At 40, life's icons begin to disappear

Independence Institute ^ | 9/13/05 | Jon Caldera

[Clemenza]

Old fart! ;-)

Actually, I turn 30 next April. I can remember when my mom turned 30 (the day John Lennon was shot). That scares me.

[Millee]

I wish! Had it so easy back then. ;-)

[cripplecreek]

My wife is 30 so we have different memories.

[LibWrangler]

Definitely the first TV generation, which seems to believe their lives are one giant soap opera. They thrive on drama.

[RockinRight]

I'm 28-grew up on the tailfeather end of the hair band era. I was 11 in 1988 as I discovered bands like Dokken, Skid Row etc...and love them to this day.

[Protagoras]

I just turned 41 myself.

It must be great to be a kid. :^}

[lugsoul]

My comparison would be to today's rock bands - who, by and large, blow these hair band guys away in terms of musical talent. Even the bands I don't really like, because of style, genre, whatever - are much better musicians than most of the 80s hair bands. None of those guys could even be a guitar tech in a band like QOTSA.

Comparing them to Snoop or Kanye isn't much of a comparison, since those guys aren't musicians.

[RockinRight]

Yes...Aqua Net was responsible for...

[RockinRight]

I was a bit young and was on the tail end...however floating around my mother's "junk room" is a picture of ME, at age 12, with long Aqua Net hair...yes my mother just LOVED that...lol...(yes I am male...) I was in the "I want to be a rock star" phase.

[PaulaB]

:) You have a good mother

Looking through your pics...
I think I saw all of those guys in concert in my hay days ;)

[RockinRight]

I've seen Ratt and Poison both multiple times. Poison to this day puts on an amazing show.

[JJR RNCH]

Please add me to the Xer Ping.

[RockinRight]

You're damn right they had talent! They might not have been musically innovative, but they could PLAY their instruments better than the crapola fests today.

Ever seen someone like Mike Mushok (of Staind) do a guitar solo like those bands did? They PLAYED, these newer guys STRUM...

[Melas]

I'll be 42 next month, and truer words were never written.

[PaulaB]

Some great concerts in the 80's

Live Wire-Motely Crue 1988
Poison with David Lee Roth-1988
Whitesnake (Slide it In album)/Aerosmith
Great White/Whitesnake
Damn Yankees with Bad Company (that was AWESOME)

still trying to think of more ;)

[RockinRight]

Yes I remember when Def Lep didn't suck!!!

Their last 4 albums have blown chunks but from On Through the Night right up to Hysteria they rocked.

[RockinRight]

I didn't get to do the concertgoing thing that long ago...Mom wasn't up for that...but I did watch the Monsters of Rock show from across the street (well couldn't see it but could certainly hear it!) at the Akron Rubber Bowl in June of '88!!

[Born Conservative]

I just turned 42 this summer. One of the most profound influences on me was that of the Jimmy Carter presidency. Remembering back to extremely high interest rates, high gas prices, and high unemployment, I can safely say that I will NEVER vote for a liberal for ANY office.

[PaulaB]

Their last 4 albums have blown chunks but from On Through the Night right up to Hysteria they rocked.

So true!!!!!!

[RockinRight]

My favorite song is "Bringin on the Heartbreak" with the instrumental "Switch 625" after it.