I've been watching some of the recent footage of the Rolling Stones, stuff from the latest tour and the much feted Cuban concert. And for the first time ever, the band seem old.
Jagger,
still unfeasibly skinny, prances and struts around as usual, and his vocals
are still pretty strong, but he'll be 73 in the summer, so it's not surprising that he's lost some of that irrepressible bounce. Some are saying that Jagger’s stage moves look somewhat ridiculous for a
man of his age – but frankly Jagger’s stage moves looked ridiculous
and undignified 50 years ago and that never stopped him, so he’s not going to
change now. It’s just astonishing that he still has any energy at all.
Ronnie (the youngster, he'll be 69 in June) bounces about a bit too, but doesn't seem to be as chirpily animated as usual.
Charlie does the business as always, he's utterly dependable, but he’s showing his age too - he'll be 75 in a couple of months. Oddly, it seemed like the whole band isn’t really having much fun. They all look rather fed up - even Jagger, who was working the crowd hard and really putting on a show, didn’t look like he was enjoying himself much.
But it was Keith who really surprised me. Where was that cackling piratical demeanour? In the past the band would feed off Keith’s impossible energy, and it was Keith who directed proceedings. Everything used to centre around Keith. Despite Jagger’s natural front man exuberance the audience would frequently watch Richards just as much, because he had this dangerously wicked, unpredictable quality. But recently he comes across as something of a bewildered old man (seemingly older than his 72 years), shuffling about rather aimlessly and with little of his usual outlaw swagger. I found that quite sad.
Ronnie (the youngster, he'll be 69 in June) bounces about a bit too, but doesn't seem to be as chirpily animated as usual.
Charlie does the business as always, he's utterly dependable, but he’s showing his age too - he'll be 75 in a couple of months. Oddly, it seemed like the whole band isn’t really having much fun. They all look rather fed up - even Jagger, who was working the crowd hard and really putting on a show, didn’t look like he was enjoying himself much.
But it was Keith who really surprised me. Where was that cackling piratical demeanour? In the past the band would feed off Keith’s impossible energy, and it was Keith who directed proceedings. Everything used to centre around Keith. Despite Jagger’s natural front man exuberance the audience would frequently watch Richards just as much, because he had this dangerously wicked, unpredictable quality. But recently he comes across as something of a bewildered old man (seemingly older than his 72 years), shuffling about rather aimlessly and with little of his usual outlaw swagger. I found that quite sad.
Whilst I'm mightily glad that we still have the Stones - and Ronnie hinted the other day that they've been recording new material, which is tremendous news, as I love this band - they are starting to appear mortal, rather than the truly immortal, untouchable group they've been for over 50 years.
Maybe the new recording sessions will rejuvenate the band, but I'm beginning to wonder (Alert!! Alert!! corny sentence ahead) - is it finally time for the Stones to stop rolling?
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