Smoking was everywhere and everyone’s parents did it. Every kid would’ve sucked up clouds of it secondhand before they chose to shove that first one between their teenaged lips. There was smoke in elevators, stores, waiting rooms, offices, restaurants – everywhere. Mad Men doesn’t even get you close. (Plus, kiddies could get their own ciggies from machines.) And the drugs – they weren’t bad, in fact, they were the path to enlightenment. Bands and record labels built cocaine into their budgets. (In 1972, Black Sabbath spent $75K on coke; their album at the time cost $60K.) Weed and a bump were the new martini.
And then the music: Also peak classic.
Sorry you missed all that. Well, firsthand at least. You’d be forgiven for thinking that it never went away. Because it didn’t.
More bad news: However aged and decrepit those Baby Boomer acts have become, however many times your parents wanted to relive their teen years on their iPods, most of those acts are still working. Their hips may be plastic but the silver they’re still chasing. (Did no one save up for retirement?) And, now they’re coming to your town (or state, for you hillbillies). Many are promising these to be their final tours. Many are in their 70’s (Mick J is 75; Paul McC is 76) but don’t hold your breath. These coffin dodgers could be back again. And again.
A list of acts recently, currently, or soon to be on tour:
- The Rolling Stones
- Eric Clapton
- The Outlaws
- King Crimson
- Kiss
- Genesis
- Pink Floyd
- Roger Waters, Us + Them Tour
- Yes (50th Anniversary Tour!)
- Eddie Money
- Uriah Heep (!)
- Deep Purple
- Fleetwood Mac
- Peter Frampton
- Steve Winwood
- Queen
- Dead and Company (?)
- Paul McCartney
- REO Speedwagon
- Moody Blues
- Hootie and the Blowfish
- Hall and Oates
- Jefferson Starship
- The Pretty Things
- Gang of Four
- Aerosmith
- Styx
- U2
- The Cure
- Judas Priest
- Journey
- ZZ Top
- Bon Jovi
- Ratt
- Journey
- Ted Nugent
- Bob Seger
- Blue Öyster Cult
- Def Leppard
- Poison
- Salt N Papa
- Iron Maiden
- Metallica
- Naughty By Nature
- Dave Matthews
- Bonnie Raitt
- Megadeth
- The Monkees (!)
- The Beach Boys (!)
- Jethro Tull
- Electric Light Orchestra
- Cheap Trick
- Kansas
- Joe Walsh
- Roger Daltrey (playing Tommy)
- Scorpions
- AC/DC with Axl Rose
- Golden Earring
- Ozzy Osbourne
- Foghat
- The Crazy World of Arthur Brown (!)
- Savoy Brown
- Elton John
- Cher
- Jackson Browne
- Smokey Robinson
- Diana Ross
- Kool and the Gang
- Mariah Carey
- Earth, Wind, and Fire (!)
- George Clinton, Parliament Funkadelic
- and endless more...
Google anyone from the 70’s (or 60’s): It’s hard to find anyone who isn’t touring. Literally – I think Rush was the only band I could find that wasn’t. Some, like The Kinks, are still pending. David Lee Roth has been drooling over the prospects of another tour. Sadly, many of these bands are little more than effigies or placeholders. Most, and in many cases all, of the original members are dead or indifferent: The Beach Boys, Foghat, Journey, Earth, Wind, and Fire, The Monkees – time hasn’t been kind.
I remember reading interviews with Jagger from the 70’s talking about his dread for the idea of singing Satisfaction 20 years into the future. (He would’ve never dreamed of still being at it after 40.) Guess which song The Stones close with?
No age shaming here. I support geezers. But, Satisfaction at 75? Blasphemy.
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