# Rock stars are dying (interesting article)



## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

The coming death of just about every rock legend

Rock may not be dead but there is a reckoning occurring.


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)




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## SaucyJack (Mar 8, 2017)

All those guys got famous about the same time so it makes sense.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Jerry Lee Lewis is 83.
Little Richard is 86.
John Mayall is 85.
Ian Hunter is 80.
Jeff Beck is 75.
Peter Green is 72.


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## CathodeRay (Jan 12, 2018)

The article sets up a couple of interesting questions for me-

Who do you _already_ miss most & why?
Who _will_ you miss most & why?
If there are any contributions, I'll make one too.


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## Blind Dog (Mar 4, 2016)

CathodeRay said:


> The article sets up a couple of interesting questions for me-
> 
> Who do you _already_ miss most & why?
> Who _will_ you miss most & why?
> If there are any contributions, I'll make one too.


1. Willie (imo made country cool & core values)
2. Willie & Keith (been _buzz_ buddies for 50 years)

Stan Rogers, Harry Chapin, Jim Croce, Graham Parsons, SRV, Ray Charles, and JL have already taught me a little 'bout the blues.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

It's just basic math. If you were breakimg into the scene as a 20 year old, at the end of classic rock era in 1979 you're 60 years old now. From 60 years on, people start dying.

Old people die, and rock n roll is old.


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)




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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

cboutilier said:


> It's just basic math. If you were breakimg into the scene as a 20 year old, at the end of classic rock era in 1979 you're 60 years old now. From 60 years on, people start dying.
> 
> Old people die, and rock n roll is old.


Rock and Roll will never be old. 


CathodeRay said:


> The article sets up a couple of interesting questions for me-
> 
> Who do you _already_ miss most & why?
> Who _will_ you miss most & why?
> If there are any contributions, I'll make one too.


No one. If I like them their music is always available to listen to. 

What gets me is you don't hear too much about the ones still living other than, "He/she's over 70, why are they still singin/playing etc.. They should pack it in.".


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## reckless toboggan (Mar 9, 2019)

cboutilier said:


> Old people die, and rock n roll is old.


They say the heart of rock and roll is still beating. And from what I've seen I believe them. Now the old boy may be barely breathing. But the heart of rock and roll,... heart of rock and roll,... is still beating.


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## fretboard (May 31, 2006)

Miss the most? Jerry Garcia.

No debate, no introspective thought necessary. Dude had more pull over me than the moon and the stars - we planned our wedding around Grateful Dead fall tour dates, dropped more than a couple university classes for spring tour dates... Post-Jerry I have hung and vacationed with multiple rock stars - even his old bandmates for that old Grateful Dead-fix, but the one person I would want to wake up and know was still alive somewhere is Jerome J. Garcia.

I am in a bummer of a health situation myself currently, so I am not comfortable naming the one musician alive who might affect me to a similar degree. I am not too subtle to mention that I will be listening to Live Rust this afternoon...


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

The most recent interview on Marc Maron's WTF podcast was with 83 year-old Buddy Guy ( Episode 1049 - Buddy Guy — WTF with Marc Maron Podcast ). One of those fellas who one can justifiably call "83 years young". Honestly, you listen to him and you'd swear Keith Richard was a decade _older_ than Guy, rather than the reverse.


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## jayoldschool (Sep 12, 2013)

fretboard said:


> Miss the most? Jerry Garcia.
> 
> No debate, no introspective thought necessary. Dude had more pull over me than the moon and the stars - we planned our wedding around Grateful Dead fall tour dates, dropped more than a couple university classes for spring tour dates... Post-Jerry I have hung and vacationed with multiple rock stars - even his old bandmates for that old Grateful Dead-fix, but the one person I would want to wake up and know was still alive somewhere is Jerome J. Garcia.
> 
> I am in a bummer of a health situation myself currently, so I am not comfortable naming the one musician alive who might affect me to a similar degree. I am not too subtle to mention that I will be listening to Live Rust this afternoon...


Bear with me... I was never a dead head. I was probably too young, just by a bit (graduated '91) and didn't have a friend that dragged me in (like my buddy did with Dylan). I really liked Touch of Grey, probably from the heavy video rotation. I knew their stuff, though, and always respected it. Here's my Jerry story. I was lying on the beach, in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. Listening to WBLM on my Panasonic cassette radio. The DJ came on, mid song, stopping the music. He related the news of Garcia's passing. He started playing the Dead, and it continued all day. I sat there on the beach, watching the waves, until the sun went down behind me, exploring, discovering, singing, and wishing.


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## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

cboutilier said:


> Old people die, and rock n roll is old.


happens even in the best of families .


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Not the best of the Dead and not the worst. 




and somewhere there's a 13 year old kid, beat up guitar in hand and

G C

If my words did glow with the gold of sunshine

C G

And my tunes were played on the harp unstrung

G C 

Would you hear my voice come through the music

C G D C G 

Would you hold it near as it were your own?
on his computer. Probably played and sang it 100 times and will play and sing it a lot more......then go find a drummer.
The legend lives on and Rock and Roll won't die.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I’m sorry to say it, but most of these guys SHOULD retire from live performance.

Public appearances and interviews are fine, maybe some guest spots on other people’s albums, but sometimes it just gets sad and pathetic seeing artists who are obviously desperately trying to keep it going.

He’s not a rocker, but a classic example is Gordon Lightfoot.

He’s a legend, a brilliant talent and he now sounds like a very frail old man. I had to change the channel. It was pitiful to watch.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

A lot of these guys don't really have anything else to do, and I imagine don't have much in the way of pension or retirement savings. In some instances, I imagine there are alimony and other support payments to make. Then there are the cases like the late Leonard Cohen whose incessant late-life touring was prompted by thieving management and personal bankruptcy.


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## fretboard (May 31, 2006)

While I would agree there are plenty of veteran rockers with limited financial outlooks, one of the guys that I know personally I would say seems to have a bit of a game plan in place to get through his retirement. Be it book signings or selling off some of his gear, he'll probably do alright for his family when all is said and done.

A Boutique Selection from the Geddy Lee Guitar Collection at Las Vegas 2019

I get what you're saying about Gord, Milkman. I find Don Cherry now reminds me of the last 2 seasons of John Madden calling NFL games.


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## Hammerhands (Dec 19, 2016)

You can still make great music as a frail old man.


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## Blind Dog (Mar 4, 2016)

Or woman.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Rock stars are dying? How can this be news?

No the headline: "Rock stars are not dying!" ---------- now that's news. Hell, even the rumor of them selling their soul to the devil is enticing enough to be reiterated more than once.


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## fretboard (May 31, 2006)

I see what you did there, Jayoldschool…

Obviously a deadhead would get the "Old Orchard Beach, Maine" reference - since the Jerry Garcia Band played the Seashore Performing Arts Center in Sept '89 (with Bob Weir opening). Well played.

I was at work that day and answered my phone to a buddy stalling to tell me what he had just heard - he just kept saying he didn't want to be one to tell me. While I was telling him to just say whatever was on his mind - my coworker beside me was on her phone and staring at me not saying a word while tears were trickling out. I hung up from my buddy to help her - figuring someone in her family had died. Her tears were for me. I covered for her when she went on vacation and she covered for me while I was on Dead Tour (I had been to Chicago to see them a month earlier).

The day before, I had gotten to work late because I had to line up at the post office to ensure they date stamped my envelope to Grateful Dead Ticketing Service. I had to mail off my money order for the two final shows of their Fall '95 tour, at the Skydome. Shows that I could have slept in my own bed after - not a hotel in Albany or Detroit or any other road trip city - but shows I could leave and be home from in 30 minutes. I got my envelope and uncashed money order back a couple weeks later. GDTS already had their Boston Garden tickets printed so folks that mail ordered for those shows got their tickets to shows that never happened along with their uncashed money orders. Toronto being the tour closer shows hadn't been printed yet so no final keepsake in those returned envelopes. 

PM me if you want me to see if I have that Old Orchard Beach JGB show on CD or would just like some live GD to listen to. I get the point you made about having to have someone help you along with them - they aren't a band that studio albums or radio friendly tunes will give much of a picture of. If not, I appreciate the Jerry memory.


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## BSTheTech (Sep 30, 2015)

Just turned 70.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

BSTheTech said:


> Just turned 70.
> 
> View attachment 269334


And they're nearly 20 years after the first wave of rock.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

Losing Malcolm Young was sad as was David Bowie. 

Both uniquely talented individuals. I miss them both dearly.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

BSTheTech said:


> Just turned 70.
> 
> View attachment 269334


We all know why he’s still around the biz. $$$$ that’s it, that’s all. He is such a pompous egomaniac. Money is his god and Paul Stanley’s too.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Miss the most?

Maybe Chris Squire, Aretha Franklin? There have been so many. Bowie. George Harrison. John Lennon. Chet Atkins.

Who _will_ I miss? 

Gilmour, Beck, May. Ringo.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

I read about that situation a while back. I can’t even imagine my world with no EVH, Angus, Cliff Williams so many getting up there in age. I don’t even want to think about it. I need to live in the “now” ppl. Mindfulness.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Well the death rate is one per person.

(Although some may get an exception)


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

Milkman said:


> I’m sorry to say it, but most of these guys SHOULD retire from live performance.
> 
> Public appearances and interviews are fine, maybe some guest spots on other people’s albums, but sometimes it just gets sad and pathetic seeing artists who are obviously desperately trying to keep it going.
> 
> ...


But what else do you honestly think Angus would say? He will never retire because he doesn’t have anything else that he wants to do. Rock n roll is his life and he still plays amazingly. Look at EVH there in the same boat. When you have a passion so fierce would you give up what love to do? You do it until you die or physically are restricted in such a way that you can no longer perform. I know I wouldn’t. If I could still perform then why TF not?


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

Yup. BB King to the end, Johnny Winter ..


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

laristotle said:


> Yup. BB King to the end, Johnny Winter ..


I really loved Johnny. One of my rock n roll idols when I was 13. He was such a talent. I liked him better than BB.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

zontar said:


> Well the death rate is one per person.
> 
> (Although some may get an exception)


Keith Richards comes to mind!


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Keef's parents live to 85 (day) and 91 (mum) on your standard bangers and mashed type diet. Must be good genes.


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