# Ask the aging rock star **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 22, 2000, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-aging-rock-star/23239 "2000-06-22T21:11:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![aha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eada6e/32.png) [@aha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aha)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2000, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-aging-rock-star/23239/101 "2000-06-27T15:35:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > Dear ARS, > > I was a Dallas kid in the 50s and early 60s. I remember Lu-Anns well. > > Did you ever perform in “The Cellar” in Fort Worth? I think I remember your band and for whatever reason, I associate that memory with “The Cellar.” > Did you guys ever perform anywhere on the Jacksboro Strip? > Did you ever drink Lone Star or Jax beer? > > \*\* We use to hang out in the Cellar ( in Dallas and once in a while in Fort Worth) from time to time and listen to Bugs Henderson play guitar. He later turned out to be a good friend of mine. We also drank those “Glow in the dark” Phosphorus drinks in there…no telling what was in them. No to the Jacksboro strip…well hell maybe, I can’t remember. Me drink Lone Star long necks? Are you serious? BTW that Shiner beer ain’t to shabby either. They have one little vat down in Shiner Texas but they can turn out some awesome beer. ---
**Author:** ![aha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eada6e/32.png) [@aha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aha)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2000, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-aging-rock-star/23239/102 "2000-06-27T16:14:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > Dear ARS: Do you think a person has to be born with a musical gift? That is, can someone who has never even picked up an instrument suddenly decide to become a musician/song writer in his 30’s? What would you guess the odds are against such a person “making it” in today’s youth/looks obsessed music business? Would you say he has a snowball’s chance in a supernova (I don’t believe in hell), or perhaps a snowball’s chance in a busted freezer (I’m a pessimist who doesn’t believe in hell, go figure)? > \*\* REX: I think it really helps to be born with natural talent. As Chet Atkins use to say, “I can read music but not enough to hurt my playing.” I suppose if a person was smart enough to learn an instrument 9 even tho he/she was not particularly gifted) and venus and mars lined up just right and that person found themselves in the right time at the right moment it’s possible to have success, but the odds are slim and none. My advice to such a person would be to try it and if not successful then have a secondary musical goal in mind. ie producing or managing. Vague enough for you? ---
**Author:** ![Poto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ab992/32.png) [@Poto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poto)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2000, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-aging-rock-star/23239/103 "2000-06-27T23:36:11Z")
Dear ARS: Are you joining the AARP soon? And do they have a AARR division for aging rock stars? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-aging-rock-star/23239/104 "2000-06-28T04:55:05Z")
Aha, just wanted to let you know that I’m listening to “Western Union” at this moment. It’s still a great pop classic. As tight as a frog’s anal aperature. Not a wasted moment in its (let’s see) 2:22. Now “Zip Code” is on. Hmmm, not as absolutely identical to the first hit as some follow-ups, but close. Is that the idea of the record company, or does the band say, “Hey, it worked once. Let’s try it again!”? ---
**Author:** ![chief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df788c/32.png) [@chief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chief)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-aging-rock-star/23239/105 "2000-06-28T08:31:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > What are your top 10 albums? > > By that do you mean our albums?? We had 5 altogether. > > \*\* no sorry i meant your favorite 10 albums (personally) ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-aging-rock-star/23239/106 "2000-06-28T13:26:20Z")
Aging rock star: 1. How do you feel about people downloading your songs via Napster? 🙂 2. Ever met Joe Vitale? I’m really good friends with his son, and now that Joe Jr. is in the business, I get to go visit him on tour from time to time…I went to see him play with Stephen Stills, and it was pretty cool…Joe Jr and I just stayed in Stills’ dressing room and ate all his food (mmm…stuffed shrimp, chocolate strawberries, etc.) Was pretty cool. (Figured since you’ve toured with Buffalo Springfield, and Joe V has played with CSN(Y) for a long time, and a bunch of other people (Joe Walsh, Dan Fogelberg, etc.)) Jman ---
**Author:** ![aha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eada6e/32.png) [@aha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aha)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-aging-rock-star/23239/107 "2000-06-28T14:47:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > Aging rock star: > > 1. How do you feel about people downloading your songs via Napster? 🙂 > > 2. Ever met Joe Vitale? I’m really good friends with his son, and now that Joe Jr. is in the business, I get to go visit him on tour from time to time…I went to see him play with Stephen Stills, and it was pretty cool…Joe Jr and I just stayed in Stills’ dressing room and ate all his food (mmm…stuffed shrimp, chocolate strawberries, etc.) Was pretty cool. (Figured since you’ve toured with Buffalo Springfield, and Joe V has played with CSN(Y) for a long time, and a bunch of other people (Joe Walsh, Dan Fogelberg, etc.)) > > Jman > \*\* Well of course I would prefer that people bought the CD but napster is something I can do nothing about…so why worry about it. No never met Joe. The tour we had with the springfield was only a three day tour and we never really became aquaintances. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-aging-rock-star/23239/108 "2000-06-28T15:30:19Z")
aha, do you ever talk/sing to your wife like this?: You´re the kind of woman that girls wanna be Just the kind of woman that sets me free Lovin´ words you say to me Just make me want to never stop When you touch me, hold me, squeeze me, please me Makes my heart go Oom-pop, oom-pop, oom-pop, oom-pop, POW! Would you BELIEVE The sound of love ``` When you whisper in my ear Your eyes tell me what I hear In your love light seems to pause And I know it´s just because ``` ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-aging-rock-star/23239/109 "2000-06-28T16:46:51Z")
Is the bigtime similar to my experiences as a mediocre bassist for a couple of extremely amateurish mainly cover bands in the early eighties, namely, anything associated with a band involves the most inefficient use of time conceivable? I swear Amtrak ran a tighter schedule than any music activity I was ever associated with. Simple, not exaggerated example. Allo agreed on practice from 7 to 10, right? Maybe, just maybe, everyone will show up by 9:30. Fun thread! ---
**Author:** ![Balduran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Balduran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balduran)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-aging-rock-star/23239/110 "2000-06-28T17:01:47Z")
Dear ARS, Thanks for the thread. How do you feel about your use of drugs and alcohol back then? What do you say to the kids in your school who have problems with this? thanks ---
**Author:** ![aha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eada6e/32.png) [@aha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aha)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2000, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-aging-rock-star/23239/111 "2000-06-29T03:10:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > aha, do you ever talk/sing to your wife like this?: > > You´re the kind of woman that girls wanna be > Just the kind of woman that sets me free > Lovin´ words you say to me > Just make me want to never stop > When you touch me, hold me, squeeze me, please me > Makes my heart go > Oom-pop, oom-pop, oom-pop, oom-pop, POW! > Would you BELIEVE > The sound of love > > ``` > When you whisper in my ear > Your eyes tell me what I hear > In your love light seems to pause > And I know it´s just because > > ``` > > \*\* Wow Handy! Were did you get those old lyrics? I had forgotton I had written them! Do you have that single? If so can you hear it? No I never sing to my wife I make her sing to me these days. Ptweetman: Honestly the five americans being just a bunch of country boys really didn’t do that many drugs. We drank plenty of whiskey however. My students are 2-5th grade so the subject doesn’t come up. But if it did and the kids were say high school age I would just say that almost everyone sows some wild oats when they are young but excess sucks so don’t do it. ---
**Author:** ![Perderabo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Perderabo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perderabo)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2000, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-aging-rock-star/23239/112 "2000-06-30T15:16:41Z")
> [@](#): > > ``` > Rilchiam thanks...the nuggets set has to pay royalites to Lehsam music in LA who in turn pay out > royalites to the artists in Aug and Feb of every year. This Aug will be the first sales royalties we have > received in 33 years...wish me luck on the size of the check > > ``` Well, I don’t have the Nuggets box set, but I have Nuggets volumes 1, 2 and 3. You guys are on them. I have owned these cd’s for at least 4 years. Aren’t they a little tardy in sending you a check? I can’t believe that you only get paid for box sets. ---
**Author:** ![aha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eada6e/32.png) [@aha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aha)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2000, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-aging-rock-star/23239/113 "2000-06-30T15:35:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > ``` > > Rilchiam thanks...the nuggets set has to pay royalites to Lehsam music in LA who in turn pay out > > royalites to the artists in Aug and Feb of every year. This Aug will be the first sales royalties we have > > received in 33 years...wish me luck on the size of the check > > > > ``` > > Well, I don’t have the Nuggets box set, but I have Nuggets volumes 1, 2 and 3. You guys are on them. I have owned these cd’s for at least 4 years. Aren’t they a little tardy in sending you a check? I can’t believe that you only get paid for box sets. > \*\* True they are tardy but it is because our ex manager up until his death last year was collecting those royalties under the guise of an alleged debt owed by us to him. Since then all royalties are referred to the artist. ---
**Author:** ![IzzyR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/2acd7d/32.png) [@IzzyR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IzzyR)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2000, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-aging-rock-star/23239/114 "2000-07-14T16:06:37Z")
I stumbled on this thread quite by accident, and found it fascinating. My question has been touched on by others, but not completely addressed. You described how your musical career gradually petered out. While it was going good, it is likely that you felt on top of the world, and wanted to go on being a star forever. Today you take a very admirable, philosophical look at the rise and fall of your music career. My question is, how did you feel at the time that you first realized that you were no longer going to be a rock star, and had to return to the world of 9 to 5 drudgery? Also, did this realization come to you at one point, or did you gradually set your sights (in this regard) lower and lower, until you gradually reached the point (celebritywise) that you are in today? Also, one point - I don’t think you should be so upset at the critic or critics who say that you guys weren’t good enough etc. They are not comparing you to regular people or to themselves. Clearly you had to have alot of talent to accomplish what you did. They are comparing you to other groups that were even more successful. They are saying that the reason why you did not have an even greater, longer lasting success was etc. etc. I have not previously heard of your band or songs. But I intend to ask the local oldies station to play some. Thank you for a very interesting thread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-aging-rock-star/23239.md?page=5)