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Post by Grroosss on Sept 4, 2019 5:20:52 GMT
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Post by tremblinwilbury on Sept 4, 2019 7:31:34 GMT
That article is very relevant Grroosss, but...
Consider Chris Spedding (age 75) and Herbie Flowers (age 81). Both tour regularly on lead and bass guitars with Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds. They may be a bit unsteady of their pins nowadays, but they can still play - and play well!
Then, there's our own "Jeff". He's having the best time of his life now. Health and long life to him - and the rest of that OAP band  |
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Post by BIuebird on Sept 4, 2019 13:22:42 GMT
This thought pops up for me all too often, and it makes me so sad. All of my favorite musicians are in their 60s and 70s. It probably sounds dumb and morbid, but after the last 2 ELO concerts I went to, I fell into a pretty bad depression for a few weeks. I think it's because the though of "what if that's the last time I will ever get to see Jeff play?" is running through my head. It hit me really, really hard when my other favorite band retired a few years ago, and they are at least all still living! It hit me so hard that it took me about 6 years before I could invest myself properly into another band (ELO), because I really go all in as a fan. It's difficult to describe? For example, there are plenty of bands whose music I like and I will collect their albums... but I won't read extensively about them, watch interviews with them, or join a fan forum. That's reserved for a very special few. So, I really hate to think about losing any of them permanently! I know that I don't know them, and it probably sounds silly, but their music has been such a big part of my life that I think of them like friends.  |
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Post by tremblinwilbury on Sept 4, 2019 14:35:34 GMT
I thought I'd never get to see Jeff play live, BIuebird. The closest I came was seeing ELO Pt 2 / The Orchestra a few times. But then Chris Evans 'persuaded' him to play live. It's been an amazing few years since 2014! And, there's this terrific mob on this forum. Our hero from Shard End is still going strong, thank goodness |
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Post by Chippa on Sept 4, 2019 22:11:43 GMT
Macca seems to have taken care of himself, so I think he's probably going to be a round a long while, yet. I could see Dylan still touring ten years from now, and maybe even recording the occasional album of new songs. Brian Wilson is apparently in bad shape health-wise, as is Joni Mitchell. Springsteen will probably still be doing 3 hour long concerts well into his 70's. As for Jeff, in ten years he'll be 81. I doubt he'll do much more touring, but I think he'll still do at least a couple of more albums of new material, and maybe even produce some younger artists. The one thing I hope he does is hand down his production and songwriting secrets to some young upstart, so that person can keep the Jeff sound going, even if its not the real deal.
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Post by fourlittlediamonds on Sept 5, 2019 0:59:41 GMT
True and sad but realistically, for all those mentioned, their best and greatest work is well behind them. Billy Joel hasn't written anything in 20 years as he acknowledged he was never going to better his back catalogue so why bother?Paul Simon has called it a day too. For Jeff, even though AITU had its moments, we all know he's never going to better or even equal 73-79 era ELO. Most will continue to tour while they can,banging out the hits for our nostalgic benefit.
What matters is they will all leave astonishing legacies of music that changed lives and will live on through that for a very long time.
(Mind you-Debbie Harry- 74! Blimey!)
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Post by Helmut83 on Sept 5, 2019 4:47:42 GMT
It's the circle of life. The article states nothing new, it's simple maths. The '70s were the golden ages of rock and now, 50 years later, it's to be expected that those who haven't passed away already have an age that makes you think they won't last that much longer. Besides, I agree with fourlittlediamonds: their work is already done and hardly ever someone over 60 writes something remarkable. Plus I don't have a personal relationship with -or know- any of them, so honestly, this doesn't depress me. I'll take their passings more like an occasion to celebrate their work and revisit it. If there's anything depressing about this is the already classic omission of Jeff Lynne among the '70s rock gods. Want to make it even worse? They mentioned all of the other Wilburys.  |
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Post by Grroosss on Sept 5, 2019 5:12:21 GMT
It's the circle of life. The article states nothing new, it's simple maths. The '70s were the golden ages of rock and now, 50 years later, it's to be expected that those who haven't passed away already have an age that makes you think they won't last that much longer. Besides, I agree with fourlittlediamonds : their work is already done and hardly ever someone over 60 writes something remarkable. Plus I don't have a personal relationship with -or know- any of them, so honestly, this doesn't depress me. If there's anything depressing about this is the already classic omission of Jeff Lynne among the '70s rock gods. Want to make it even worse? They mentioned all of the other Wilburys. Hey, you left out Roy Orbison!
As others have mentioned, it's great to see that many of these artists are still touring and having a fun time with it. And yes, death is inevitable... I don't have a personal relationship to any of them (with the exception of Jeff) so the thought of it shouldn't impact me as much as it does... but it does. Maybe it has a lot to do with the fact that it's a reminder that rock is a bygone era...
But for now we have their tours, and forever we'll have their music!
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Post by Helmut83 on Sept 5, 2019 5:39:52 GMT
Ah, you are right Grroosss, they didn't mention Roy Orbison either. Shame on them if they would have mentioned him -and not Jeff-, shame on them for not mentioning him.  That's alright with me, I just stated my reaction but I'm not judging those of others. If it impacts you, it impacts you and if it doesn't, it doesn't. Our heros represent different things to each of us (for example, some feel them closer to them, others not so much) so I guess depending on that it will impact you more or less. Now, tell the truth: you wrote all of that to be able to say that you have a personal relationship with Jeff.  Now you'll have to bear the envy of all of us jealous forumeads!  |
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Post by Timeblue on Sept 5, 2019 18:25:42 GMT
I look at Sir Tom Jones who is 79 and still got a damn good voice and think that Jeff still has a good few years left just because he has looked after himself. My 'other' band OMD had a drummer called Mal Holmes who suffered two heart attacks in his mid 40s early 50s, so life can be a lottery ....
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Post by Grroosss on Sept 5, 2019 18:43:31 GMT
Ah, you are right Grroosss , they didn't mention Roy Orbison either. Shame on them if they would have mentioned him -and not Jeff-, shame on them for not mentioning him. That's alright with me, I just stated my reaction but I'm not judging those of others. If it impacts you, it impacts you and if it doesn't, it doesn't. Our heros represent different things to each of us (for example, some feel them closer to them, others not so much) so I guess depending on that it will impact you more or less. Now, tell the truth: you wrote all of that to be able to say that you have a personal relationship with Jeff. Now you'll have to bear the envy of all of us jealous forumeads!
Now, whatever would make you think that...?
In all seriousness, though, I didn't come up with it til writing, I was just thinking about the weird connection I have with these people that I've never met and never will. Like BIuebird said, when their music means that much to you, it's hard not to feel like they're your friends. There are musicians who passed away well before my time that I still have a good cry over every now and then. Regardless of whether I'd met him or not, I can't even begin to imagine how much harder it will hit me when (someday far, far in the future ) we lose Jeff since I'll actually have to live through it this time, and with him being my favorite artist ever and his music having had such an immeasurable impact on me. |
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Post by Helmut83 on Sept 5, 2019 19:14:24 GMT
I understand what you say and I see that it happens a lot to many people. I guess it's easier for those of us who never get to consider artists their friends nor anything close to them. To me they are still pretty much aliens, simple aliens who have the merit of having written great songs, so I give them recognition and that's as far as my relationship with them -and my investment in them- goes. The people -and animals- I cry for are those I have known in real life, and I have more than enough with those, I wouldn't want more. But again, to each their own and I'm not saying one or the other is the right one. I read your reasons and BIuebird's and they make sense to me, even when what I feel is different. Maybe that feeling of friendship is why lots of people get mad at me when I criticize Jeff, because maybe they feel like I'm attacking a close relative or a friend of them.  |
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Post by BIuebird on Sept 6, 2019 3:44:03 GMT
Helmut83 I totally understand that view too, and I'm sure that there are plenty of people who might find my point of view absurd! I am not delusional enough to think that these musicians are actually my friends, I hope I didn't come off as a loon.  However, when I take solace in their music, or when I find peace or joy in it, it's hard for me to think of the person who created it as detatched from it. They put a bit of their soul into it. It doesn't matter to me if they made their best music years ago; my world is a happier place with them in it. That's how I know I will be crushed when they are gone. As for criticizing Jeff, I can't speak for everyone, but you may be on to something there in general, haha! For me personally, it's more that I believe the best of most people (especially the ones who I look up to), unless there is compelling evidence to the contrary. We're all human and none of us are perfect; we all make mistakes. However, I believe that most people are decent and usually have good intentions.
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Post by Helmut83 on Sept 6, 2019 7:06:35 GMT
I understand, BIuebird. No, you didn't come off as a loon, don't worry. I know you don't play Playmobils with the bearded guy on hand hand being Jeff and the lady on the other being you.... you don't, do you??? I'm not planning on avoiding criticism on Jeff when I feel there's something that's "criticizable", as this forum is here to talk about him, his good and his bad. I hope after this conversation you -or anyone- don't take it as a personal attack on someone close to you or, less still, a personal challenge on you. However, I believe that most people are decent and usually have good intentions. It's nice and well-meant of you to believe that. However, I'm positive spending a season in Argentina would change your mind a bit in regards to that premise. I'm not saying the environment in which I grew up and live is the only factor to blame, but it has certainly played it's part in making me the cynical, unbelieving, grumpy son of a bitch I am. |
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Post by elophile on Sept 6, 2019 12:17:34 GMT
However, I believe that most people are decent and usually have good intentions. It's nice and well-meant of you to believe that. However, I'm positive spending a season in Argentina would change your mind a bit in regards to that premise. Yeah, believe me, a season or two in New Jersey will have the same effect on you...   |
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Now you'll have to bear the envy of all of us jealous forumeads! 
However, when I take solace in their music, or when I find peace or joy in it, it's hard for me to think of the person who created it as detatched from it. They put a bit of their soul into it. It doesn't matter to me if they made their best music years ago; my world is a happier place with them in it. That's how I know I will be crushed when they are gone. 
, but we're OK. 
Sept 28, 2024 17:32:11 GMT
*
Apparently it's quite hard to see them with the naked eye, you need to be looking through a camera or other type of lens?
Oct 12, 2024 20:17:04 GMT
Apparently it's quite hard to see them with the naked eye, you need to be looking through a camera or other type of lens?
Oct 12, 2024 20:17:04 GMT