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The Zimmers
April 19, 2007
There was an article on the BBC recently about The Zimmers, a band made up of 40 or so senior citizens, some past the century mark who are releasing a cover of The Who’s ‘My Generation’. This will be screened on BBC2 in May as part of the Power to the People series.
I’m all for giving old people a grand day out, and if recording an album at the Abbey Road studios does it for them over a trip to Brighton beach then that’s no problem. The money spent will surely be absorbed and then some with the profits that this novelty single will make.
However, I fail to see it as an all empowering stick your finger up at a society that’s left you for dead message which the documentary makers want us to feel it is. The single will be purchased by those wishing to do good, or those who buy it for the novelty value - not because it’s a great cover…which I don’t feel it is. It’ll soon be forgotten, there will be a brief article in a few papers when one of the ‘band members’ dies. If it really catches on, there may be another group doing another song next year, which will not gain quite as much momentum as this one as it’s all been done before.
Empowering the lives of our elders is fantastic. Raising awareness of organisations such as Help the Aged is also wonderful. This video, though, leaves me cold. I feel nothing for the people in the video. It doesn’t make me want to buy it, nor does it make me want to donate any money. A group of, mostly bemused, looking old people attempting to sing started off as being fine, but when it comes to seeing them breaking instruments with their frail bodies, and the final shot of the guy sticking his middle finger up at the camera just makes me think ‘grow the fuck up and hold a charity bingo night’.
Some gimmicks work, I’m sure this one will. I’m just not convinced that wrapping this novelty song in a blanket of empty promises is going to have such a longlasting effect. I quote from their myspace page:
“Oh and by the way, don’t tell them you think this is funny, with more aggression than Nirvana and more talent than The Beatles, these OAP’s are here to stay. Their first single ‘My Generation’ is released on May 14th. Expect it to climb faster than a Stenna Stair Lift!
Other songs in THE ZIMMERS repertoire include ‘Firestarter’ by The Prodigy, ‘When I’m (one hundred and)64′ by The Beatles and the live favorite (Jermain Stewarts worldwide hit) ‘We Don’t have to take our clothes off (to have a good time)’.”
Somehow I doubt it.
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I think you’re probably right about it not having that effect really. But, then again, nothing really has much impact any more. It’s as if we’ve done everything!
Perhaps in part it’s just a case of us stopping caring as much. News today states that old people may be tagged so that family members can keep a track of them if they wander.
What’s to bet it means a child can simple log onto a PC, check the whereabouts of their parent, and then assume they are okay? They may feel this means they no longer have to go and visit the parental body, which makes it worse.
Teleportation or timetravel will be invented by the time I’m old - so it’ll all be good.
Mxx
That would be a scary move, and it would result in lots of lonely old people I have no doubt. Terrible.