Are Old Rock Stars Cool?

Are Old Rock Stars Cool?

  • Yes

    Votes: 79 58.5%
  • No

    Votes: 56 41.5%

  • Total voters
    135
There are probably hundreds of examples of old rock stars who have aged with dignity. I saw Dick Dale on this PBS series on the history of rock. Old guy with long hair on the beach could still play. Maybe some martial arts mysticism tossed in. But he's a living museum, not a contemporary creative or cultural force. So he's not cool, he's not uncool, he's Cool (retired).
 
It depends on the individual musician or band. Tom Petty was cool till the moment he died. Listen to his song "Dreams of Flying". It was a recent song that's about as good as gets from him. Johnny Rotten, Jimmy Page, Billy Joel, Robert Smith, Keith Richards, David Gilmour and Elton John NEVER stopped being cool. Where as Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, Madonna, Morrissey, Roger Waters and Motley Crue were NEVER EVER cool. I am certain of this. Especially when it comes to Motley Crue, they were never cool.
 
Only ones with any talent, A few exceptions, Not many. Actually played there instruments and recorded in person in a studio.
 
Linda Ronstadt will always be the coolest of the cool, even though she has lost the ability to sing.
I don't know if he is Rock and Roll, but when I saw Smokey Robinson just a few years ago, this guy brought the house down. He was wonderful.
 
This thread has really been bothering me as of late...esp that word "cool" in reference to an aging rocker.

Does "cool" mean they still look good? They can carry off the material pretty much as they did in their heyday? Can they still keep up with the antics as they used to? Are they updating their stuff or staying with the old? Can they still play the difficult passages/riffs? Is there still an air of sophistication about them? Can they still hold the audience?

I've only seen a few who can still hit the high notes or have that command of the music that they used to. Mind you to play to a crowd is a lot more difficult to pull it off compared to the studio result for most.

The bands seem to be able to do better than the individual as the focus is tighter on the latter.

Q
 
This thread has really been bothering me as of late...esp that word "cool" in reference to an aging rocker.

Does "cool" mean they still look good? They can carry off the material pretty much as they did in their heyday? Can they still keep up with the antics as they used to? Are they updating their stuff or staying with the old? Can they still play the difficult passages/riffs? Is there still an air of sophistication about them? Can they still hold the audience?
Well ... one odd thing I used to do as a teen was many times when I got drunk at a party - and happened to be chatting away with some new girl I met - I would just mention my dad and how cool he was. I mean I didn't go on and on about it but it came up and they kinda thought it was cool that I thought my dad was cool I guess.

And my dad was like the dad on the Wonder Years, completely Old School. So "cool" is a vague vibe. He wasn't trying to be my pal and one time my mom pressured him into growing sideburns and he hated them. Dunno - cool is cool is cool.
 
Well ... one odd thing I used to do as a teen was many times when I got drunk at a party - and happened to be chatting away with some new girl I met - I would just mention my dad and how cool he was. I mean I didn't go on and on about it but it came up and they kinda thought it was cool that I thought my dad was cool I guess.

And my dad was like the dad on the Wonder Years, completely Old School. So "cool" is a vague vibe. He wasn't trying to be my pal and one time my mom pressured him into growing sideburns and he hated them. Dunno - cool is cool is cool.


You were exceptionally lucky. Enjoy the memories. Sounds like he was a great "template" to follow.

Q
 
Some folks age well & some don't. Musicians, athletes, actors, politicians, etc..... people is people.
Mick Jagger still amazes tho... don't know how he can still do his deal at his age & the lifestyle he lived.
 
Some folks age well & some don't. Musicians, athletes, actors, politicians, etc..... people is people.
Mick Jagger still amazes tho... don't know how he can still do his deal at his age & the lifestyle he lived.
Well, I don't think Jagger is cool any more, I think he's mostly creepy ...
tho Keith Richard is cool!
 
Saw Chuck Berry doing the duck walk when he was in his sixties with me in my twenties. I already had a bad knee. He had the audience in the palm of his hand. It was very cool.

Saw Bob Dylan last year, after his nomination. He was energetic, and having fun, but still very cool.

Marshall Tucker got too drunk to keep playing, and let his band finish up. Not cool.

Kenny Rogers' recent performance was so low key that it seemed unfair to charge for tickets.

My Yes vote meant that old rock stars Can Be cool, not that all necessarily are...
 
Marshall Tucker got too drunk to keep playing, and let his band finish up. Not cool.
Very cool - but, much like Lynrd Skynerd, there is no "Marshall Tucker" in the Marshall Tucker band ...
tho I did like the first couple albums a lot, back in the 70s! ;)
 
Neil Young, Clapton, Jimmy Buffet, and Dave Mason are old and still cool but many geezers (I'm one too) sound and look foolish whenever they try to recapture the excitement of their misspent youth.

But, generally, I agree with Grace Slick who said, "All rock-and-rollers over the age of 50 look stupid and should retire."
 
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I voted no, but I have an exception

John Mayall

I saw him live prior to the pandemic, he was over 80. He and his band played a great set. When encouraged by the crowd to play some oldies - he said: No, you didn't come her to hear an old record. So he continued to play recent / new stuff.

Now that was cool.

375px-John_Mayall_1.jpg
 
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