Age-Appropriate

Older rock musicians shouldn’t have to “Hang Up Their Rock ‘n’ Roll Shoes,” to quote a song by Chuck Willis (“Hope I Play as I Get Old,” by Geoff Boucher, Feb. 24). But Boucher failed to mention many of rock’s first generation never made it to old age.

Artists such as Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran and Ritchie Valens died tragically at young ages. Holly was 22, Cochran 21, and Valens was 17 and only eight months and four singles into his career. Jerry Lee Lewis’ rock career was damaged by scandal, so much so he changed genres. Gene Vincent was badly injured in the car accident that killed Cochran. By the time Vincent recovered, the industry had forgotten him.

Carl Perkins also had a similar fate and had to switch to country music. Elvis Presley sold out to Hollywood, and would never again record music as good as the stuff he recorded between 1954 and 1957. Bill Haley was 29 when he had his first chart hit. Haley’s early music was great, Louis Jordan-inspired jump blues (jump blues was the prototype for rock ‘n’ roll), but when he hit it big, his label, pop and jazz giant Decca (which was also Jordan’s label), had him record material that was more like “mock ‘n’ roll.”

Boucher also forgot about rock’s first generation of performers who happen to be black. Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Bo Diddley, Ray Charles and Johnny Otis (he’s not black, but, as he says, he “might as well be”) are still alive. We now call these legends rhythm & blues artists, but in the 1950s they were considered rock ‘n’ rollers.

Boucher also says, “In the 1950s, most of the top rock stars tried to recycle and repackage their hits, and restricted their subject matter to the most inane themes.”

I can’t name one rock ‘n’ roll artist who did that during that period. He must be referring to Paul Anka, Bobby Vee, Bobby Vinton, Neil Sedaka, etc. While all these artists were/are great singers, they are not rock ‘n’ roll artists. That’s like calling ‘N Sync rock ‘n’ roll.

Most of the rock artists (i.e., Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Little Richard and Ray Charles to name a few) of the ‘50s went on to long, productive careers, and did not record “inane themes.” They may not have hit the charts a lot (with the exception of Charles), but they still recorded good music.

MIKE SANDERS

Santa Monica

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What’s more fitting than aging rockers protesting the traditions of being 50 or 60? After all, the hearts of these authentic types have always pumped with rebellion. Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and Paul McCartney are just a few who have always said no, and through their music, they redefine social freedom. Now instead of confronting the prejudices of World War II parents, we reject the ageism of 21st century whippersnappers and corporate moguls.

That experienced rockers continue to resist a prescribed traditional life limited to slow golf games and boring cruises is not surprising. What else could we do?

Recent tragedies have shown this imperfect world still needs help, and ‘60s artists have always been catalysts for busting up lies--of racism, imperialism and sexism.

Ageism is next. Should we not confront it because of our own growth? No matter how old the artist, each new CD stands in a rack like a proud soldier in the human evolution of love, war, and experience. Something is “still happening here” and never mind definitions that “try to put us down.”

I, for one, hope to get an invite to Mick’s 70th birthday gig. Really. I love that guy.

NANCY NEVINS

Lead singer, Sweetwater

Los Angeles