guidothepimmp wrote:
As is chuck berry.. Watched a programme where chuck was jamming because of some award and while he had his cherry red gibson with his fender amp.. His playing was shocking.. Missed notes, half bends, sometimes lost the timing..
Obviously it is related to his age but comparinghis johnny b goode back in his heyday, to his johnny b goode today, well you can't really..
Hendrix I am sure would be the same.. Age will result in physical limitations will limit your playing.. I fear angus young will be the same soon, there is only much bopping during a show you can do..
I resist the notion that age impedes performance. OK... things like Arthritis can be a problem, but age by itself is not. Doc Watson was still on it right up until the end. I saw Danny Thompson playing live in the year that he turned 70. He looked a little frail getting out on stage (he's had a stroke and has a pacemaker) but there was absolutely nothing wrong with his playing and his performance on the night was wonderful.
Yes... Danny probably doesn't do the duck walk with the same agility he once did, nor does he lay his bass down and stand on the side and keep on playing (he plays double bass, not bass guitar) but that gets a bit ridiculous anyway.
I saw Norma Waterson when she was not in good physical shape. She had to be helped onto the stage and sat down for the actual performance, but that performance was superb.
I just Googled... Martin Carthy was 67 when I saw him. Stupendous gig. If I ever see better I will die a happy man indeed.
What does happen to the male performers, and I think this is unavoidable, is that they lose some of their vocal range. Though that's variable too. Think back to the Jubilee concert. Paul McCartney, on the evidence of that show, has very little left, but Tom Jones' voice is still in pretty good shape. Paul Simon, on recent evidence, has lost his high end, but otherwise is still singing pretty well. Even a properly trained singer like Pavarotti lost some of his power and range towards the end.
