the original group made in 1965 but was never released, had somehow been discovered and on the 'Back From The Grave 4' album. Nor did we know The Gories and other bands had covered it, or that an original single with sleeve had been sold for as high as $6550.00 on eBay.  We were all amazed. Ugly Things magazine just did a cover story on the group.  But the point is..all this led to us getting together again (in a garage, of course) and starting playing the songs exactly as we had 45 years ago. Some of us had not played, nor have I sang, in over 4 decades. But it was as if no time had passed. Now we're being booked in clubs and venues. The most surreal thing is we were all around 16yrs old back in the day. Now we're in our 60s playing the music of the 60s with more energy and passion than when we were teens. Too Old To Rock? Not yet, thank God.

[John Battles]

That's what's funny , because when you listen to Hound Dog's pre-70's and pre - Alligator Records (Who took a steady nosedive after his death.) material , it's GOOD, it's honest , but it's not the FOOT - IN - ASS REAL PUNK BLUES "JACK WHITE? NEVER HEARD OF HIM"
SAVAGENESS he attained in the latter years of his life , with Ted Taylor and Brewer Phillips. pLUS , HE HAD NO BASS , CENTURIES BEFORE THAT BECAME THE NORM AROUND HERE IN GARAGELAND. ONLY DIFFERENCE , HE MADE IT WORK. And The Cramps , Gories , Royal Pendletons , and a few other bands made it work, too.
 Dana V. Hatch said:

I think of Hound Dog Taylor first, in his late 60's he was rocking harder than ever on Beware of the Dog! I'm 48 and I'll stop only when I'm dead or incapacitated. I think this question is the opposite of the pertinent question today. Step up yr game, you whippersnappers!

[James Porter]

This is not a lie. Hound Dog has never been bad, but if he'd died before making those seminal Alligator albums, he would be remembered as just another no-name on the third tier. The early singles were okay and worth hearing, but too "controlled." I'm guessing he was wilder in the club. And those Alligator albums captured that wildness in a bottle! Possibly one of the few musicians who sounded better in the 70s than in the 60s!
 
John Battles said:

That's what's funny , because when you listen to Hound Dog's pre-70's and pre - Alligator Records (Who took a steady nosedive after his death.) material , it's GOOD, it's honest , but it's not the FOOT - IN - ASS REAL PUNK BLUES "JACK WHITE? NEVER HEARD OF HIM"
SAVAGENESS he attained in the latter years of his life

[John Battles]

James Porter said:

This is not a lie. Hound Dog has never been bad, but if he'd died before making those seminal Alligator albums, he would be remembered as just another no-name on the third tier. The early singles were okay and worth hearing, but too "controlled." I'm guessing he was wilder in the club. And those Alligator albums captured that wildness in a bottle! Possibly one of the few musicians who sounded better in the 70s than in the 60s!
 
John Battles said:

That's what's funny , because when you listen to Hound Dog's pre-70's and pre - Alligator Records (Who took a steady nosedive after his death.) material , it's GOOD, it's honest , but it's not the FOOT - IN - ASS REAL PUNK BLUES "JACK WHITE? NEVER HEARD OF HIM"
SAVAGENESS he attained in the latter years of his life

AND THAT IS NOT A LIE , EITHER , EXCEPT THAT , WERE HE STILL LIVING , AND SOUNDING LIKE HE DID IN THE 60'S , HE'D STILL SOUND BETTER THAN THE FIRST TIER ACTS , TODAY.

PLEASE COME TO CHICAGO.....BUT , DON'T COME FOR "THE BLUES"

[Wipeout!]

VIVA the FLESHTONES!!! I'm a wee too young to have caught any of their 80s live shows, but everytime I've seen 'em lately they go wild like fine wine ages, baby... (& double down on the quality of the songwriting and albums steadily improvin' with every decade)

John Battles said:

A

Point well taken. I first saw The Fleshtones in 1984 , and , make no mistake ,it was a great show , but , they're so much better , right here , right now , right everything.

YOU'D BE HARD PRESSED TO FIND SUCH A HIGH ENERGY SHOW , ESPECIALLY FROM SO MANY YOUNGER BANDS WHO NEVER HAD TO PLAY AS THOUGH THEIR LIVES DEPENDED ON IT.

[Black Rabbit]

Well, McCartney is still playing three hour shows on tour and he just turned 70.

[G. Wood]

Well, yeah, but all he has to do is get in the limo and show up. It's not like he has to hump his amp or tune up or anything.
 
Black Rabbit said:

Well, McCartney is still playing three hour shows on tour and he just turned 70.

[gumbo chaff]

I think you are never too old to rock,unless YOU think you are ! most of the modern mainstream music sounds like optimus prime on acid played at 78 rpm ! I love the hideout comp series,can't wait for the next one .

[david kanter]

I am 56 years old. Am I then one of the oldest on the hideout? I love 1960's garage and psychedelic rock.Squires - going all the way is just one example. Needless to say there were great UK bands in the 60's.Take care Matthew.
Dave from boston