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We Need to Talk About Paul. And Mick. And Paul…
“I’d rather be dead than sing ‘Satisfaction’ when I’m 45.” – 31-year-old Mick Jagger, People magazine, 1975
“Will you still need me…when I’m 64.” – written by Paul McCartney, age 14-16
This is a meditation on music, Youth Culture, and age. I don’t know what the “right” answer is (so please don’t come for me), but the question has been out there for several years now.
In 2025, Paul McCartney appeared on the Saturday Night Live special celebrating 50 years of musical guests. It was obvious that, at 83, his voice was understandably but dramatically diminished. There was a lot of chatter about it afterwards.
He recently appeared on SNL again, and those same discussions came up. It seemed to boil down to two camps of thought:
1) It’s hard to listen to. He should stop.
2) He’s Paul f’g McCartney, and we’re lucky to still have him around.
There’s more.
- Paul Simon, 84, has been on tour, with hearing loss that makes it difficult for him to sing as he once did.
- Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe went viral when he could barely remember the lyrics to their hits, let alone perform them (he was rumored to need oxygen backstage).
- David Lee Roth cleverly worked out his sets so that his band or the audience sang most of each song, while he dropped in his own moments of “interpretation.”
- A friend saw Earth, Wind, and Fire and – with the absence of key members like founder Maurice White – noted that the show was simply not the same. Original members Verdine White and Phillip Bailey are 74 and 75, respectively.
- Madonna is only in her late 60s, but is still doing the edgy, in-your-face antics on social media (and don’t get me started on what she’s done to her face) to maintain some youthful relevance. As a fan, it’s hard to watch.
- Poor Frankie Valli is 94 years old and STILL has live shows planned (which seems like elder abuse). When he performed near me a few years ago, reviews noted that he was reduced to lip synching, while backup dancers 60 years younger gyrated frantically, trying to create energy around a man who was clearly just…tired.
All of these point to the question, “When should our heroes hang it up?”
The notion of when to walk away has always been a part of performing life; the timing is unique to each artist.
The Who has been doing “farewell tours” since the 80s. They swore that 2025 was the last one, but Roger Daltrey has already announced some solo gigs for this year.
Steve Perry of Journey still has the pipes; he’s just not interested in performing. Years ago, Grace Slick stepped away from shows, saying that playing rock past the age of 50 was ridiculous.
At nearly 86, Ringo is still out there, but the expectations of his abilities as a singer are not the same as those of his former bandmate, Paul. He still drums, leads his band, and charms the audience.
Bruce Springsteen is hale and hearty at 76 and is, well, Springsteen.
At 81, Rod Stewart’s familiar rasp still kinda works, even all these years later. But Axl Rose? Not so much, and with Guns N’ Roses gearing up for a summer tour, it could be…awkward.
For the Boomer generation, there’s an added degree of difficulty to this discussion; we grew up in a vibrant Youth Culture. Neil Young noted that fading away is the sadder option. Our heroes are meant to be preserved in amber. But Father Time doesn’t play like that, frequently marching over vocal and performing abilities that once left us joyous and screaming.
In 2016 and 2017, we were reminded of the painful reality of time, with its related age and illness, when we lost so many artists, starting with Bowie, running through Glenn Frey, Tom Petty, Prince, Gregg Allman, Walter Becker, and others. Our memories took one gut punch after another.
Idols may accomplish youthful immortality through tragic means, as was the case with Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, John Lennon, Marc Bolan, Kurt Cobain. They literally lived fast, died young, and left a good-looking corpse – as well as leaving behind their music. Nothing really changes in our experience of them.
However, when they’re still with us and working into their later years, it becomes a harder thing to reckon with when, rightly or wrongly, they simply can’t pull off what their fans expect.
So, what’s the answer?
Robert Plant has retreated from his 70s rock god act, reinventing a few Zeppelin tunes with partners like Allison Krauss or his new band, Saving Grace. He skips the big arenas; the new interpretations of familiar songs make the most of where he’s at now vocally. It keeps them fresh and interesting, both for him as a performer and for the audience.
In March of this year, McCartney played two well-received, low-key dates at the small Fonda Theater in L.A. while promoting The Boys of Dungeon Lane (itself a look back at his youth). The intimate setting suited him and didn’t require the big theatrics that anyone in their 80s would have trouble pulling off.
Which brings me to the Stones.
Their new album, Foreign Tongues, is due in July. They’ve teased another tour for 2027.
For their last album, Hackney Diamonds, the video for the single “Angry” incorporated old footage of themselves alongside Hottie of the Moment, Sydney Sweeney. It was clever, and it worked.
However, on the first video for this new project, they’ve used AI once again to “de-age” themselves. Repeating the trick just seems desperate.
As musicians, they still have it; Mick is still a powerful frontman. But I wonder if scaling back their arena shows to smaller venues wouldn’t be more effective at this stage, and give them the chance to better highlight the blues songs they first loved?
Fan responsibility is part of this discussion. We’re not in the same shape as we were 25 or more years ago, either (I know I’m sure as hell not), so we should cut aging artists some slack. Still, seeing the touchstones of our youth struggle to meet past expectations is hard. No one wants Fat Elvis.
On the other hand, if the artists love performing and still feel they have something to give, who are we to stop them? They’ve earned it.
It boils down to the question: how can we enjoy beloved artists in their later years in a more realistic way? I suppose that both fans and performers alike need to radically adjust expectations. Does the artist choose smaller venues? Bring in support from additional musicians? McCartney, for example, has added a female backup singer to help with the high notes.
Do they leave out certain songs from the set if they can’t pull them off — even if they’re “expected” by fans? Do they create more low-fi arrangements that better suit their vocal abilities? Do they do as the Beatles did in ’66 and forego live shows altogether for the studio?
It’s a tricky, often delicate, question. Personally, I’m sad we even have to address it, but here we are. What are your thoughts? (And please, be cool).
-Cindy Grogan
Photo: Pixabay
I think as long as Paul McCartney can do it, he should do it.
In a world where it’s even harder to break through than ever and with a massive amount of new music being made, people really ought to try and move on, and start exploring more. .There are new heroes waiting to be found.
Very interesting take. It’s like every other job — at some point, you retire and the new crop of folks move up. Thanks for reading!
I listen a lot to older artists and in particular Paul but I also listen a lot to newer artists always seeking out an artist that hots home with me. I go see and support younger artists and local artists as well. Its streaming that’s killing new artists not older musicians.
Ringo is helped immensely by touring with his All Starr band. His voice hasn’t lost much probably because his style isn’t too stressful. Saw him a few years back and had a blast.
The Frankie Valli clips showed elder abuse imo…kind of like what they did to Glen Campbell.
Bruce is a unicorn.
Dave LR is scary.
Agreed, re: Ringo. When you have all that “other” talent around you, the show will never be disappointing. And yes, DLR is…scary!
My 2 cents: as long as the artists feel capable of performing in a reasonably effective way (with, of course, some backup support), they should do it. Ticket sales will indicate how strong the audience desire is. No one is expecting a 60-75 yr old artist to sound the same as when he/she was 25 or 30. Manilow has done some recent shows , as have many others. I would pay anything to see Ronstadt or Melissa Manchester again. Sadly Karen Carpenter died way too young . Anyhow – thanks for bringing up this subject, my friend👍
Yes, it’s a bittersweet topic. You love seeing them out there, but you can’t help but cringe a little if they’re “off.” I had to turn off McCartney on SNL. At least he stopped dyeing his hair (wish Ringo would follow suit). And you’re right — ticket sales will ultimately determine. Thanks for weighing in, Babs!
I listen a lot to older artists and in particular Paul but I also listen a lot to newer artists always seeking out an artist that hots home with me. I go see and support younger artists and local artists as well. Its streaming that’s killing new artists not older musicians.
Thank you for your sensible article. I think their are millions of McCartney fans who are excited for this album! I’ll listen to, and see him, as long as he is out there!!! I imagine this is no different than most aging artists. I don’t think we should be telling any artist when to stop. I actually love the aging voice it fits well with the material and its authentic!! Let’s go Paul!!!
I found Paul’s aging voice appropriate on “Days We Left Behind” and am curious about the rest of the new album. It was just hard to hear him try to recapture the 70s on “Band on the Run” and the like on SNL.
Since I had the amazing opportunity to see just about every world-class band up close when they (and I) were young, I’m no longer interested in seeing them now when they’re past (or close to being past) their peak. My memories are strong and I was lucky to be in the room. I also don’t want to pay today’s inflated prices for tickets. I might be interested if they play smaller venues (I couldn’t get into the Fonda Theatre for McCartney, who will never be old in my 13-year-old Beatle fan mind!), and I wouldn’t mind seeing Springsteen again or even Taylor Swift (never saw her), but I never liked stadium-type shows (too big) or anything bigger than Madison Square Garden. I’m just happy I got to see all of my favorites during their prime years. I think they should take Robert Plant’s lead and explore new ways to stay connected to music.
Like you, I never liked the big stadiums. Too overwhelming. Saw Plant at the Paramount and Steely Dan at the Beacon, and those smaller shows suited me just fine. Yes, sometimes it’s best to just leave those memories. And the ticket prices are obscene. Thanks for reading and weighing in!
I too commend you for a thoughtful and measured article. Apart from my wife and kids I can’t think of anyone who have given me more joy that McCartney and the Beatles. It’s hard to hear him sing his classics like “Band on the Run” and the 60’s hits. However, I would go to see him sing songs from the new album or even McCartney III. To hear him sing and reflect on his past using songs written today (and sung in today’s voice) would be so meaningful.
Thanks for reading. Yes, his aging voice kind of works on “Days We Left Behind” — but “Band on the Run” on SNL…just, ouch. I hate that I feel that way, but it’s almost visceral. Still, seeing him out there doing what he loves is still…pleasing. The grief will be overwhelming when he and Ringo depart…which hopefully, will be years away.
About 25 years ago, I saw John Sebastian play with his jug band at a local fair. Whenever he tackled new material, he sounded tight, but whenever he tackled Lovin’ Spoonful songs and tried to hit notes his voice could no longer handle, it got wince-inducing. That’s kind of where I sit with McCartney right now. I often wonder whether they try to replicate the old sound for themselves or their fans, but either way, it can drag things down. Felt the same way about Daryll Hall when I saw Hall & Oates a few years back.
On the other hand, I believe that Robert Plant and Joni Mitchell have it right. Adjust the material for the voice you have instead of trying to sing with the voice you don’t. It keeps the music interesting, bringing new flavors to the songs in the catalog. The audience wants their favorite artists to succeed and will follow them down these new roads. There’s no need to act like time hasn’t passed.
BTW, we’ve seen Earth, Wind & Fire many times and they never fail to entertain. Phillip Bailey’s voice may not be where it once was but he can still hit notes others singers can only imagine and Bailey, White, the surrounding band and newer vocalists (including Bailey’s son) do a great job of keeping the band’s vibe alive. JMHO. Excited to see them once again this summer with Lionel Ritchie!
I grew up loving Paul Simon and Gordon Lightfoot. I saw them perform live many times, their voices were part of the soundtrack of my life, and I’ll always feel that connection. But when I heard Lightfoot’s later performances — and now Paul’s — it hit me differently, almost like watching time catch up with people I cared about. It wasn’t the same anymore, and I eventually stopped watching their performances. It wasn’t disappointment so much as sadness. I sometimes wish they’d stepped away earlier; it would have let the memory of their prime stay whole, the way it lives in my mind.
It’s such a tricky issue. Yes, you want to remember them at their best, yes, we’re lucky to have them around. Then there’s the issue of, do they still WANT to do it, and why should we tell them no? We vote with our wallets. I’m a big ballet fan, and there are some dancers who have hung on longer than they should — it dims the overall reputation. Face it — getting old sucks!
First, you left off 2 amazing artists we lost in 2016 – Keith Emerson and Greg Lake.
Next, I go see Paul and Ringo when ever I can. I appreciate just being close to a Beatle. Paul’s show at the Santa Barbara Bowl was amazing and I was so grateful I got a chance to see him in a smaller venue. But, I was not fortunate enough to snag one of the very few Fonda tickets that were available.
I was fortunate to see Robert Plant last year at Vina Robles in Paso Robles, CA (where I will be seeing Ringo on Saturday!) and I will say, those smaller venues are a much better ticket than the big arenas. Plant’s show with Alison Kraus was full of great music.
If the rock stars of “old” are out there doing it, and people will pay to see it, why not? Yeah, they aren’t what they once were – who among us is? But the sheet joy of being at a live concert lives on!
Aging artists should limit their current shows to songs they can pull off. No one wants to hear a treasures memory buchtered. Plant has the right idea — rearrange to fit one’s abilities. McCartney has always sung stuff out of his range, maybe it’s time to stop. The Stones should play club gigs as should The Who. Old rockers don’t die, they just can’t hit the high notes.
Keith made a good point years ago, of pushing rock to new places as they age (like blues artists did). But you’re right — staying in the game requires adjustments to what they can pull off. I guess some feel like they “have” to do certain songs, but they’re in charge, and they should own it. Thanks for reading!
When I saw Michael Nesmith on his final tour with Micky Dolenz, it was sadly uncomfortable. He seemed stoned and befuddled throughout the show.
Yet he stated at the time that he was truly enjoying the chance to do all those songs again one last time (prescient, since his death so soon after the tour), and I would never wish to have that joy withheld from him – or from us; no matter his condition, if he wanted to be out there with his music, I always wanted to be there as well.
They’re awful now and I was around in the 60s and ’70s. I’m 71 now and they should have quit the public about 8 years ago. Mick and Paul are both just unconvincing except to nerds and history buffs. Blues guys yeah they’re okay they can do that in their old age but these pop stars. Please stop just stop