It used to be that a rock star was past it at 50, then 60, now mid-70s appears to be the time they should really hang up touring. Touring, yes, but by their 50s recording becomes a hassle.
And that is to be kind.
Look at Springsteen, by his second album he was King Of The world and by his 7th (1987), well, whatever he did after Tunnel Of Love, we could never agree upon him the same. As far as his live shows is concerned, I thought he peaked in 2010 and his current penchant for four hour shows should be really stopped. It is like menopause.
But it is true of all musicians. true of everyone. The rule of thumb appears to be musicians peak in their 30s and then go down hill except for live where they can continue. But it is like men hitting their sexual prime at the age of 17/ There is just an age, 22 to 29 -call it the Beatle age, that seems perfect for creating music and after that? well, either you have a back catalog or you never ever get one.
From Jay-Z to Julian Casablancas, Weezy to Kweezy, there is just that moment where everything is in its right place and then its over. Hell, it is true of Radiohead.
This is a form of infinite regression and an aphorism, people lose their faculties as they decay and degrade on the way to death. We are all the same. We are all turning and turning and getting worse and getting worse. Now from the teen to the 50s, maybe some aspects go up and down a little, but by the time we hit our 70s, as musicians, even as writers, we have lots too much to seriously sustain it.
This comes to mind because the Strokes album, well, I haven't really decided about it but one thing is for absolute certain: Room on Fire was better. Listening and watching the Strokes today is a little depressing. Watching Bb King and Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis is somewhat on the devastating side.
There is no reason for these artists to put themselves through it EVEN IF THEY WANT TO DO IT THEMSELVES. Even if it is pride not money, why should BB King be allowed to go on stage and have a long senior moment? Nothing is added to the legend, nothing i improved upon. When Ray Charles played at the end of his life he was dreadful. And if Aretha Franklin is truly great now at 71 (stinks on record but…) how will she be in a decade?
As James Brown once put it, and very well as well, money won't change you but time will take you out. We are all living longer and wide awake and watching the infinite regression of rock stars.