Teetering on the fence…when I saw Blue Oyster Cult this year, their set was conspicuously loaded with songs for Buck Dharma to carry the vocals, and songs with Eric Bloom were very simple unchallenging ones. I think Eric voice is pretty much shot and they are carrying on best as they can otherwise.
Still an awesome show though \m/ \m/. Umlauts for everyone!
In an ideal world, old people wouldn’t be in rock bands. Rock and roll (and rap and heavy metal and punk and Alternative or whatever you want to call it, etc.) is about youth and vitality and rebellion. Past a certain age, you can’t deliver on that ethos.
However, who am I to say that somebody who loves to perform shouldn’t do it? Especially when there are happy paying customers who want to listen?
You won’t find me supporting geriatric rock acts.
And don’t get me started on the whole notion of a rock and roll hall of fame.
The first that came to mind were U2 and Fleetwood Mac. Oh and the Pixies.
K.C. and the Sunshine Band are still playing the casinos on the Redneck Riviera. Or they were 4 years or so ago. How many years can you sing “Get Down Tonight”?
Pete Best. He should have put down the drumsticks by 1970 at the latest.
I really disagree with this. Music is music. Young people can make music, old people can make music. Old and young has more to do with crass commercialism than quality of music.
That being said, if they can’t do it anymore, they can’t do it anymore. AC/DC isn’t really in that position yet, although losing Brian Johnson might be cause for just throwing in the towel.
Meat Loaf is done as a vocalist. So is Ozzy Osbourne. Age and self abuse caught up with them. David Coverdale is a shell of his former brilliance. But Iron Maiden is as creative as ever and Bon Jovi, while not playing the music I like them for, are showing no signs of decline due to age.
There are also some younger bands that should just give it up because they had one good idea and it’s not interesting anymore. Probably sacrilege to say this about Linkin Park, but it seemed to me that since their third album they stopped playing to their strengths and started to sound more like U2. The loss of Bennington should end a band that was already creatively done.
To go REALLY young, Selena Gomez. Not that she should hang it up right now, but right now she’s riding a particular trend in pop music where all she has to do is be sultry and sing an unchallenging song slowly. This is her THIRD major stylistic change and the one that suits her talent the best, but once it’s past and more upbeat music becomes popular again, no one’s going to care about her. Her contemporaries, Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato, are much more dynamic and will probably have more successful careers longterm.
I definitely agree with this. Also, the whole setup just isn’t interesting anymore. I remember how awesome it was when the Monkees came back in 1986, they were updating their songs for modern audiences with really cool new arrangements. Now they just play the old songs in a pretty standard way and it’s just boring. Although touring with Nesmith is still interesting and rare enough that I’d pay to see that.
You’re one of the few posters in this thread to distinguish between retiring from touring/performing live and retiring from recording. I think it’s a distinction that needs to be considered.
I’m also leaning towards saying that any band that isn’t recording new material at least once in a while should retire from performing, since it’s a sign that their creative juices have dried up.
They put out an album in 2016 that had some pretty good songs, although Micky Dolenz probably had some studio help for his voice. But for Micky and Peter to tour by themselves as the Monkees is like Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey to bill themselves as the Who. Dolenz and Tork are basically the world’s most expensive Monkees tribute band.
The 2016 album was a good idea, even though I didn’t like it much. They got some modern writers as well as using some old songs. Since the Monkees have never been a self-contained band they play by different rules, so worrying about their creativity isn’t really a concern. But having only two members on tour, one of whom contributed very little in the way of vocals, isn’t very satisfying. At MINIMUM, you need three as in 1986.
Good. No one said Duran Duran.
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Duran Duran. Especially that song Rio.
I saw April Wine a few years ago in concert. The drummer had to suck oxygen halfway through his drum solo. I think that may be a sign to call it quits.
Their original bassist, who left the band after their second album and the music industry altogether a few years later, died in 2014.
“The Beach Boys.”
Only Bruce Johnston and Mike Love left.
If they have to lower a song by a few octaves then it is time to give it up. Tiny Dancer is not supposed to be sung basso profundo.
Nazareth. The band best known for “Love Hurts.” They came through town a few years ago, and played in a sports bar. I went to the show.
They’re old and tired, and it was obvious. There was no energy to the show; it was almost as if it was performed by rote. The lead singer looked and sounded like he wanted nothing more than to go back to the hotel and order something to eat from room service. The rest of the band just went through the motions. If I had paid to be there (I was comped, as I know the bar owner), I would have been quite disappointed. It’s time for Nazareth to hang it up, I think.
Any band whose live setlist consists of their latest album (whom no-ones gives a shit about) and decades old classics should retire.
AC/DC, I’m looking at you. And until recently, Black Sabbath.
Any band that only consists of two or three core members and a bunch of studio musicians.
I was recently watching a documentary on Black Sabbath. Now, I wasn’t a huge Sabbath guy back in the day, but of course I’m a fan, so I know all about Ozzy and I know the history of the band, more or less, and of course I’m familiar with Tommy Iomi and his story (two missing finger-tips) and I know about Geezer Butler and the whole nine, but it dawned on me that I couldn’t remember who the drummer was. As I watched the doc, I was impressed by this guy with the huge back tattoo pounding the skins, but I couldn’t understand why he wasn’t included in any interview sections. Then it dawned on me – Black Sabbath is just Ozzy, Tommy and Geezer now. The drummer is just there because the songs would sound awful without a drummer.
(For the record, original drummer: Bill Ward. I think the guy I’m impressed with is Tommy Clufetos)
I hate that. Listen, I’m a musician. I’m not a terribly gifted musician but I’m not horrible and I know what it feels like to be on the outskirts of a band. Allowed to play but not really in the band. I just hate that friggin’ dynamic. Bands like Sabbath and The Stones and The Who were outgrowths of youthful angst, lads banding together to make noise … now they’re just corporations filling positions to complete the tour. No thanks.
Jesus. Good morning, from the cynics desk. Have a day.
