Aging Classic Rockers
56On Tour for Forty Years
I retired this year after 38 years as a software developer. I was very happy to leave the day to day schedule behind and to work at my own pace doing what I want to do. Classic rock bands contain people that seem to be made up of a different genetic code. They are performers in their sixties and seventies that still move from city to city and from hotel to hotel on tour with the band. Why do they do it? What drives them to keep up the grueling pace when they could be relaxing and living a life that only exists in our dreams?
During their careers many classic rockers have written and sung about being on the road. There were great songs like Jackson Browne’s “Stay” and Bob Seger’s “Turn the Page.” They give us a hint to the feeling of being up on stage and the rush it brings. I can understand that and it must be great but is that enough to make a person want to be constantly on the road through their sixties and into their seventies?
A Super Performance of Turn the Page by Bob Seger
I know classic rock is still a big business. You have internet radio classic rock, classic rock online, and streaming classic rock. Classic rock t-shirts and classic rock ringtones are still big sellers, but how much money do these people need? I guess some of the bands that may have only had one big CD or, in the old days, album may not have the big money but bands like The Who and The Rolling Stones certainly can’t be doing it because they need to pay the mortgage.
I’ve heard two stories in the past week about classic rockers. One rumor was that Charlie Watts, one of my favorite drummers of all time, was going to quit The Rolling Stones. Charlie is pushing seventy and I think he has had enough Sticky Fingers for several lifetimes. I hope he does have sense enough to give himself a few years to relax in the fourth quarter of his life. The other rumor was hinting that Aerosmith might break up. This is a great band and one of my favorites but Steve Tyler’s beautiful and talented daughter Liv will likely retire before he does.
Is it the rush? I guess if you are great at what you do that it is hard to give it up. I could understand staying in the business and doing one or two appearances a year and working in the studio, but to be out going from city to city eating hotel food, no matter how fancy, and never being settled has got to be hard on performers over sixty. I also have to admit that some of them are getting to look rather silly in their rocker stage costumes.
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Hubby and I are going to see Bill Wyman and his Rhythm Kings in October. They certainly have plenty of playing experience between them. I think I'll do a hub after the event and let you know what they were like. Some aging rockers, who still rock, are just embarassing.
Please do Ethel. I'd like to know how old Bill is doing.
I can admire rockers for wanting to perform after all these years, but I would not want their lives.
With the Who and many other musicians, it isn't about whether the music sells or is still played, but who owns the rights to it. You see, whomever owns the rights gets the money and whomever is credited (on the album) for writing the song generally owns some, if not all, of the rights. If you want to know why most of the Rolling Stones are willing to tour, just look at who is credited for writing 90+% of their songs--Jagger/Richards. Ron "Ronnie" Woods is credited on a very few, but not until the later half of the Stones' career. Without residual money coming in, Charlie Watts has to tour to make money.
The world of copyright can be extremely complicated as the Studio may have some rights, the record label may have some as well, even unrelated third parties may have purchased them (Michael Jackson's estate owns the Beatles' catalog, for instance). The Jackson estate does not own all rights to every Beatles tune, but enough that they get the money when a Beatles song is played on the radio or as part of a commercial--they even decide which songs can be used.
Regardless, "mechanical rights"--the ability to play the song live--are in the hands of artists, and this is how cover and tribute bands exist without going broke and why musicians who did not get favorable deals for their music tend to still be on the road well into their twilight years.
JanieWrites 2 years ago
I often wonder about that when I see the Rolling Stones - I mean, come on, their music is great, but Mick, really. It's time to take a break, don't you think? Nice hub, Pete. It gives me something to think about.