80 years old - Paul McCartney & Brian Wilson

Geezer rock rules!

I wish Brian would hang it up. The last time I saw & heard him live I was left depressed for days. It was a pathetic spectacle.

As for McCartney: I’m curious who his current audience is. Nobody I know. But he still appears to be making quality music, even if I myself long ago lost interest.

Now Dylan, he’s even older, and doesn’t seem to be running out of steam; still making good albums, and the last time I saw him live he was fantastic. As for The Stones: the last time I saw them live, I lasted three songs. Terr-i-ble.

I also saw Phil Collins via you tube from a recent show.   He walks with a cane and has serious issues.  Can’t play drums anymore.  Voice is gone.   Sad actually but same ole story of an artist hanging on way longer than he/she should.

I hope I can still function as well as McCartney does when I am 80. Good for him! People can still be entertained by a live Beatle. Won’t last forever. Genesis with Collins in a wheelchair? God bless him but no thanks.

Try and catch the FX series, The Old Man, with Jeff Bridges and John Lithgow. It shows there's still life in us codgers. 

All the best,
Nonoise

I also saw Brian in concert a year ago. He had to be helped on stage, had difficulty playing the piano (not sure if he actually played or not), and could not finish singing most of his songs. It was a sad, sad sight. Worst concert I have ever seen. He does need to retire.

@nonoise: I really liked Jeff in Crazy Heart, and have the soundtrack. I’ve been meaning to pick up his subsequent album. I didn’t know about the Old Man series, I’ll check it out, thanks.

@bwguy: Is your screen name Brian Wilson Guy abbreviated?! I saw Brian last at The Universal Theater, and his piano was pumped only into the onstage monitors, not into the house sound system. I found that out when his band (who were excellent) stopped mid-song, leaving Brian "plonking" away on his electric piano unaccompanied. They apparently didn’t want his playing to be heard by the audience; I agree with their decision.

At one point between songs, Brian requested the audience stand up, which we did. He then instructed us to sit down, only to then ask that everyone again stand up. Oh dear. He speaks as if he’s had a stroke, out of one side of his mouth and kinda garbled. He sings the lyrics (reading them off a teleprompter) as if he’s seeing them for the first time, varying between being on pitch and off. Just awful.

I found myself standing behind him in the Tower Records on Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks one afternoon, and softly called out his name. He spun around, kinda ducking his head, his eyes filled with terror. He was scared to death, as paranoid a look as I’ve ever seen. I’m surprised they let him walk around alone.

I found myself standing behind him in the Tower Records on Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks one afternoon,

 

I miss that place and those times.

All the best,
Nonoise

Likewise @nonoise. Though after the Amoeba store on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood opened, Tower seemed kinda lame. Except for the Classical department in all the Towers (the Tower on Sunset.had a separate Classical annex), the best Classical inventory I've ever seen, better than Amoeba's.

Caught the Who at the Santa Barbara Bowl a few years ago. They are in their 70's. Still great. Townsend doesn't leap around anymore but he did one hop at the end just to show he's still got it. Starkey is a credible replacement for Moon.

Santana still going strong. As long as he hydrates. 

Van the Man. Ian Anderson. Lonnie Jordan. The Geezers keep rolling on and an inspiration to us all.

Jerry Lee Lewis has somehow managed to make it to 87 (so far), and can still out-drink Keith Richards.