I graduated high school in 1975 and my college years stretched into the 1980’s. During that span of time my stereo constantly blared the likes of The Who, Led Zepplin, Rolling Stones, Queen, The Eagles, REO Speedwagon, Lynard Skynard, Boston, Aerosmith, The Kinks, Pink Floyd, Bob Seger, BTO, Yes, Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac, Eric Clapton, Foreigner, Kansas, Steve Miller Band, The Doobie Brothers, The Allman Brothers, Jackson Browne, Jethro Tull, Little River Band, and many, many more! And when I wasn’t lying on my bed at home or in my dorm room listening to this wonderful music, I was screaming at the top of my lungs in front of a stage where artists like ZZ Top, Heart, Van Halen, The Moody Blues, Kiss, Journey, and Bruce Springsteen were doing their best to rupture my ear drums.
It should come as no surprise that the radio station I listen to in my car (94.1 The Point) plays music exclusively from that era. It’s not that I don’t like the music from the four decades since then, I have quite a lot of it in my collection as a matter of fact, but my independence was forged during that period and the soundtrack of its birth will always be special to me.
Something that struck me the other day as I was driving down the highway with Foghat keeping me company, was that 94.1 is deemed a CLASSIC rock & roll station. Sometime between when I was experiencing rock & roll first hand…and now…it transformed into being classic, and I liked that. It got me thinking about my own life, and the life of all of us approaching what is called the golden years, or the autumn of life. When I peek forward into the future I see labels such as aged, decrepit, elderly, feeble, geriatric, retirement age, senility, and senior, being forced upon on all of us. I can tell you right now, I reject all of them.
In a few years when the Social Security checks start coming and the number of daily pills I consume become a meal of its own…don’t brand me as old…instead you can call me…Classic! :)
Aloha Don,
ReplyDeleteWell, I for one shall roll down your part of the Classic People's nursing home corridor, my Zimmmer frame rolling on its tennis ball cutouts while singing something - anything - from Depeche Mode and ask the desk nurse if you can come out to play :)
And, that, my friend, would be classic :)
I also wanted to say thanks very much for stopping by and commenting on my recent D-Day post. (I'm still working through all the comments!)
CSM Ryan's story has received an incredible amount of support and a HUGE *Thank you* goes to *YOU* - and all the Blitzers :)
PS: Bill said to let everyone know he really appreciated all the personal comments directed his way :)
I graduated from high school in 1983, and I was listening to the same music. Yeah, I knew it was called Classic, but never thought of applying that definition to myself. I like it!
ReplyDeleteI graduated from high school in 1974 so you brought back a lot of memories. Yes, we'll be classic and definitely not old.
ReplyDeleteLike a fine wine you get better with age...for me I turned into vinegar.
ReplyDeleteI like that! I listen to a lot of the same music - great stuff! :)
ReplyDeleteFor the longest time, only rock from the 70's was called classic. Even back in the 80's it was called that. It wasn't until recently that term began to encompass music from the 80's and even the 90's.
ReplyDeleteDon't know why, but I just wanted to point that out.
Definitely not old, DL.
No way! I can't believe you graduated high school in 75. (;
ReplyDeleteDefinitely not old, and I agree, a lot of good music came out of that time period.
I wouldn't mind being classic... (:
Hi Don .. I love those times - always listen to that era of music .. and certainly now love them even more I think!
ReplyDeleteAs the others have said .. I'd love to be classed as classic - and with that pedigree .. music and I are not soul mates, but I do love it .. and cruising with good old rock and roll blaring out - says much about those days .. I lose myself then ..
Cheers to you - I'll come cruisin' with you! .. Hilary
Those are all the bands I used to listen to - but you forgot Deep Purple and Johnny Winter!
ReplyDelete:)
LOL. Definitely not old - just classic. I like it!
ReplyDeletePeople who are young at heart NEVER get old. I sincerely believe that. But classic? Definitely.
ReplyDeleteI refuse to act or look old. Ever.
ReplyDeleteThe oldest known human-made bone instruments date from around 35,000 - 45,000 years ago, but it's probable that our ancestors were singing for millennia before that. And humankind has only been around for the tiniest fraction of how long life has existed on this planet.
ReplyDeleteSo considered against those scales, I think it's pretty clear that music from just fifty years ago should still be considered as "new" music.
See? Age is all relative, my friend... ;^)
At least they don't call it the "Oldies" station:) I despise that term. I listen to a station that plays a mix of songs I grew up with in the 80's and some hits from today. With two kids under 13, I try to at least know a few songs that are popular right now. Like you, I prefer classic rock.
ReplyDeleteThis was my sort of topic to a T. I love all those bands you mentioned and I suppose I'm almost classic.
ReplyDeleteYvonne.
I love this DL! I'm a Classic too, and as you may well know, if it weren't for us Classics, today's youngsters wouldn't be listening to the music they listen to. :) We invented rock 'n' roll.
ReplyDeleteClassic is the rocking way to be. I often remind my daughter that I'm not getting old, I'm aging gracefully. And I'll still be graceful when I'm pushing my hover-round down the sidewalk :-)
ReplyDeleteNice! This is a positive outlook on aging! I'm going to have to keep this in mind. :)
ReplyDeleteYou're only old if you act it. Stay classy, er...classic!
ReplyDeleteClassic music is in the ears of the listener. I'm a teensy bit crushed when a radio station dubs itself as "classic" or "golden oldies", and then plays the stuff my KIDS listened to! No, no, no... that stuff is NEW. Relatively speaking. Seriously though, I listened to a lot of the groups you listed.
ReplyDeleteI love how you are turning this around! I might adopt this phrasing as well when the time comes.
ReplyDeleteHmm, I swore I left a comment on the post earlier today but I don't see it. Trying again...
ReplyDeleteMy music gets labeled "Golden Oldies". I like "Classic" better. I think the music from the 60's should be called Classic. Along with the people who listen to it.
Think of aging in terms of vintage... like high quality wine! Rare, smooth, classic!
ReplyDeleteWriter In Transit
I definitely prefer classic. And I rather like Michelle's suggestion of vintage, too.
ReplyDeleteYep, definitely prefer to market myself as classic rather than geezer or old fogey or any of those negative terms. Branding is everything.
ReplyDeleteI graduated high school in '68 and that makes me a card carrying AARP classic. I've embraced getting old. Retirement is a gift. I'm blessed to have the resources that let me do exactly what I want to do. I go to bed when I want, and get up when I want, and never set an alarm clock. Frankly, it's a classic good time!
ReplyDeleteClassic! I like the sounds of that, too. Oh, and I love your taste in music!
ReplyDeleteThanks, I needed to hear that. You can call me 'Classic' any time. I suspect you were 'Classic' even when you were about fifteen. Ha!
ReplyDeleteI feel old now that the local oldies station has begun playing music from as recently as the early Nineties, and Dick Bartley's weekend radio show, which I've been listening to for 20 years now, plays music through the Eighties. Bands that were popular when I was a child are now eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, though I'm sure certain of them are being kept out by that élitist jerk Jann Wenner. My parents have never really understood how I love music from their generation instead of what's popular now. Even the one band I love who got famous in my lifetime have still been around for over 30 years now. I'm an incurable dinosaur.
ReplyDeleteWell, DL, I guess I'll be a Classic two years before you will! I graduated from high school in 1973. Your playlist is pretty similar to mine. The Allman Brothers' "Jessica" is my all-time favorite driving song.
ReplyDeleteHey DL! I relate to this post sooo much. For one, cuz when I graduated high school and was finding myself, it was the early 90s when bands like AIC, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, etc (ie grunge)was assaulting the airwaves and it was pure bliss. Listening to it now that I'm about to turn 40, makes me feel rejuvenated again. My latest ms (the time travel one) deals a LOT with music and it was such a thrill to write. (excited for your opinion when we do a beta exchange!)
ReplyDeleteZeppelin will always be a fave. I remember discovering them in my mid 20s--I mean really discovering them ( i knew who they were) and was BLOWN AWAY by their awesomeness. Floyd, The Doors, Hendrix, Joplin, CCR--rediscovering them as an adult was such an eye opener. Hubby and I prolly listen to more classic rock than anything else, except maybe grunge for me cuz those are my coming of age tunes. :)