Ten Bands That Should Retire

[westen44]

I've always thought that bands, and people in general, should retire whenever they felt like it, not when someone else told them to.  Still, it's hard to refute many of the points this guy makes. 

[morrow]

The last time I saw George Jones , it was pretty clear that he wasn't up to his old stuff. He came around once after that , but I didn't go because I just wanted the old memories of him live.

[Dave W]

I had no idea that most of those were still touring.

"Bob Dylan doesn't sing, he recites." Hasn't that always been the case?

[slinkp]

Despite being a huge Entwistle fan - he had a huge impact on me as a young bassist - I don't agree the Who (or "The Two") should have retired after Entwistle died. They did some quite good shows on the Endless Wire tour, though it was a very uneven album. The 2019 "Who" album was pretty decent too.  But sometime in the last few years I agree they've really run out of steam as a live group.
That 2010 Super Bowl performance was dreadful.

[gearHed289]

While I do agree that people should retire when they want to, I've been thinking about this topic a lot over the past couple of years. I usually name AC/DC, Aerosmith, the Stones, Metallica, Yes, and GnR.

[uwe]

I have no issues with people doing gigs as long as they like as long as they're having fun doing it and the audience appreciates what they see/hear. Some of Picasso's best work was done shortly before his death - music isn't sports. And if you can't hit the high notes anymore, change the key, so what.

The way The Who's music has changed since first Moon and then Entwistle died, sometimes makes me wonder to how committed Townshend and Daltrey were to having such a rambunctious rhythm section in the first place. My impression is they had outgrown it and wanted everything 'neater'  - both Daltrey's and Townshend's solo albums have run of the mill, subdued rhythm sections. Would there have been a place for Keith and John in the band in the long run or would there have been pressure on them to accommodate their style as Townshend's music became more introspective and less riff-oriented? The last Who records with the original line-up, By Numbers and Who Are You, saw drums and bass already less upfront and somewhat relegated.

[westen44]

Like I said, I'm often the one saying people have no right telling other people when to retire.  That can even be a form of meddling.  But the guy who posted that video affected me in a way I wasn't expecting.  He made some points I wouldn't even know how to respond to about some of those bands.  Also, in some cases his dry sense of humor was unexpectedly amusing me.  When someone gets on the Internet and starts insisting that certain bands must retire, that can become annoying.  But I felt the guy who did this video wasn't much like that at all.  He was able to make a solid case without getting on anyone's nerves. 

[Basvarken]

A colleague of mine was telling about the ABBA show he saw in London.
The hologram show. And I believe him if he says it's an impressive experience.

I'm pretty sure many of the above mentioned bands will set up some kind of hologram show too in the near future. They can stay in their elderly homes and go on tour virtually. As their best looking younger avatars.
The first band to do this will of course be Kiss. Stones will be next. Mark my words!
The future of rock n roll...

[TBird1958]

Lynyrd Skynyrd....Just stop please. 

[uwe]

Because almost no one from the original band is still alive (just Gary Rossington if you leave Ricky Medlocke out who played drums - not guitar -  early on with Skynyrd)? I never saw them with Ronnie, only with his sibling. One gig - as a double-headliner with Purple in 2003 - was great.



The other, on the German leg of their more recent farewell tour, sounded a bit tired (but it might have been an off night) and they suffered from a way too small PA system in a too large hall, which they had to turn up beyond what it could reasonably take, sounding shrill and painful in consequence. My impression though is that they have concluded their touring life in any case, haven't they?

I'm always a bit surprised at how their political views changed. From a band that campaigned for Jimmy Carter (with Ronnie at the helm) to one that campaigned for George W Bush (fronted by Johnny). They did, however, balk at the inauguration of a more recent former President and also didn't like to be part of a campaign video.

https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/lynyrd-skynyrd-reject-free-bird-video-trump-golf-course-8532917/

And they did away with the Confederate Battle Flag (still lavishly flaunted in 2003) 'already' in 2012 (deeming it to have been "hijacked by the wrong people"); on their farewell tour they performed before an oversize Stars & Stripes backdrop. Which I guess makes them by some people RINOs - REBELS IN NAME ONLY !!! 

[slinkp]

I have no issues with people doing gigs as long as they like as long as they're having fun doing it and the audience appreciates what they see/hear. Some of Picasso's best work was done shortly before his death - music isn't sports. And if you can't hit the high notes anymore, change the key, so what.

The way The Who's music has changed since first Moon and then Entwistle died, sometimes makes me wonder to how committed Townshend and Daltrey were to having such a rambunctious rhythm section in the first place. My impression is they had outgrown it and wanted everything 'neater'  - both Daltrey's and Townshend's solo albums have run of the mill, subdued rhythm sections.

I think you're right. We see how that played out. Townshend did a lot of damning-with-faint-praise of his bandmates. He was the driving force behind hiring Kenney Jones, who was great in the Faces but never quite fit in playing the old material live. If Roger can be believed, he thought Moon was a genius and hated Kenney Jones, but was overruled by Townshend.
Jones did a good (if not very fiery) job in the studio on the newer-style material, which I quite like some of but disappointed a lot of fans. I think Townshend was tired of the relentless cymbal-bashing and wanted someone steady. And while he expressed some admiration for Entwistle's sonic innovations, he possibly was tired of all that racket from stage right too.

[Pilgrim]

Despite being a huge Entwistle fan - he had a huge impact on me as a young bassist - I don't agree the Who (or "The Two") should have retired after Entwistle died. They did some quite good shows on the Endless Wire tour, though it was a very uneven album. The 2019 "Who" album was pretty decent too.  But sometime in the last few years I agree they've really run out of steam as a live group.
That 2010 Super Bowl performance was dreadful.

In January I saw the Who in Denver - for the first time.  I REALLY enjoyed it!!  Townsend may not jump around the stage like he used to, but the music was solid, Daltry and Townsend can still sing, and my wife and I both were delighted with the show.

[Alanko]

I quite like the notion that any subtle duality of meaning contained in Ronnie Van Zaby's original lyrics and performances has been increasingly lost on his meathead replacements.

[wellREDman]

Despite being a huge Entwistle fan - he had a huge impact on me as a young bassist - I don't agree the Who (or "The Two") should have retired after Entwistle died. They did some quite good shows on the Endless Wire tour, though it was a very uneven album. The 2019 "Who" album was pretty decent too.  But sometime in the last few years I agree they've really run out of steam as a live group.
That 2010 Super Bowl performance was dreadful.

Thats sad to hear

they are finishing their current tour in my local cricket ground so I'll be helping load them in/out

I was stoked to get to see them (even without the ox)

now not so much

[slinkp]

Welp, Pilgrim liked the recent show, and I haven't seen them live since the Quadrophenia tour 10 years ago which was fine, I just recall it being kind of low energy.
Maybe my opinion is overly influenced by the Superbowl, which was a one-off.
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