Peer identification with artists
 

Do you identify with artists as being your peers in age?

I'm 60. Was in high school from 1972-76. I viewed artists like Led Zep, Aerosmith, Kiss, Rush etc. as peers.
In reality, these guys were 8-10 years older than me. Rush five years older.
When first Van Halen album was released I was 20. Even though they were 3-4 years older than me I thought of them as younger new guys.
When U2 hit it big in 1983 I was 25. Even though they were my age I thought of them as new younger guys.

It seems most artists hit it big in their mid twenties, average person their age is already graduated college, gotten married, and has kids.
The people who pick up on them, buy the records and become the core fans are ten years younger.

Re: Peer identification with artists
 

I've always mostly been a fan of classic rock and later blues. So the Doors, Zep latter on Petty and such. They for the most part were decades older than me (47 now) even though say Delores O'riordan would have been my peer I dont tend to see a lot of artists as such.

Its funny as much as Tom Petty was seen as a working guy he really was nothing like me. He lived in mansions, drove corvettes and never worked a real job in his life. Yet somehow he wrote amazing songs about struggles of the working guy.... Same with Springsteen I guess.... :confused:

Re: Peer identification with artists
 

I always thought of musicians as older than me. It was weird when I got into my thirties and bands started being younger than me.

Now top artists like Lady Gaga were born after I graduated high school.

Re: Peer identification with artists
 

I always assumed most were older than me and now they are younger.

Re: Peer identification with artists
 

When you’re young, every band is older than you. Then you reach an age where suddenly many of them are younger than you.

It got me thinking, who are my musical peers? So I looked it up. The only two famous musician born in 1978 are Drake and Nelly Furtado. It was a strangely dead year.

Re: Peer identification with artists
 

When I was really young, no. As I got older, yes.

Not knowing any better when I was really young, I saw bands like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Kiss, Rush, etc ... as "gods" (for lack of a better term).

As I got older, I eventually saw through the gimmick/facade. As far as I could tell, they were largely highly paid "journeymen", and not "gods" anymore in my eyes. Basically not much different than any other "journeymen", such as B-list (or lower) actors. Just folks making a living.

Re: Peer identification with artists
 

I went to school with, or otherwise know, many of the "grunge" era Seattle bands. Seems really odd for them to often be called part their prime and out of touch due to their age. :lol:

Most of the bands I listened to when I was younger are dead, already quit the music business, or are out there doign "one last tour". I'm glad I read between the lines I saw Rush on the R40 tour before they officially considered it their last tour.