Hope Halloween was fun for you all. I had a great weekend. Like I said, it's just so much fun dressing up in crazy costumes. I think some of the best ones I saw were: dixie cups, a man in a shower, mario kart players and a pregnant male nun. Good choices, all really well done. What were some of the crazy costumes you saw this weekend? Anyways, on to the post!
gratuitous photo: my roommate and I on Halloween
Rock N Roll is timeless... but perhaps the same can not be said for the participants of the scene. We all hear the term "they're past their prime", talking about bands like a piece of meat or something. Personally, I think there is a point in time where artists need to give it up. Rock N Roll performance seems to have a biological clock all its own. I'm all for the love of music, but I can definitely name a few acts who need to call it quits!
Performance wise, it can be slightly awkward to watch an aged act on stage. Some bands can still do a great job, but for the most part, its just uncomfortable. Rock exudes energy like no other genre, its driven, fast and aggressive. So if you take away the artists ability to perform it the same way, sometimes the sparkle just isn't there. Am I right? As long as you can keep up with your music, go for it. Once you're playing double time and standing still, maybe its time to consider some changes (maybe try a new sound or quit while you're ahead).
Another thing that drives me crazy is bands who stick around for the cash flow. I wont name names, but if you hate each other, maybe its best to forgo the cheques and give it up. Music is about passion, if you can't stand your band mates, it must be very difficult to be passionate about writing. If you have to tour on separate buses so you don't kill each other, or record on entirely different days, sending out emails for communication... stop. Oh... and DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT try to make a fortune in farewell tours. One big bang of tour dates and thats it, if you must.
A third sign that it may be time to quit... you're working with only one or two original members and still going by the same name. Guns N Roses, I love you but you are no longer Guns N Roses. You are Axl Rose and some other talented musicians... but not GNR.
Finally, stop raising ticket prices because you're now "classic" rock. I would LOVE to see some of the older acts in concert if given the chance, but I can rarely even fathom this idea due to ticket costs. I mean, over $200 for a few hours of entertainment? You had better be the original Beatles lineup for that cost to see one act. I would only even consider that price for a festival show, and even then it would have to be a once in a lifetime lineup. Point is, you kill your fan base by charging so much. The tickets are unaccessible and it frustrates people. Be nice, consider that your fans are typically middle class workers who know the value of a dollar.
The point is, do it for the love but dont feel pressured to spend your entire life in the industry. Work hard, have a good time, make some incredible memories, then retire or move into another aspect of the industry. This clearly doesn't apply to ALL artists, as there are definitely some incredible older acts still roaming the concert circuit, but if you fall into at least two of the above categories, please seriously reconsider the continuation of your career.
(original source unknown)
What do you think? Agree, disagree? I'm open minded and I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Rock On!
- Girl At The Rock Show
Song of the Day: My Generation by The Who
