The Rolling Stones

[Sandpiper]

The Rolling Stones are kicking off their millionth tour this month, Elder Statesmen in a genre that isn't supposed to have Elder Statesmen.

The Stones are Rock and Roll icons, without a doubt. And one can't help but marvel at their ability to still pack in the crowds.

The question that remains then is, although there is still a king's ransom to be made from touring, when a band hasn't made an album that mattered in 3 decades, and has essentially been a travelling oldies show for the last 2, at what point does one call it a career?

[mr_hat]

1. It's all about tongue sales. Gotta sell the tongue.

[HEyHEY]

2. I think it's all they know

And can't let go of the good ole days

[chookie]

3. Remarkable

I am old enough to remember Mick Jagger talking about Marlena Dietrich still performing in her 60s and wondering if he would ever do the same.

I agree that they are icons; I would go so far to say that the body of work of the team of Jagger/Richard is extraordinary in its quality and diversity, and it will endure. But the weird thing is that apart from a couple members of the band dropping out from time to time, the Rolling Stones are THE SAME as they were decades ago. That doesn't make sense, unless, despite their great talent and musical achievements, that emotionally they ceased to develop after their early 30s, and hence, they don't even HAVE any new artistic insight, so they do the same old show. It's a shame -- one thing that keeps an artist going to to evolve and speak of their current experience; when they cannot, it becomes, as you put it, an oldies show.

I bow to the achievements of the Rolling Stones, but even though I am a big fan, I never even thought about attending their current "museum" tour. They still can put on a great show, but it has kinda ceased to be relevant.