The New 30

[ICanHelp]

They say 50 is the new 30, which I want badly to believe having passed the latter benchmark 4 years ago. Evidence supporting this adage, however, comes from (of all places) the Elvis world. I have read many of the newspaper reviews from the 1970s concerts, and many of them comment on Elvis as a "middle aged" rock star. I find this fascinating given the fact that many were written before Elvis had reached 40. Some reviews (e.g., from the fabulous Pittsburgh New Years Eve show in 76/77) even question whether Elvis should change music genres because a 41 year old man cannot rock and roll. The reviewer writes: "A famous country artist once said that you can grow old as a country singer but not as a rock singer, Presley is trying to prove him wrong. But he's not succeeding." It occurs to me that Elvis blazed yet another trail as a rock and roll star past the age of 40. It also occurs to me that the added pressure of this status must have been considerable. Heavy is the head that wears the crown.

I would like to hear your thoughts on this. Am I off base?

[Rob]

You are not off base at all.

Elvis was very depressed when he turned 40. That said, to this fan, he picked up his game a little during his 1975 shows than the previous year. His Vegas shows in March were much better, and the spring and summer tours featured very good shows. All of this at the age of 40. It wasn't until the following year that we were discovering things were wrong -- very wrong with the main man.

A baseball player in his 40s is an old man. A rock star in his 40s, to me, still has many good years ahead of him. It boggles my mind that Elvis was only 42 when he died.

Springsteen is 66-years-old and still kicking ass and taking names.

[elvislady]

When i was 30 i didnt imagine getting to 50 and i am past that now...i agree with Robs scenario, rock stars in their 40s are just starting! Elvis was young at 42 looking back now

[John]

Many years ago Mick Jagger said he wouldn't still be rocking after the age of 30 because it was considered old. The Beatles didn't expect to make it past 30. There was no template back then for aging rock stars, only old crooners.

Rock 'n' roll was just a passing fad so who could have expected Chuck, Jerry Lee, Little Richard etc to last. The guys that came after them were the second and third waves (Stones, Beatles, Bruuuuuce) and certainly by the time Springsteen and co came around, the generations that grew up with them were expecting them to stick around a bit.

Elvis carried a fairly heavy burden on his shoulders as he stood above his contemporaries and they possibly didn't attract the same comments and criticism about their weight or age or the material they were singing, but at the same time I don't think Elvis helped himself that much. He should have moved on with his music, should have either ditched the early pop songs, or paid them some respect. Cliff Richard still sings his early hits, but they get rearranged and nicely presented. Elvis should have done the same. The gaudy costumes should have disappeared by mid 1971. Instead he became a caricature to some degree and look at what has happened, thousands of idiotic wannabees making stupid gestures, wearing stupid clothes and looking ridiculous.

He could have kept rocking, just in a more mature, presentable way.

[ICanHelp]

Many years ago Mick Jagger said he wouldn't still be rocking after the age of 30 because it was considered old. The Beatles didn't expect to make it past 30. There was no template back then for aging rock stars, only old crooners.

Rock 'n' roll was just a passing fad so who could have expected Chuck, Jerry Lee, Little Richard etc to last. The guys that came after them were the second and third waves (Stones, Beatles, Bruuuuuce) and certainly by the time Springsteen and co came around, the generations that grew up with them were expecting them to stick around a bit.

Elvis carried a fairly heavy burden on his shoulders as he stood above his contemporaries and they possibly didn't attract the same comments and criticism about their weight or age or the material they were singing, but at the same time I don't think Elvis helped himself that much. He should have moved on with his music, should have either ditched the early pop songs, or paid them some respect. Cliff Richard still sings his early hits, but they get rearranged and nicely presented. Elvis should have done the same. The gaudy costumes should have disappeared by mid 1971. Instead he became a caricature to some degree and look at what has happened, thousands of idiotic wannabees making stupid gestures, wearing stupid clothes and looking ridiculous.

He could have kept rocking, just in a more mature, presentable way.

Interesting observation about Elvis' early songs. Those songs Elvis considered "silly" (e.g., Hound Dog, Teddy Bear), he threw away. Elvis, however, treated respectfully other early songs, including two Sun records (Mystery Train and That's Alright). His inconsistency in this regard could be maddening. Elvis also struggled, I think, with not wanting to be an "oldies act," which caused him to sing covers while ignoring his vast catalog of 50s and even 60s songs. Elvis easily could have filled 2 hours or more of concert time with just his biggest hits. He, instead, sang Olivia Newton John covers.

[John]

Elvis easily could have filled 2 hours or more of concert time with just his biggest hits. He, instead, sang Olivia Newton John covers.

Yup. Pleasant enough songs for the delish Ms NJ, but hardly right for EP. Sometimes he was a sucker for blandness.