[Music] Do musicians get better with age?

[GT49er]

Technique may improve (at least until arthritis, COPD or other debilitating illnesses of old age set in), as may professionalism and learning few tricks of the trade. Voices will start to go - that can be managed to an extent by changing their style slightly, or by employing musicians who can drop the song down a few keys.
But - the creativity and drive - and often the anger - are the things that make their career in the first place - and that doesn't improve with age. That's why most bands' first couple of albums are usually their best (and before anybody mentions The Who, The Beatles, or any other band/artiste that is a bit of a favourite of theirs, yes, I know there are exceptions). Hence the use of the word 'most'...................

 

[20 ton megalith]

I remember seeing Paul Weller at The East Wing of The Brighton Centre circa 1994 after the Style Council days, really great and intimate gig with lots of interaction with the crowd. He’s definitely another one who seems to get better and better. I find the the longevity of some artists incredible, still being able to produce relevant and quality albums, sometimes into their late seventies and early eighties! I agree with the anger, creativity and drive of youth view, but isn’t this replaced by experience, maturity and richness of vocals that comes with age? Having grown old listening to the same bands for years, I still want them to be as good as when they were in their youth, some can do it and most, unfortunately can't. Everybody’s tastes are different and whether you want your music constantly evolving or staying the same, it’s good to listen to music old and new (tinnitus allowing ).

 

[jcdenton08]

Having just watched Brian Wilson frown and grimace his way through "California Girls" at Glastonbury on TV, I'd say not all of them.

 

[Icy Gull]

Having just watched Brian Wilson frown and grimace his way through "California Girls" at Glastonbury on TV, I'd say not all of them.

None of the Glastonbury Legends are any more than a pale shadow of what they were imo. Paul Simon on currently, the only one who sounds just as good as he did in his prime was Tom Jones

Good watch though!

Edit Shirley Bassey still had it!


LOVING Neil Diamonds Sweet Caroline - so are the crowd!

 

[zefarelly]

New Weller album out next week - heard three tracks so far and sounds like another great album. Weller isn't afraid to try new stuff ... most of the time it works ... not always, but you I think that's better than trotting out the same old same old all the time. I've recently been updating my 'Weller' playlist on Spotify - covering The Jam, TSC and solo stuff ... then just hit shuffle ... superb!

He's been on peoples musicalal radar for 40+ years, quite literally something for ones ever changing moods ( badum tish)

Bowie aside there aren't many as continuous and advernturous, whehter you like it all or not.

 

[Deleted member 37369]

He's been on peoples musicalal radar for 40+ years, quite literally something for ones ever changing moods ( badum tish)

Bowie aside there aren't many as continuous and advernturous, whehter you like it all or not.

Absolutely ... one of the advantages of being 'old' is that I was able to see The Jam in 1977 a week before my 16th birthday. That was it for me ...

Have seen Weller solo easily over 50 times (I've lost count) ... at various venues including Amsterdam.

Caught some of Bowie's 2000 Glastonbury set last night ... have it on record to watch all of it later.

 

[Is it PotG?]

New Weller album out next week - heard three tracks so far and sounds like another great album. Weller isn't afraid to try new stuff ... most of the time it works ... not always, but you I think that's better than trotting out the same old same old all the time. I've recently been updating my 'Weller' playlist on Spotify - covering The Jam, TSC and solo stuff ... then just hit shuffle ... superb!

Man is in a league of his own for continually moving on and creating some stunning stuff. Even the iffy ones have high spots.

 

[zefarelly]

None of the Glastonbury Legends are any more than a pale shadow of what they were imo. Paul Simon on currently, the only one who sounds just as good as he did in his prime was Tom Jones

Good watch though!

Edit Shirley Bassey still had it!


LOVING Neil Diamonds Sweet Caroline - so are the crowd!

Tom Jones on Sunday evening in 1992 was super****ingsonically good! ( copious amounts of cider and jazz woodbines possibly helped )

 

[zefarelly]

I remember seeing Paul Weller at The East Wing of The Brighton Centre circa 1994 after the Style Council days, really great and intimate gig with lots of interaction with the crowd. He’s definitely another one who seems to get better and better. I find the the longevity of some artists incredible, still being able to produce relevant and quality albums, sometimes into their late seventies and early eighties! I agree with the anger, creativity and drive of youth view, but isn’t this replaced by experience, maturity and richness of vocals that comes with age? Having grown old listening to the same bands for years, I still want them to be as good as when they were in their youth, some can do it and most, unfortunately can't. Everybody’s tastes are different and whether you want your music constantly evolving or staying the same, it’s good to listen to music old and new (tinnitus allowing ).

His post TSC rebirth as a solo artist was quite something. Saw him at the Zap Club, ace! Then again at the top rank, he did a cover of tin soldier . . .this was just after Steve Marriot had died, a really emotive and passionate rendition of a great great song

 

[zefarelly]

As for musicians getting better . . . . I was lucky enough to see the Pretty things a few times in recent years. No new material but bloody hell, superb musicianship and performances from them.

 

[Surf's Up]

As for musicians getting better . . . . I was lucky enough to see the Pretty things a few times in recent years. No new material but bloody hell, superb musicianship and performances from them.

I saw them not so long ago too and they were great with Dick Taylor in imperious form but my abiding memory is of Phil May taking a Ventolin hit to manage his COPD before each number - rock n roll eh!!!

 

[jcdenton08]

I'll also add Meatloaf to this list. Too young to have seen him live in his pomp, although my Mum did and swears it was one of the best concerts she's been to. I did however see the "Last at Bat" tour a few years ago and it was terrible. The bloke couldn't sing, but he cleverly had a really good young soundalike "back up" singer who did basically all the high notes for him.

The worst part of course being that he couldn't stand up, and after two songs was leant over, profusely sweating, leaning against a special table upstage, and seriously looking like he was about to have a heart attack.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

It's a question without answer IMO, some musicians get better, as you never stop learning, as long as physically you can actually perform . . . Not many singers past 65ish are anywhere near as good as when they were 20-30ish . . . . Look at Elton John, Rod Stewart Paul McCartney etc as singers, drummers usually kark it before then anyway, guitarists seem to soldier on, Jeff Beck and Keith RIchards being prime examples

Paul Weller still cuts it (nearly 62) and plenty of others still do too . . . The BLockheads are no spring Chickens, but still superb.

Creativity is a different issue . . . . WHen you consider what The JAm did as teenagers/early 20's, then Weller did in the 90's ( WIld wood and Stanley Road) ) incredible stuff . . . . I haven't followed him closely in recent years but a few recent tracks stand out.

There seems to be an element of modernism about creativity, from Beck. Bowie, Weller and others . . .a constant reinvention and chameleon like character.

Can't help thinking about me is a Good BOwie track ;-). And to think Weller wrote man in The corner shop aged 20.

Songwriting is an art that takes time to develop, many get better with age ( Steve Mason is a good example) some are brilliant from the outset and seemingly run out of ideas . . .Kinks/Stones

I do enjoy reading stuff that people have written thoughtfully about music (or anything else I terms of the arts) even if I disagree with it. Having said that, I’d go along with most of what you say, if not all!

On your final point, the stuff that Dylan has just put out seems to here been very well received / haven’t heard it yet.!

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

I think artists should stay relevent and evolve, like Weller. Once your band or music has had it's day - end it and go solo or reinvent yourself.

Some bands think they are evergreen like the Rollinng Stones and others go on too long like Oasis, Noel should have left after album 3 and went solo.

Leave the band and its music within its era, go out at the top, and move yourself as an artist into the next

It’s a different type of music, but Miles Davis was famous for always refusing to revisit or play his old material.

 

[zefarelly]

Thanks . . . With the lack of band gigs and rehearsals I've been listening to a lot of records recently, and listening to R6.

R6 seems to be about my only inlet for new music these days, asides bands we play with when gigging, that varies wildly!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Maybe?

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

None of the Glastonbury Legends are any more than a pale shadow of what they were imo. Paul Simon on currently, the only one who sounds just as good as he did in his prime was Tom Jones

Good watch though!

Edit Shirley Bassey still had it!


LOVING Neil Diamonds Sweet Caroline - so are the crowd!

I saw Al Green at Glastonbury in the late 90's or early 2000's. I am too young to have seen him in his prime so don't know if he was a pale shadow of his former self but he absolutely smashed it. Voice still pretty good, great energy and showmanship. Came on immaculately dressed in a white suit, throwing roses into the crowd and had everyone eating out of the palm of his hand.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

The Human League have taken it to a whole new level now. They were always very good but are now just pop perfection and one of the must see gigs

 

[m@goo]

Musicians generally get better with age at playing their instrument because of practice and experience.

But if you mean do artists produce better music with age then it's subjective isn't it. Some do, some don't IMO...

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Well, the answer is complicated.

With some acts they seem worse with time simply because what I liked when I was younger no longer interests me. Elvis Costello, and Peter Hammill for example.

As some of us agree, Arthur Lee was superb towards the end as a performer, but no new material.

Some suffer prematurely because of their health (Rory Gallacher).

Some improve with time because their early stuff was total shite (UFO - their first album is dogshit).

I watched the Bowie Glasto 2000 on catch up yesterday, and really enjoyed it, but it was a greatest hits set with his best musical collaborators, so provided the voice held up (it did) it is no real test of improvement. My favourite Bowie material is from the 60s and early 70s, but that is another reflection of my whimsy rather than any intrinsic factor such as Bowie's artistic growth.

In summary I would say it is like anything - you improve with practice, peak and then decline at a rate related to health and enthusiasm, none of this being perceived accurately by observers whose rose- or brown-tinted spectacles (and hearing aids) colour their judgement.