The Price of Touring

[classicstyxfan]

As we all know, Styx has toured extensively since 1999.......I was wondering to myself how much of a toll this must take on their 50+ Year old bodies, and what they do to counter that ?

People such as Pete Townsend of the Who are close to deaf due to years of abuse of their hearing, I wonder if the boys use any sort of protection for their ears ?

I wonder if they are still the stay up 1/2 the night partying type, or if they are in bed by midnight the night of a show ?

Does anyone out there know the answers to any of these questions ?

[styxfanNH]

I know Tommy has referred to the use of ear monitors in the past. They are sort of like a hearing aid/ear plug that basically gives each musician there own mix of the band and the volume for each musician can be controlled. They are wirelesss and serve the same purpose to what many of us are familiar with as stage monitors but the volume is much lower obviously. This definately helps them in playing the number of shows they do. Also remember the volume on the stage is much quieter than what we hear in the audience any way.

From the 3 or 4 shows that I have stayed after to catch an autograph, they usually leave the venue about 60-90 minutes after a show. Usually it is right on the bus and off to the next stop. I can't imagine that they would go to sleep until around 2am by the time the adrenaline calms down.

And I think if you watch the tour dates, aside from the summer tour and maybe a couple of other mini runs that they do, they pretty much stick to friday, saturday or sunday shows. Giving them plenty of time with family and to do other stuff. I do know that for certain parts of their tour, their wives tour with them. It seems the wives go with them all at the same time though.

[SuiteMadameBlue]

Good question Classic. I personally don't have the answer, but I recently received this from a friend. It has a lot of information that may have answers for you.

http://www.hearnet.com/index.shtml

You'll notice Pat Benatar is a spokesperson of this.

Here are other artists that are involved:

http://www.hearnet.com/features/feature_archive.shtml


Hope this helps

I have no clue how musicians over 50 can keep performing like they do - LOL I don't know how old Jack Blades (Night Ranger) is, but at the last concert I had seen with him, all I can say is WOW. He moved all over that stage singing and dancing and jumping all around. I don't think he ever stopped. (Great Show).

[classicstyxfan]

Madame,

Very interesting........I may even buy a few of these items, as I suffer from tinnitus, likely brought on from my ( high school ) years in a garage band, and the many concerts I attended "back in the
day"

Ironically, I now work in the Safety Field, and marketing industrial hearing protection products are a part of my responsibilities.

I'm amazed at all of the bands still out there touring ....the friggin Rolling Stones are talking about touring AGAIN. I saw their 1st farewell tour....in 1981 ! when they say Rock N Roll will never die, I am starting to believe them !

[bugsymalone]

My guess is that a lot of the dinosaur rockers are into the very healthy lifestyle --- diet, exercise, etc. Certainly that keeps their bodies in good enough shape to handle the concerts. As NH says, they also have downtime between shows to take a vacation or just go home to relax.

I am amazed at the energy shown by some of these people who are into their 50's and, in the case of the Stones, their 60's.
Adrenaline onstage certainly contributes to the energy level. ALL of them love performing and that in and of itself is reason enough to put on a lively show.

I would love to hear what some of these rockers do, as far as working out goes, to improve their stamina and breath control.

As far as hearing --- some were smart, like Dennis, and always wore earplugs onstage, thus saving their hearing for their "golden years" LOL.

[Note: None of the above applies to Keith Richards who is some sort of creature from another planet. That is the only thing I can think of to explain HIM!]

Bugsy

[Ash]

My guess is that a lot of the dinosaur rockers are into the very healthy lifestyle --- diet, exercise, etc. Certainly that keeps their bodies in good enough shape to handle the concerts. As NH says, they also have downtime between shows to take a vacation or just go home to relax.

Actually - you'd be surprised how many of them still do cocaine. Steve Walsh (Kansas) was busted back in 1999 or 2000 for driving while having cocaine in his system. I understand Tommy was once a coke-head too... once a druggie always a druggie. I'd be surprised if some of this wasn't drug related. (Note: I am not saying Tommy Shaw is a current cokehead.... but I have seen what drugs to do people, like my brother, and it tends to produce the same kind of high-energy, low focus stuff you're used to getting out of musicians).

I am amazed at the energy shown by some of these people who are into their 50's and, in the case of the Stones, their 60's.
Adrenaline onstage certainly contributes to the energy level. ALL of them love performing and that in and of itself is reason enough to put on a lively show.

Funny you use the stones as a reference. See my previous comment regarding drug use....... I'm really not joking here.


Not that ALL rockers are this way..... but I think we'd all be surprised and disappointed to see the role that drugs plays in the lives of some people we tend to hold in high regard.

[styxfanNH]

Tommy eats no red meat and Larry is a Vegan.

In regards to Tommy's drug use. He openly says he used in the hey day, but he has been clean for the past fifteen years.

[bugsymalone]

Ash, I am sure what you say is true, but the toll drugs take on the body, especially an ageing one, is often debilitating. That said, of course there are some (many?) out there who still use and abuse. Look at John Entwistle. He was using right up until the day it killed him.

I think many of the groups we are seeing like Styx, though, have taken a different route, cleaned up, and gotten a lot healthier.

From what I understand, the Aerosmith guys all cleaned up and they are simply dynamos of rock and roll onstage.

I think the drugs can fuel stage energy, but good health seems to fuel sustained energy.

You are probably right, though, about some of them, Ash. Old habits die hard with many of these old rockers.

Bugsy

[Jaybird]

Although clean living (no drink or drugs...or sex in Nugent's case) is certainly helpful, I would think a serious user would still have done irreparable damage to their bodies. Even being clean for 15 years, as in Tommy's case, there's most likely some health problems down the line for him.

At any rate, I'm glad he cleaned up so he could keep on rocking....and rocking......jeez, is he still rocking?!