By Adam Waldman
The 57th anniversary of “the day the music died,” and the recent slew of rock star deaths, has got me thinking about this generation’s version of the music “dying.” Rumors of the death of rock and roll have existed for many years, and for the most part, they are greatly exaggerated. However, the larger-than-life rock stars of a bygone era are another story. Have we reached the beginning of the end of rock stardom, or has the start of this year just been a particularly fragile time for rockers in their late-60s and early-70s?
Many of us wax nostalgic about the glory days, when life was simpler and rock stars shined brightly. The days of sex, drugs and rock and roll are a thing of the past (at least when it comes to unabashed debauchery), but it’s possible that we’re starting to see the repercussions of the lifestyle that was once synonymous with rock stardom. We like to think of our rock heroes as immortal, and to some degree, they are through the music that they leave behind. But the past month or so has made it abundantly clear that the legends who created the music are as mortal as the rest of us.
It’s always shocking when someone dies suddenly, regardless of their age. The tragedy is more pronounced when the person is younger, or when a number of people perish together, which is why the date of the plane crash that took Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and “The Big Bopper” is so meaningful. It’s why the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash is still spoken about to this day, and the crash that took the life of guitarist extraordinaire Randy Rhoads is as well. Shocking events and youth make death even harder to comprehend, and that will always be the case. When a number of rock stars all die in succession, it is profoundly sad and numbing, but after a while, the shock starts to wear off and reality sets in.
The average lifespan in America is around 79 years, and a few years longer than that in the UK. It’s a harsh reality to accept, but the rock stars of yesteryear didn’t exactly live “average” lifestyles. Many abused drugs and alcohol at some point in their career, and even those that didn’t, spent a good portion of their lives grinding it out in less-than-ideal conditions touring the world.
It’s possible that the recent loss of rock stars is an aberration. We can only hope that is the case, but if it isn’t, we may be entering an unprecedented time in rock history where we have to say goodbye to the rock stars that shaped the youth of multiple generations.
At some point in life, youthful feelings of immortality transition to the acceptance of a reality that promises tomorrow to no one. The recent deaths of a number of rock stars came as a shock to most, even if the stars themselves knew that their time on earth was coming to an end. It’s not hard to envision a world without rock stars in the coming years, which is why it is important to take the opportunity to appreciate and celebrate them while they are still here. After all, you never know when someone’s most recent performance will be their last.
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