Posted on 07/24/2012 5:11:25 PM PDT by mojito
So it’s official: The Rolling Bones – I mean, Stones — have turned 50. Can 50 really be so bad? Well, that all depends on who you are. To celebrate the “50th Anniversary” of the Rolling Stones, as the media have cautiously been doing, is really just a polite way of saying that Mick Jagger, Keith Richards & co. will turn 70 next year. And 70, in the context of “the world’s greatest rock ‘n’ roll band,” sounds deadly. Grotesque. A car-crash you not only don’t want to rubberneck, you want to turn around and drive away from it at maximum speed in the opposite direction.
You can chalk that reaction up to the Stones having once been global ambassadors for youth culture. It’s also an unfortunate side-effect of the historical resilience of their uniquely powerful, raunchy, amoral, decadent, sex-drenched aura. While their fellow ’60’s idol, Bob Dylan, embraced geezerhood and mortality a good 20 years ago, wrapping it around himself in song after song, sucking it into his eyes and flesh as if to conquer it before it conquers him, no rockers have been as successful as the Stones at deflecting attention from just how old they are, and how old they have been, for so long. And now this “50th Anniversary” thing turns up like the Grim Reaper in a smiley mask to strip away the last vestiges of pretence. For the Stones, to cite the beautiful opening line of “As Tears Go By” (allegedly the first song Jagger and Richards wrote together), “It” (finally!) – “is the evening of the day.”
(Excerpt) Read more at pjmedia.com ...
I watched a special about them recently. They were, and are, an amazing band, especially when you realize they had the best drummer (Keith Moon), best bass player (John Entwistle), and one of the best guitarists in Rock history (Townsend). Roger is one heck of a fine singer, too.
In terms of music quality, they are probably the 2nd best all around "rock" band of all time.
“His autobiography “Life” was one of the best reads I’ve had in years.”
I read the book and was pleasantly surprised. Like you, I changed my opinion of him.
Watch their 1970 concert at the Isle of Wight, just amazing. Still get a kick out of Ox’s skeleton outfit....just watching Moonie alone was worth the price of admission.
Who thought that Keith Richards or Ginger Baker would survive the ‘70s? Poster boys for the health benefits of drug abuse.
I do love the skeleton costume!
And Peel may have been right (he was referring to the British version of the LP, still unavailable here.)
I want to Stones to get their wheelchairs back in the studio, invite Bobby Keys and the boogie woogie piano player from Charlie's current band ABC & D of Boogie Woogie Axel Zwingenberger, and record an R&B album, their own or other people's tunes, but R'n'B, none of that second hand disco, reggae and hip hop.
Folks can criticize the Rolling Stones for having stayed in the rock and roll game for so very long, but what they may not realize is that the Stones patterned themselves on the old blues greats and their culture.
Part of that musical culture is the concept that one follows the minstrel path for life. It’s not about pop culture, or staying on top with record sales. It’s a commitment to the craft, and the life. Even better, if you can really make a living at it.
Look at most of the blues greats of the 20th century, and you’ll see the exact same pattern. Those men and women sang and played until their dying days - despite the fact that all of their stars had long since passed their zenith.
It’s the way of the minstrel.
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