The Human Times #6: 
One Generation's Rebellious Icon Is Another Generation's Old Geezer...

Written By: Marianne Moro

      On June 7th of this year Queen Elizabeth will celebrate her fiftieth year of her reign, as it were. Aretha Franklin, Brian Wilson, Ozzy Osbourne (?!!!) and  pop idols from England that no one in America has heard of will perform in a celebratory concert.

In late July, the Queen's old adversaries, the Sex Pistols, average age 45, will regroup to play a one-off show to celebrate the 25th year anniversary of their "punk" Jubilee. In 1977, they played an infamous show on a boat on the Thames River. However, they will be on land this time, lest the combined weight of their expanded waistlines sink said craft.

I had no desire to see the Pistols on their Filthy Lucre Reunion tour in 1996. Basically, because I was dead broke that year. However, when I saw the friends/acquaintances who were primed to see em, I got depressed. Somehow, a bunch of paunchy, middle aged guys in the audience watching a bunch of paunchy, middle-aged guys on stage was not my idea of the sexy rock 'n' roll shows of my youth. So I stayed home and read a book.

Of course, I felt guilty about missing the shows afterwards. Anyone who complains about middle-aged rockers should shut up; should they instantly put down their guitars at age 40, put on suits and sell wingnuts door to door? Age has nothing to do with the ability to play music or entertain an audience. Blues, jazz, country and classical musicians go on till they drop, why should rock musicians be any different?

Music brings together fans of disparate ages in a more personal and connective way than other forms of entertainment.  There's nothing like experiencing something in real time; it's one thing for a 13 year old to discover a rock group that hit their zenith before they were born, or have mom constantly playing the music when she's breastfeeding them. But being there, being alive when it happens that ingrains it in you. Like the memories some people had of seeing Beatles on Ed Sullivan or seeing the headlines when they broke up. It's one thing for a 13 year old kid to exclaim "Wow! Johnny Rotten and Sid Vicious were real people?" in amazement. It's another thing for an old fart to recall, "There were no Internet simulcasts or pay per view when I was your age.  I listened to the band's final concert on the radio and could barely hear the music for the catcalls. The next day they broke up, then Sid died. Styx, Journey and disco music saturated the radio airwaves." So much for anarchy in the USA.

At one time Elvis Presley was the purveyor of all things evil. Now he's a punchline. Same for Mick Jagger, Ozzy Osbourne,  Madonna and the Pistols. In the end, everyone will be a fat, middle aged guy in a Hawaiian shirt. (Or the female equivalent.) I'm sure all the gals out there with crushes on say, Emimem or Scott Stapp from Creed refuse to believe their idols will ever get fat or play Vegas. But isn't the guy who wrote "Hope I die before I get old" still around - and being sponsored by Budweiser?

Some icons fight it, though.

Unless they're lucky - or unlucky - enough to live hard, die young and leave a good-looking leather jacketed corpse.

                                                 -30-