ROCK FANS PAY THE BIG BUCKS TO SEE RETIREMENT HOME ROCK STARS

As much as I am a fan of old and obscure music, I am also not one that reminisces too much about old bands and artists to the point where I close my mind off to any good new music on the block. 

I never liked bands because of peer pressure, never had posters in my bedroom of any particular band or artist, good thing especially if you're talking about boys (laugh), basically in other words, I never was inclined to hero worship music and put any band or artist up on a pedestal. 

I just like good pumping rock, American blues and a lot of other types of music, no matter who the performer is. I can't help but be cynical of old burnt out rock stars who continue to tour but who don't release any new music that`s comparable to their `definitive` output, to pay their way out of debt which a lifetime of excess has racked up. 

The two acts which are heading Australia`s way in the coming months which I know of is Roger Waters, the former bassist and chief songwriter in Pink Floyd, and glam hair band pioneers from the 1980`s Motley Crue. 

They are both coming to Brisbane, Waters is playing at the Entertainment Centre at Boondall and the Crue are playing at the South Bank Piazza. 

Not sure what price is on the Motley Crue tickets, but a mate of mine, who is a huge
Pink Floyd fan, paid over $500 for 2 tickets to see Roger Waters. 

I have to say this much, I think people sometimes have to get over it with music and move on, these burnout rock stars just love the masses of over-sentimental people who pay grossly inflated prices to see them play live when they are well past their artistic peak. 

Roger Waters is doing a world tour playing the entire song list of the Floyd album THE WALL, an album he wrote entirely himself.

Yes it may have been a pioneering progressive rock album for its time back in 1979 but there are so many other great albums in the progressive rock mould that have been released since Pink Floyd`s heyday that more than define the innovation of Roger Waters. 

Pink Floyd to me were always a so-so progressive rock band who occasionally invented something really brilliant, but 32 years after THE WALL was released it`s a bit over the top to me that people will pay that sort of money to see Roger Waters without his bandmates from Pink Floyd. 

I mean to say, how can Roger Waters go out
on stage and play `Comfortably Numb` without the guitarist from Floyd, David Gilmour?

No one else could play the guitar solo to that song, a bit like the STONES without Keith Richards. Motley Crue takes the cake even
more than Roger Waters, judging by the venue they`re playing at in Brisbane (South Bank), you would think that the band already knows that they`re not as popular as they were back in their 80`s heyday, seeing that South Bank is not stadium sized.

I got to admit, I never liked Motley Crue too much, I certainly had more time for Pink Floyd growing up, the Crue`s style of cheesy lewd glam metal was well produced and had often had an infectious hook laden melody, but more times than not it was just so tacky. 

The best asset Motley Crue have always had from day one is wildman drummer Tommy Lee, who is best known for making a home porno movie with one time Baywatch goddess Pamela Anderson. 

Besides banging Pamela Tommy Lee can also bang a set of drums perfectly. But hey c`mon fellas, Roger Waters and Motley Crue, as well as dozens of other acts who don't know when to call it stumps, continue to skim a shitload of money from their obsessed fans.

When they should be putting their skills
to being music producers and promoters so that new rock bands and artists have the opportunity of getting the break which they were given when they were younger. Self indulgence at its worst.