[Music] Do musicians get better with age?

20 ton megalith · Jun 27, 2020

Do musicians get better with age? The late David Bowie (69) Blackstar, Bruce Springsteen (70) Western Stars, Bob Dylan (79) Rough and Rowdy Ways and the late Leonard Cohen (82) You want it darker. They were all getting on a bit when they made them, but IMHO four brilliant albums. If you’re into this sort of thing they’re well worth a listen.

Biscuit Barrel · Jun 27, 2020

Adele's 21 album was better than her 19 album.

Trevor · Jun 27, 2020

I think good musicians don't lose fans so no I don't think they get better. I reckon the best albums for those 4 would be

Bowie - Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders From Mars (1972)
Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited (1965)
Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen (1968) - I'm no way an authority but I love his voice
Springsteen - Nebraska for me (1982) - Plenty would disagree I know

The four you mention are great. The Bowie album is genuinely good and was an enexpected last gift. In the case of Dylan, his voice is buggered, He can scarcely play an instrument (suspect severe arthritis), but his gift with words is undimmed - I was delighted when Murder Most Fould came out and I'm delighting in the new album. Springsteen I think will not release any bad stuff ever - I think he would retire if he felt he couldn't do it justice

Super Steve Earle · Jun 27, 2020

The Prodigal Son by Ry Cooder. 71 when it was released a couple of years ago. One of his finest.

Sheebo · Jun 27, 2020

I feel like my karaoke has got marginally better over t he years so it’s a yes from me.

Herr Tubthumper · Jun 28, 2020

Muhammed - I’m hard - Bruce Lee · Jun 28, 2020

20 ton megalith said:
Do musicians get better with age? The late David Bowie (69) Blackstar, Bruce Springsteen (70) Western Stars, Bob Dylan (79) Rough and Rowdy Ways and the late Leonard Cohen (82) You want it darker. They were all getting on a bit when they made them, but IMHO four brilliant albums. If you’re into this sort of thing they’re well worth a listen.

Nah.....early Bowie wipes the floor with anything he did in his later career.
Listen to cygnet committee from 1969. Immense
In my opinion of course

Icy Gull · Jun 28, 2020

The only one that I can think of who got better with age was Leonard Cohen. Pretty well everyone else I can think of did their best stuff decades ago, even Neil Young.

Probably to do with the arrangements and backing singers but this is almost a happy Laughing Len rather than the one who was tailor made to slit your wrists to back in the 60’s and 70’s :smile:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM7vULqs31Q

DavidinSouthampton · Jun 28, 2020

Muhammed (im hard) Bruce Lee said:
Nah.....early Bowie wipes the floor with anything he did in his later career.
Listen to cygnet committee from 1969. Immense
In my opinion of course

In your opinion of course. I think Blackstar was as good as anything else he ever did. I bought it after reading the reviews and thought it superb, and that was before his death was announced. But it is very different, and I positively like the difference,

NooBHA · Jun 28, 2020

Herr Tubthumper said:
No.

Looks like someone told him to get some direct sunlight during the Lockdown by opening a window.

Sadly looks like he like he just stuck his head through the blinds

Peteinblack · Jun 28, 2020

Muhammed (im hard) Bruce Lee said:
Nah.....early Bowie wipes the floor with anything he did in his later career.
Listen to cygnet committee from 1969. Immense
In my opinion of course

Cygnet Committee has always been one of my fave Bowie tracks, an absolute beast of a song, yet because it was pre-Ziggy, it has always been overlooked.

Peteinblack · Jun 28, 2020

In terms of bands, rather than individual artists, I'd definitely say that four of my favourites from the 1980s have actually released some of their best albums in the last decade: Killing Joke, Wire, Half Man Half Biscuit, and Blancmange.

Oh, and Black Sabbath's final studio album, 13, was up their with their early material, both lyrically and in terms of Tony Iommi's brilliant sludgy doomy riffs.

Also, the last Sparks album Hippopotamus, was as good and as fresh or original as their 1970s material.

zefarelly · Jun 28, 2020

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

Surf's Up · Jun 28, 2020

No - in terms of both looks and playing!!!

Randy McNob · Jun 28, 2020

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

Hampster Gull · Jun 28, 2020

Herr Tubthumper said:
No.

Don’t do drugs kids

Herr Tubthumper · Jun 28, 2020

Randy McNob said:
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

I get your point, but Horses for courses I’d say. I could name a number of bands who never evolved and ceased to become relevant which were, imho, brilliant because of this. And whilst I enjoy acts because they push the creative envelope I equally like some because I enjoy holding a beer in my hand and seeing and hearing them knocking out some great tunes. This helps me do things like see Yves Tumor and Def Leppard in the same week; both were great for completely different reasons.

How you receive and appreciate art is effected by so many things that one reason to like a band can be the reason to dislike another.

Tom Hark Preston Park · Jun 28, 2020

Up to the age of 27, yes. Then they tend to kick on or clock off

Klaas · Jun 28, 2020

Deleted member 37369 · Jun 28, 2020

zefarelly said:
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.

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!

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[Music] Do musicians get better with age?

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