I have been following the Stones for over 40 years, including the records, several concerts, press releases and opinion pieces. I can remember, for instance, reading articles that recommended that the Stones retire very soon, as they were over the hill and foolish looking on stage. These criticisms took place when they were in their thirties and have continued for years. It would appear the Stones now are as popular as ever, inspite of the wise cracks.

Have people run out of old age jokes, or have people finally started to realize that age should no longer be a factor in this current age of rock music ?

The Stones have been "old" for so long now that a joke on their age isn't that funny anymore; it has Probably fallen in the cliché category by now.
Rockandroll,
Mops

To the point: I am following them for 30 years, in 1989 some idiots wrote the were too old and should retire. The Stones did not, and were proven right.

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rollmops
The Stones have been "old" for so long now that a joke on their age isn't that funny anymore; it has Probably fallen in the cliché category by now.
Rockandroll,
Mops

I remember Conan O'Brien doing a Stones joke in the late '90s where he played a really creaky version of Sympathy for the Devil with an old man singing it and showed photos of the Stones artificially and grotesquely aged (except for Charlie...they just showed a normal photo of him, which got a big laugh).

I don't think there have been many age-related jokes since the Licks tour...I think, at that point, everyone was just like, "Okay, these tough old bastards are indestructible, and teasing them about their ages is pointless".

Reviewers are still combining their age and try to be funny, but less so than in the 00s.

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DandelionPowderman
Reviewers are still combining their age and try to be funny, but less so than in the 00s.

I think that's more about marveling at their longevity than mocking their advanced ages...of course it depends on how it's worded.

Jokes are not necessarily a bad thing. The absence of jokes may indicate that their cultural impact is not as big as it used to be?

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keefriff99

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DandelionPowderman
Reviewers are still combining their age and try to be funny, but less so than in the 00s.

I think that's more about marveling at their longevity than mocking their advanced ages...of course it depends on how it's worded.

We see a bit of both, I'd say

I think jealousy plays a part as well. Not many of us can move like Jagger let alone all the other successes included. Clearly it's amazing.

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windmelody
To the point: I am following them for 30 years, in 1989 some idiots wrote the were too old and should retire.

There were also "funny" jokes about the sw tour, renamed the "steel wheelchair tour".

the cultural impact of the stones artistically has ended long ago. their cultural impact, if there is one, now is, i believe, just exactly their age. a never seen before: a rock and roll band in the basic original lineup and with no official hiatus in its history being still around touring in an effective and consinstent form. there's a word a la page for that: resilience
and mick himself has been the living proof of that this year



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2019-08-28 19:04 by maumau.

Why even bring this topic up?

I guess most of the people who did age jokes about the Stones already died.
So no surprise for me.

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dcba

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windmelody
To the point: I am following them for 30 years, in 1989 some idiots wrote the were too old and should retire.

There were also "funny" jokes about the sw tour, renamed the "steel wheelchair tour".

Many more jokes bsck then. Now its no longer funny, just an old joke. Plus they have aged on stage much better than most groups, playing live no musicians backstage etc. So i agree why bring it up now?

I think people are generally more politically correct now than before and would be hesitant to criticize them too harshly. I believe that the percentage of senior citizens has increased substantially too, making people think twice before saying something harsh. Also, they see many older rock groups still touring, such as Cindy Lauper, Rod Stewart, and ZZ Top. People are used to this kind of thing now.

I have been looking at their more recent concerts on YouTube. The younger people really seem to be enjoying themselves.

In show biz most attention or press is good for business. Even age jokes. They do shorter tours now and never have a new album to focus attention around. Hence less buzz and less press.
And less tv shows. Who cared about the age jokes anyway? They were lame then and would be equally lame now. It's just poor fantasy among script writers. A cheap laugh. Nothing else.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019-08-28 20:33 by Stoneage.

It's interesting that bands like U2 and many others are way over the age when people started wisecracking about the Stones being over the hill. Once again the Stones clear the path for the followers.

I'm sure others on this board remember even in 81 when they were considered too old. I remember reading one article asking if Mick is too old to rock since he's now 38!!

Yep, U2 is the youngest dinosaur act. I wonder what will happen when they tax out? Will the hip hop acts be the new dinosaurs? Judging from radio streaming it looks that way.
Rock and roll will render the same fate as jazz and blues. Something for connoisseurs and museums...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019-08-28 20:52 by Stoneage.

Yes, DGA35. The 81/82 tour was called the last tour by many (which, in a way, it was). The live recording from that tour was called "Still Life". They were old already then...

I made a thread about this when Eddie Vedder turned 50 a few years ago.

I remember the 60 Minutes segment from 1994 when Ed Bradley solemnly read off the ages of the Stones. "And Mick Jagger........is 50."

It was a BIG deal back then. Nowadays, no one bats an eye when Eddie Vedder or Dave Grohl or James Hetfield hits 50. Hell, Jay-Z is going to be 50 next year.

No one's going to care when they turn 60 either. The Stones blazed the trail and took the brunt of the ridicule.

Ian Hunter is still doing it at 80!

You are very right and I have thought about this myself and here is my assessment as to why the jokes have disappeared a little while back:

The Stones have worked through all that. They are beyond all that for a while now and people / critics must just 'give it to them'. They are well past all that now and command all the respect they deserve. They are an 'entity' now you see .. not just a Rock Band and they moved beyond all that (so many props to them). They are (and have been for about ten years now) a fixture .. more than ever and they and the public/ critics KNOW they are old .. but that's not important anymore .. it's simply 'WHO' they are and what they do and are doing that is to be mentioned or of concern. It's like saying Coke-a-cola is old .. well yes .. I guess sure ... but what does it matter? Lol .. it's Coke .. Same is true with The Stones.

They are beyond all that now .. they are simply who they are ... and all the cred and respect is given that goes along with that.




Ian



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019-08-29 04:57 by IanBillen.

If a comedian nowadays comes up with a joke about the Stones being old, it is not his best material. Everybody has already done before.
Be creative and give me some edgy comedic relief,son.
Rockandroll,
Mops

…………………..………………………………………………………….. 1992



ROCKMAN

Mick and Keith in particular were very aegist when they started out. Particularly concerning music execs and musicians (but not blues players, presumably).

i got into the stones in 1987, they toured and made the album in 1989 and the old age jokes were plentiful then, i never believed they could last another 5 years never mind another 30.

They have raised the bar, and who can reach higher now, they have proven so many people wrong, i just wished i could turn the clock back and realize they have 30 years left at least.

i also remember buying rolled gold album in 1988 and 2 young shop assistants were having a giggle at that, thing is ive never had that reaction since when buying stones records, maybe the stones were so uncool in 1988, and things have changed since then.

I recall going to my first Stones show in Newcastle 1982 when I was just 18 and I got chatting with this older guy in his 50s from Lincoln and he said 'Oh yes this will definitely be the last time we see them' and I remember thinking how lucky I was to have caught them! 37 years and 11 shows later I am now that older guy but have the wisdom NOT to say that to younger fans!

"I'll be in my basement room with a needle and a spoon."

All the people who made those lame "old age" jokes? Well, the joke's on THEM!!

STONES FOREVER!!!

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torontostoner
All the people who made those lame "old age" jokes? Well, the joke's on THEM!!

...cos they're all now pretty old too !