I think free jazz and free improv players really benefit from years of playing and are only just coming into their best playing in middle age
That would seem to be true for free improv, but in free jazz there were guys like Ornette and Dolphy and Sanders who were all doing amazing stuff relatively young. Ayler didn't even make it to 35!
― ka£ka (NickB), Wednesday, 30 March 2011 21:34 (thirteen years ago) link
Yeah, maybe there's something in there that could explain or at least illuminate the differences between free jazz and free improv. I don't know.
There are always exceptions and outliers -- Machine Gun was made by a bunch of twentysomethings (and one guy barely into his 30s).
― The Louvin Spoonful (WmC), Wednesday, 30 March 2011 21:42 (thirteen years ago) link
Wish there were more metal bands over the age of 35. There's Neurosis I guess. Guess metal's a young man's game though, huh?
― If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Wednesday, March 30, 2011 5:11 PM (31 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
Mastodon, as one example, is in their late 30's.
― Thraft of Cleveland (Bill Magill), Wednesday, 30 March 2011 21:45 (thirteen years ago) link
Dio didnt hit his stride till 35, i think. If we even know how old he really was.
― Thraft of Cleveland (Bill Magill), Wednesday, 30 March 2011 21:46 (thirteen years ago) link
Matt Pike has to be 40 years old. Peak for me was Blessed Black Wings in '05, so that's pretty close to 35.
― Thraft of Cleveland (Bill Magill), Wednesday, 30 March 2011 21:48 (thirteen years ago) link
Had no idea Mastodon dudes were that old.
― If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Wednesday, 30 March 2011 22:21 (thirteen years ago) link
Mastodon had the Today Is The Day connection remember. At the Cathouse gig some years back just when Leviathan came out some smart arse was shouting for today is the day songs. (everyone knew who they were too) think those days might be gone.
― Algerian Goalkeeper, Wednesday, 30 March 2011 22:25 (thirteen years ago) link
Pulp was formed in 1978, but didn't creatively or commercially peak for almost two decades later (albeit with a mostly revamped lineup). They have some live shows scheduled for this year, by which time at least one band member will be 50.
As for artists whose commercial peak came long after their creative peak, I'll nominate Steve Winwood, who creatively peaked around 1967-68 - although some would argue it was anywhere from 1966 to 1971. But he was 40 when "Roll With It" (both the album and the single) topped the charts in 1988.
― Lee626, Wednesday, 30 March 2011 22:57 (thirteen years ago) link
Decrepit old bluesmen.
To wit:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRgg_9TmI-w&feature=fvwrel
― suspecterrain, Thursday, 31 March 2011 09:20 (thirteen years ago) link
Sorry - got lost in the thread - posted, then read the thread title.
― suspecterrain, Thursday, 31 March 2011 10:01 (thirteen years ago) link
thought of a good one: Mark Sandman turned 40 the year Morphine released its first album
― bernard so icey (some dude), Monday, 4 April 2011 01:29 (thirteen years ago) link
I don't know how old Nina Nastasia is (40-ish?), but she waited a long time before recording her debut (having performed live in NYC since the early '90s), and last year's Outlaster is as good as anything I've heard by her.
― administratieve blunder (unregistered), Monday, 4 April 2011 04:21 (thirteen years ago) link
oh, and Mark Lanegan has produced some of his best work while in his 40s. the latest Soulsavers album is one of the high points of his career, I think.
― administratieve blunder (unregistered), Monday, 4 April 2011 04:34 (thirteen years ago) link
Howlin Wolf was 41 when he started to record for Chess in 1951.
Muddy Waters hit Chess Records peak started around 1950 when he was 37.
― earlnash, Monday, 4 April 2011 05:15 (thirteen years ago) link
Erykah Badu? She's just put out two of her best albums in her late 30s.
― banjee trillness (The Reverend), Monday, 4 April 2011 08:02 (thirteen years ago) link
I would be curious to see an argument that the Fall's peak period is from 1992 onward...― in my world of loose geirs (Shakey Mo Collier)
― in my world of loose geirs (Shakey Mo Collier)
http://www.residentadvisor.net/images/features/2009/mark-e-dj.jpg ≠ http://media.musicfeeds.com.au/files/mark-e-smith.jpg
he's been dormant for a decade!! sigh
only five years. no idea if much of the smattering he did in the five years before that is any cop though.
― Varg Vikernes: "...a giant and leaky bag of mayhem" (sic), Monday, 4 April 2011 11:07 (thirteen years ago) link
Revive.
There are very, very few women mentioned on this thread. Why is that?
― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Monday, 10 June 2019 12:33 (four years ago) link
Well here's one: Jane Weaver's at he absolute peak at the moment and she's 46.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Monday, 10 June 2019 14:32 (four years ago) link
Parenting affecting female careers more than male careers, perchance.
Neko Case seems to be in peak form in her 40s. Many of the artists on the ILX Gonna Shine in My Backdoor Someday are late bloomers, probably due to the proficiency required.
― bendy, Monday, 10 June 2019 14:57 (four years ago) link
also rampant gatekeeping throughout their youth
― weird woman in a bar (La Lechera), Monday, 10 June 2019 15:01 (four years ago) link
no "perchance" about the parenting thing either
― weird woman in a bar (La Lechera), Monday, 10 June 2019 15:02 (four years ago) link
Tina Turner
Ella Fitzgerald, probably lots of other jazz women
― Brad C., Monday, 10 June 2019 15:08 (four years ago) link
Yeah I argued for Peggy Lee upthread, her run between "Fever" at age 37 and "Is That All There Is?" at 49 is for me her most fun period to listen to and also when she took the most chances
― Josefa, Monday, 10 June 2019 15:25 (four years ago) link
Vi Subversa was 42 when she founded the Poison Girls
https://www.discogs.com/artist/420468-Vi-Subversa
― Ambient Police (sleeve), Monday, 10 June 2019 15:28 (four years ago) link
Gyorgy Ligeti
― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Monday, 10 June 2019 15:28 (four years ago) link
38 for Atmosphères, probably the start of his peak period
― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Monday, 10 June 2019 15:29 (four years ago) link
Laurie Anderson?
― change display name (Jordan), Monday, 10 June 2019 15:34 (four years ago) link
Lou Reed
― recriminations from the nitpicking woke (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 10 June 2019 15:35 (four years ago) link
Kim Gordon was 42 when Washing Machine was released, many people think SY peaked after that
― Ambient Police (sleeve), Monday, 10 June 2019 15:36 (four years ago) link
The majority of Moondog's recording career was between the ages of 37 and 55, and the most famous stuff is all from his 50s.
― mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Monday, 10 June 2019 15:36 (four years ago) link
many people think SY peaked after that
Is this actually true?
― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Monday, 10 June 2019 15:42 (four years ago) link
hi!
― recriminations from the nitpicking woke (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 10 June 2019 15:44 (four years ago) link
to my ears they released with a couple of mediocre exceptions a string of wonderful albums through 2006 but
― recriminations from the nitpicking woke (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 10 June 2019 15:45 (four years ago) link
GBV?
― Evan, Monday, 10 June 2019 15:45 (four years ago) link
I do like the latter day albums and, maybe especially, a lot of the SYR stuff! I just don't think of "post-1995" as Sonic Youth's peak period.
― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Monday, 10 June 2019 15:53 (four years ago) link
Alex Harvey was 33 when The Sensational Alex Harvey Band was formed, which seemed really old for a rock star at the time.
― confusementalism (Dan Peterson), Monday, 10 June 2019 15:59 (four years ago) link
I think Bill Callahan's best work was done as Bill Callahan, and Woke on a Whaleheart came out when he was already 41. Even the best Smog material (imo) was done in his 30s.
― longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Monday, 10 June 2019 16:04 (four years ago) link
Yeah, tbf, even Sonic Youth's 80s work was done when Gordon was in her 30s; the band name was always ironic.
― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Monday, 10 June 2019 16:10 (four years ago) link
It would be an easy argument to make that Celia Cruz peaked after age 35 or even after 40
― Josefa, Monday, 10 June 2019 16:11 (four years ago) link
Bill Frisell: mid-30s during downtown NYC days, 37 when he moved to Seattle, over 40 by the time of Have a Little Faith. Some of my favourite work of his might actually be post-middle age!
― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Monday, 10 June 2019 16:16 (four years ago) link
Duke Ellington was in his early 40s when he composed/released a string of masterworks ("Take The 'A' Train," "Cotton Tail," "Harlem Air Shaft," "Jack The Bear," "Ko-Ko," "Concerto For Cootie," etc. etc.).
And he was in his late 60s when he started a series of brilliant suites (The Far East Suite, The Latin American Suite, The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse, New Orleans Suite).
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Monday, 10 June 2019 16:21 (four years ago) link
Wow I didn’t realise Kim Gordon was 66! I would have guessed at a minimum five years younger.
― i really, really, really, really, really, really like glue (fionnland), Monday, 10 June 2019 16:21 (four years ago) link
Sorry, should correct the above to co-composed -- Billy Strayhorn was either the sole composer or a collaborator with Duke on many of the '40s pieces.
xp
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Monday, 10 June 2019 16:22 (four years ago) link
Duke is a good one.
― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Monday, 10 June 2019 16:27 (four years ago) link
Nels Cline was in his 50s when he made my favourite albums of his, probably past middle age when he made Macroscope.
― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Monday, 10 June 2019 16:32 (four years ago) link
personally i'm planning to peak around 43
― adult music person (Jordan), Tuesday, March 29, 2011 4:27 PM (eight years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Still on track for this
― change display name (Jordan), Monday, 10 June 2019 16:41 (four years ago) link
Pauline Oliveros fits in here for sure
― Ambient Police (sleeve), Monday, 10 June 2019 16:44 (four years ago) link
Steve Reich was 39 when Music for 18 Musicians premiered. I think this is common for classical and jazz artists in the contemporary era.
― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Monday, 10 June 2019 17:28 (four years ago) link
Lucette Bourdin was a visual artist who released her first ambient album in 2005, when she was 51... Then, in following 7 years, she released something like 25 albums, most of which are excellent. Sadly, she died in 2012, but it was an amazing burst of music from someone who had never made (commercial) recordings at all in her first fifty years.
― Tuomas, Monday, 10 June 2019 17:39 (four years ago) link