Off their rocker and still rockin'

Years ago I saw "The Simpsons" ripping on the Rolling Stones in their reference to 1994's Steel Wheels by conjuring an image of Mick and Keith in Steel Wheelchairs. It was funny at the time, but those British rockers are having the last laugh these days.\nIn light of their sweeping tour and new studio album, A Bigger Bang, the Stones are at the forefront of what I like to call the "old geezer movement," an elite group of rock bands dating back to the 1960's that will not fade away. For all you Stones fans, pun intended.\nThe rest of the entourage is no joke either. The Who, Pink Floyd and Paul McCartney were on the bill at Live 8. The Doors and Cream both reunited over the summer. Neil Young just came out with Prairie Wind, Santana is releasing All That I Am in November and of course Bob Dylan and the Dead are built for life on the road. \nIf you want to wander outside the realm of rock, there's B.B. King, who may not ever be passed in terms of longevity. As a bluesman touring during the year he turns 80, he should be the spokesman for Energizer, not some silly pink fluffy sunglass-donning mechanic bunny. \nSadly, I may not be fortunate enough to see the Stones on this current tour, but one of my friends scored tickets to the show at Soldier Field. She said without a doubt it was the best concert she had ever seen. The show lasted two and a half hours, complete with a couple encores, the classic Mick Jagger rooster strut and an additional stage in the middle of the stadium where they cranked out a few tunes. \nSome nay-sayers might crash the geezer party with the sell-out theory. Yes, most of the aforementioned bands have been spotted or heard in car and financial consulting firm commercials. There are two rebuttals to that argument. One is that many bands today have little or no control over the rights to their songs. Blame the colossal record labels for that move. \nThe second argument is that these bands "sold out" deep into their careers. When The Who's Won't Get Fooled Again appeared on Nissan Altima commercials, I guarantee the decision wasn't driven by money. As far as I see it, they're just trying to spread the love. The more people who get wind of such great music, the better.\nWho cares if the Stones' new album has only been getting mixed reviews? And who cares if most of the other bands have laid the studio work to rest? At this point in their careers, these musicians don't need to prove anything. They have established themselves as icons by giving hope to you and me.\nA few centuries from now they will be legends, and little children will want to hear bedtime stories about how the Stones worked in 100-degree heat in a studio to produce 1972's Exile on Main Street in one day! They will want to hear how The Who set the record for the loudest concert at 120 decibels and how Pink Floyd jammed in an ancient outdoor amphitheatre at the foot of Mt. Vesuvius in Pompeii. \nOur parents watched the Stones draw crowds to high school auditoriums in the 60s. And now forty years later they can watch them perform in arenas and enjoy the show with their children and even grandchildren in some cases. Did anyone stop to think how ridiculous that is? Are these guys actual human beings? They've been through more sex, drugs and rock n' roll than any aspiring musician could ever hope to endure. \nI just pray that we can say the same thing for the music of our generation. Some bands (Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters) are climbing up the proverbial hill, but even they have about twenty-five years to reach "Stones status." Mick is 62, Keith is 61 (he looks 97), Charlie Watts is 64 and young gun Ron Wood is 58. I'll count myself lucky if I can still drive a car at that age. \nDon't take them for granted, folks. Who knows how much longer they will be around? It used to be cocaine overdoses, and now it's throat cancer. As far as I'm concerned, they're still in their heyday, laughing in the face of the dangers of rock 'n' roll and pumping up crowds night after night. These old farts know how to rock.