When my former husband and I began talking about marriage in the mid-80s, we had the typical conversation to put everything on the table so we’d know what we were getting into. Not that it worked well in our case, but what is fascinating to me now is that my poignant declaration at the time was that my quest was to attend a Rolling Stones concert. No matter the cost or personal sacrifice to us, if the Stones were ever going to be playing within reasonable flying distance to us, I would be there.
This was the most monumental of life’s possible trials in my 24 year-old mind. It did come to pass that I got to see them in Toronto in 1994, and again later that same tour when they played Edmonton. And I will go to a Stones concert again, if I can, and again after that.
I’m pretty sure it’s no longer cool to be a Stones groupie – not because all of us are getting old, but because their ‘bad boys of rock and roll’ shtick is highly outdated. But they represent a specific time in my life: their music was the soundtrack of my young adult social life; their influence on pop culture at that time was virtually unmatched; and they already had a long infamous history before I ever became a fan. And they’re still going! As a person writing that retirement doesn’t have to mean stopping, I’d say the Stones at 80 years old are perfect role models!
That long ago culture of sitting on someone’s living room floor and spreading vinyl records on shag carpet to plan our music list for the evening is definitely a lifetime ago. Those days of waiting for a new release from your favourite band, of being front and centre at the store that day even if it meant spending your last five bucks on the album. Does that happen for musicians anymore? I think not.
I love that streaming platforms allow lots of musicians to share their passion and reach potential fans, but it does result in a pretty saturated field. Some still get people’s attention and some even rise to the top, but they tend to release singles online and people download the music onto their devices and listen on their own. Not the fanfare and shenanigans from back then, when only a handful of musicians were able to garner so much attention and capture the world’s imagination.
So, cool or not, I’m pretty excited about October 20. First Stones album in nearly 20 years. Not fade away, indeed.
Sandy Bexon is stepping into retirement after over 35 years as a communications professional, reporter and writer. She lives in Red Deer.
